Inventors:
Robert A. Fanning - Highland Village TX
Brett L. Ryberg - Tokyo, JP
Bruce K. Smith - South Lake TX
Luan D. Phan - Garland TX
Assignee:
ExxonMobil Oil Corporation - Irving TX
International Classification:
F25J 100
Abstract:
A natural gas liquefaction system and process wherein excess refrigeration available in a typical natural gas liquefaction system is used to cool the inlet air to gas turbines in the system to thereby improve the overall efficiency of the system. A cooler is positioned in front of the air inlet of each gas turbine; and coolant (e. g. water) is flowed through each of the coolers to cool the ambient air as it flows into the gas turbines. The water, in turn, is cooled with propane taken from a refrigerant circuit in the system which, in turn, is used to initially cool the natural gas which is to be liquefied.