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Improved efficiency in hydrogen liquefaction with integrated precooled single mixed refrigerant.

Number: 0069

Author(s) : KNOCHE M., WATT M., HEYRMAN B.

Summary

The specific energy requirement for hydrogen liquefaction can be significantly reduced by applying an integrated mixed refrigerant precooling process. This process also creates the ability to scale hydrogen liquefaction to much larger production rates by allowing for centrifugal compression. This new and innovative process injects alkanes into the hydrogen refrigerant stream, increasing the molecular weight in the turbo compressors and therewith will make the use of centrifugal turbo compression a viable option. In addition, alkanes boiling in the range of 120 K will halve the traditional nitrogen precooling cycle size and energy requirement. This applied technology originates from LNG liquefaction and has been utilized for decades in natural gas liquefaction processes. The hydrogen alkane mixture used in this new hydrogen liquefaction process provides for centrifugal compression and improvement in the warm zone efficiency, even so, the alkanes need to be removed before reaching the alkane freezing temperatures. The alkane removal is effected by condensation followed by a traditional adsorption-desorption process. The overall technology of using a mixture of hydrogen with alkanes, allows for single train hydrogen compressors on the order of 65 MW motors that enable the liquefaction of about 300 tons per day of hydrogen in one train. Using centrifugal compression , in place of reciprocating compression, has the potential to halve liquefaction capital costs in comparison to today’s conventional 30 tons per day liquefiers. The use of centrifugal compression in the hydrogen liquefaction process also leads to a higher availability compared to the traditional reciprocating compressors.

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Pages: 5 p.

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Details

  • Original title: Improved efficiency in hydrogen liquefaction with integrated precooled single mixed refrigerant.
  • Record ID : 30033902
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: Technology
  • Source: Cryogenics 2025. Proceedings of the 18th IIR International Conference on Cryogenics, Prague, Czech Republic, 7-11 April 2025.
  • Publication date: 2025/04/07
  • DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18462/iir.cryo.2025.0069

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