Patent attributes
The described invention relates to processes and systems for treating a gas stream, particularly one rich in methane for forming liquefied natural gas (LNG), the process including: (a) providing a gas stream; (b) providing a refrigerant; (c) compressing the refrigerant to provide a compressed refrigerant; (d) cooling the compressed refrigerant by indirect heat exchange with a cooling fluid; (e) expanding the refrigerant of (d) to cool the refrigerant, thereby producing an expanded, cooled refrigerant; (f) passing the expanded, cooled refrigerant to a first heat exchange area; (g) compressing the gas stream of (a) to a pressure of from greater than or equal to 1,000 psia to less than or equal to 4,500 psia; (h) cooling the compressed gas stream by indirect heat exchange with an external cooling fluid; and heat exchanging the compressed gas stream with the expanded, cooled refrigerant stream.
