Facility and method for refrigerating a fluid

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the invention relate to a facility for refrigerating a fluid to a cryogenic temperature, comprising a circuit for the fluid to be refrigerated, comprising an upstream end connected to a source and a downstream end connected to a refrigerated and/or liquefied fluid collection member, the facility comprising at least one exchanger for precooling the fluid leaving the upstream end, the precooling exchanger exchanging heat with a precooling circuit composed of a flow of vaporization gas from a user, the facility further comprising a heat exchanger assembly for cooling by heat exchange with the circuit of fluid to be cooled downstream of the precooling exchanger, the facility comprising a device for cooling by heat exchange with at least a part of the cooling heat exchanger assembly, said cooling device comprising a first refrigerator with a refrigeration cycle of a cycle gas in a working circuit, the cycle gas preferably comprising hydrogen and/or helium, the working circuit of the first refrigerator comprising a member for compressing the cycle gas, a member for cooling the cycle gas, a member for expanding the cycle gas and a member for heating the cycle gas, the precooling exchanger being composed of at least one of the following materials: stainless steel or grades of stainless steel, Inconel, nickel, titanium or plastic material compatible with use at cryogenic temperatures.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A plant for refrigeration of a fluid to a cryogenic temperature, for the liquefaction of hydrogen, the plant comprising:
 a circuit of fluid to be cooled, comprising an upstream end connected to a source and a downstream end connected to a member configured to collect the cooled and/or liquefied fluid;   a single exchanger configured to precool the fluid exiting from the upstream end, said precooling exchanger being in heat exchange with a precooling circuit composed of a stream of vaporization gas of a user;   a set of heat exchanger(s) configured to cool in heat exchange with the circuit of fluid to be cooled downstream of the precooling exchanger;   a cooling device configured to cool in heat exchange with at least a part of the set of cooling heat exchanger(s), said cooling device comprising a first refrigerator having a cycle of refrigeration of a cycle gas in a working circuit, the cycle gas comprising hydrogen and/or helium, the working circuit of the first refrigerator comprising a member configured to compress the cycle gas, a member configured to cool the cycle gas, a member configured to expand the cycle gas and a member configured to reheat the cycle gas,   wherein the precooling exchanger comprises at least one of the following materials: stainless steel or grades of stainless steel, Inconel, nickel, titanium, and plastic compatible with use at cryogenic temperatures.   
     
     
         9 . The plant as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the precooling exchanger is of the plate, tube or shell and tube type. 
     
     
         10 . The plant as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the precooling exchanger is also in heat exchange with a circuit of refrigerant, for example liquefied nitrogen. 
     
     
         11 . A process for the refrigeration of a fluid down to a cryogenic temperature using a refrigeration device in accordance with  claim 8 , the process comprising the steps of:
 circulating the fluid to be cooled in the circuit of fluid to be cooled; and, prior to cooling the fluid by a first refrigerator in the set of cooling heat exchanger(s),   precooling the fluid in the precooling exchanger by heat exchange with a stream of vaporization gas of the precooling circuit.   
     
     
         12 . The process as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the stream of vaporization gas of the precooling circuit is circulated intermittently in the precooling circuit, that is to say that the precooling exchanger is not continually cooled by the stream of vaporization gas. 
     
     
         13 . The process as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the precooling exchanger endures mean temperature differences of between 50 and 100 K between, on the one hand, the situation where a stream of vaporization gas is circulated in the precooling circuit and, on the other hand, the situation where a stream of vaporization gas is not circulated in the precooling circuit. 
     
     
         14 . The process as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the precooling exchanger is also in heat exchange with a circuit of refrigerant, for example liquefied nitrogen, the refrigerant being circulated in said circuit in order to cool the precooling exchanger when the precooling exchanger is not cooled by the stream of vaporization gas to a predetermined cooling level.