Reliquefaction device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11754337-B2
Application number	US-201916975986-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2019
Priority date	Mar 13, 2018
Publication date	Sep 12, 2023
Grant date	Sep 12, 2023

Abstract

Provided is a reliquefaction device with which a gas gasified from a liquid can be efficiently reliquefied. A plurality of flow passages include: a mixing flow passage which is connected to the downstream end section of one among a liquid flow passage and a gas flow passage and allows a fluid mixture to flow so that a reliquefaction promoting liquid flowing through the liquid flow passage and a reliquefaction target gas flowing through the gas flow passage are mixed and the reliquefaction of the reliquefaction target gas is promoted by direct heat exchange; and a gas cooling flow passage which allows a coolant to flow and cool the reliquefaction target gas by indirect heat exchange with the reliquefaction target gas through a separation wall, thereby suppressing the gasification of the reliquefaction promoting liquid when the reliquefaction target gas is mixed with the reliquefaction promoting liquid flowing through the liquid flow passage.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A reliquefaction device comprising:
a storage tank configured to store a first target gas and a first promoting liquid from which the first target gas evaporates;
a circulation flow passage having a first end connected to the storage tank at a first position that allows for the first target gas and not the first promoting liquid to flow through the circulation flow passage, the circulation flow passage having a second end downstream of the first end connected to a first gas flow passage and configured to supply the first target gas to the first gas flow passage;
a supply flow passage having a first end connected to the storage tank at a second position different than the first position that allows for the first promoting liquid and not the first target gas to flow through the supply flow passage, the supply flow passage having a second end downstream of the first end connected to a first liquid flow passage and configured to supply the first promoting liquid to the first liquid flow passage;
a flow passage unit configured such that multiple flow passages allowing a flow of fluid containing at least one of the first target gas or the first promoting liquid are formed,
wherein the flow passage unit includes multiple flow passage substrates joined to each other in a state in which the flow passage substrates are stacked on each other in a predetermined direction, and at at least one of overlapping surfaces of two of the multiple flow passage substrates overlapping with each other in a stacking direction, multiple grooves extending along the overlapping surfaces and forming at least part of the multiple flow passages are provided,
the multiple flow passages include
the first liquid flow passage formed to extend along the overlapping surfaces and allowing a flow of the first promoting liquid,
the first gas flow passage provided adjacent to the first liquid flow passage through a partition wall present between the first gas flow passage and the first liquid flow passage in the stacking direction, provided independently of the first liquid flow passage, formed to extend along the overlapping surfaces, and allowing a flow of the first target gas,
a first connection flow passage formed to extend in the stacking direction and connecting the first liquid flow passage and the first gas flow passage to each other,
a first mixing flow passage connected to a downstream end portion of any of the first liquid flow passage and the first gas flow passage, formed to extend along the overlapping surfaces, and allowing the flow of a fluid mixture containing the first target gas and the first promoting liquid, and
a first cooling flow passage provided adjacent to the first gas flow passage through a separation wall present between the first cooling flow passage and the first gas flow passage in the stacking direction, provided independently of the first gas flow passage, and allowing a flow of refrigerant such that indirect heat exchange between the first target gas and the refrigerant is performed through the separation wall, and

wherein the refrigerant is supplied to the first cooling flow passage from a source other than the storage tank.

2. The reliquefaction device according to claim 1 , wherein
the multiple flow passage substrates include
a base substrate having a first overlapping surface as the overlapping surface positioned on one side in the stacking direction and a second overlapping surface as the overlapping surface positioned on the other side in the stacking direction,
a first substrate joined to the base substrate in a state in which the first substrate overlaps with the first overlapping surface and forming the first gas flow passage between the first substrate and the base substrate,
a second substrate joined to the base substrate in a state in which the second substrate overlaps with the second overlapping surface and forming the first liquid flow passage between the second substrate and the base substrate, and
a third substrate joined to the first substrate in a state in which the third substrate overlaps with the overlapping surface of the first substrate positioned on one side in the stacking direction and forming the first cooling flow passage between the third substrate and the first substrate.

3. The reliquefaction device according to claim 2 , wherein
the multiple grooves provided at the base substrate include
a first gas flow passage groove provided at the first overlapping surface and forming the first gas flow passage, and
a first liquid flow passage groove provided at the second overlapping surface and forming the first liquid flow passage,

the first connection flow passage is provided to penetrate the base substrate in the stacking direction, and is formed by a first mixing hole connecting the first gas flow passage groove and the first liquid flow passage groove to each other, and
the partition wall present between the first gas flow passage and the first liquid flow passage in the stacking direction is formed by a portion of the base substrate positioned between the first gas flow passage groove and the first liquid flow passage groove in the stacking direction.

4. The reliquefaction device according to claim 3 , wherein
the multiple grooves provided at the third substrate include a cooling flow passage groove provided at the overlapping surface of the third substrate positioned on the other side in the stacking direction and forming the first cooling flow passage, and
the separation wall present between the first gas flow passage and the first cooling flow passage in the stacking direction is formed by a portion of the first substrate adjacent to the first gas flow passage groove in the stacking direction.

5. The reliquefaction device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first mixing flow passage is adjacent to the first cooling flow passage through a separation wall present between the first mixing flow passage and the first cooling flow passage in the stacking direction, is provided independently of the first cooling flow passage, and is connected to a downstream end portion of the first gas flow passage to extend continuously from the first gas flow passage, and
the first cooling flow passage allows the flow of the refrigerant such that reliquefaction of the first target gas contained in the fluid mixture flowing in the first mixing flow passage is promoted by cooling of the fluid mixture flowing in the first mixing flow passage by indirect heat exchange between the fluid mixture flowing in the first mixing flow passage and the refrigerant through the separation wall.

6. The reliquefaction device according to claim 3 , wherein
the multiple grooves provided at the base substrate further include a first mixing flow passage groove provided continuously to the first gas flow passage groove at the first overlapping surface and forming the first mixing flow passage, and
the separation wall present between the first mixing flow passage and the first cooling flow passage in the stacking direction is formed by a portion of the first substrate adjacent to the first mixing flow passage groove in the stacking direction.

7. The reliquefaction device according to claim 6 , wherein
the multiple flow passages further include
a second liquid flow passage formed to extend along the overlapping surfaces and allowing a flow of second promoting liquid which is the liquid to be added to the fluid mixture flowing in the first mixing flow passage and which promotes reliquefaction of the first target gas by direct heat exchange between the second promoting liquid and the first target gas contained in the fluid mixture,
a second connection flow passage formed to extend in the stacking direction and connecting the first mixing fl

Assignees

• Kobe Steel Ltd

Inventors

• Noishiki Koji

Classifications

• F25J1/0025 Primary

  Boil-off gases "BOG" from storages · CPC title

• F28D9/0037

  the conduits for the other heat-exchange medium also being formed by paired plates touching each other (F28D9/0043 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F28F3/08

  Elements constructed for building-up into stacks, e.g. capable of being taken apart for cleaning · CPC title

• F25J1/0045

  by vaporising a liquid return stream · CPC title

• F25J1/0221

  using the cold stored in an external cryogenic component in an open refrigeration loop · CPC title