US 11,703,277 B2
Systems and methods for natural gas cooling
John Jefferson Odell, Irvine, CA (US); and Irina Dean, Rolling Hills Estate, CA (US)
Assigned to COSMODYNE, LLC, Seal Beach, FL (US)
Filed by Cosmodyne, LLC, Seal Beach, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 6, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/783,896.
Prior Publication US 2021/0247135 A1, Aug. 12, 2021
Int. Cl. F25J 1/02 (2006.01); F25J 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC F25J 1/0052 (2013.01) [F25J 1/0015 (2013.01); F25J 1/0022 (2013.01); F25J 1/0072 (2013.01); F25J 2245/42 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for natural gas cooling using nitrogen, the system comprising:
a nitrogen liquefier, the nitrogen liquefier comprising:
one or more gaseous nitrogen input conduits in fluid communication with one or more gaseous nitrogen sources;
one or more liquid nitrogen output conduits; and
one or more compressors in fluid communication with the one or more gaseous nitrogen input conduits,
wherein the nitrogen liquefier is adapted to convert gaseous nitrogen supplied by the one or more gaseous nitrogen sources into liquid nitrogen that is provided to the one or more liquid nitrogen output conduits;
a natural gas cooler, the natural gas cooler comprising:
one or more natural gas input conduits in fluid communication with one or more natural gas sources;
one or more cooled liquid natural gas output conduits; and
one or more heat exchangers in fluid communication with: i) the one or more gaseous nitrogen input conduits of the nitrogen liquefier; and ii) the one or more cooled liquid natural gas output conduits,
wherein the natural gas cooler is adapted to reduce a temperature of natural gas from the one or more natural gas sources forming a cooled liquid natural gas that is provided to the one or more cooled liquid natural gas output conduits;
wherein the natural gas cooler has a first pressure and the nitrogen liquefier has a second pressure and the first pressure;
wherein the system comprises a valve located on a conduit to maintain that the first pressure and the second pressure are isolated; and
wherein the system is configured such that, in response to a change in a production rate of cooled liquid natural gas being produced in the one or more heat exchangers, a production rate of liquid nitrogen produced in the nitrogen liquefier is changed.