Patent ID: 9046302
Filing Date: 2015-06-02
Classification: F25J,F28D,F28F

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for cooling and liquefying a fluid stream to provide a liquefied fluid stream, said apparatus comprising at least: a heat exchanger having a wall defining and encompassing an internal volume comprising a shell side, and a plurality of flow passages extending through the shell side of the heat exchanger, said plurality of flow passages comprising two or more primary groups of one or more primary flow passages, wherein the primary flow passages are arranged to transport the fluid stream from an inlet at or near the bottom of the heat exchanger to an outlet at a point gravitationally higher within the heat exchanger, each said primary group for carrying a part of the fluid stream through the heat exchanger and to indirectly cool said part against a refrigerant in the shell side of the heat exchanger, wherein the part of the fluid stream moves upward through the heat exchanger wile said part of said fluid stream is at least being partly condensed to provide a liquefied fluid stream; a primary inlet header connecting the two or more primary groups of primary flow passages to a source of the fluid, and arranged to split the fluid stream between the two or more primary groups of primary flow passages; means for selectively blocking at least one of the two or more primary groups of primary flow passages in response to a flow rate of the fluid stream, whilst allowing the fluid stream to flow through the remaining unblocked primary groups of primary flow passages; wherein the plurality of flow passages further comprises two or more secondary groups of one or more auto-cooling flow passages, said apparatus further comprising: