Abstract
Based on the improved Claude precooling cycle combined with Joule–Brayton refrigeration cycle, a hydrogen liquefaction process with high efficiency and mixed refrigerants is developed. Four independent refrigeration cycles with nitrogen and three different mixed refrigerants are used. By this process, 288.92 tons gaseous hydrogen (25 °C, 21 bar) can be transferred into liquid hydrogen (−253.4 °C, 1.3 bar), and the coefficient of performance (COP), specific energy consumption (SEC) and exergy efficiency are 0.1574, 5.85 kWh/kgLH2 and 55.30%, respectively. Based on the sensitivity analysis, the SEC is reduced to 5.742 kWh/kgLH2, the COP increases to 0.1602, and their variations account for 1.85% and 1.78%, respectively. This study has a guiding significance for the design and optimization of large-scale hydrogen liquefaction process.
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Abbreviations
- AC:
-
Air cooling condenser
- C:
-
Compressor
- COP:
-
Coefficient of performance
- EX:
-
Heat exchanger
- Ex:
-
Expander
- F:
-
Phase separator
- J-B:
-
Joule–Brayton
- LMTD:
-
Logarithmic mean temperature difference
- LNG:
-
Liquified natural gas
- MR:
-
Mixed refrigerant
- SEC:
-
Specific energy consumption
- Temp.:
-
Temperature
- A :
-
Heat transfer area, m2
- Cp :
-
Specific heat capacity, J/(mol K)
- \(\mathop {C_{p} }\limits^{ \sim }\) :
-
Average specific heat capacity, J/(mol K)
- \(\dot{E}_{x}\) :
-
Exergy rate, kW
- ex :
-
Specific exergy, kJ/mol
- h :
-
Enthalpy, kJ/(kg °C)
- \(\dot{I}\) :
-
Irreversible exergy, kW
- \(\dot{m}\) :
-
Mass flow, kg/s
- P :
-
Pressure, bar
- \(\dot{Q}\) :
-
The heat transferred, kW
- R :
-
Thermodynamic constant, J/(mol K)
- s :
-
Specific entropy, kJ/(mol °C)
- T :
-
Temperature, °C
- U :
-
Overall heat transfer coefficient, kW/(m2 °C)
- \(\dot{W}\) :
-
Work across the system boundary, kW
- W :
-
Electrical power, kW
- \(\gamma\) :
-
Pressure ratio
- \(\mu_{ex}\) :
-
Exergy efficiency
- \(\xi\) :
-
Compressor or gas turbine efficiency
- H:
-
Hydrogen
- N:
-
Nitrogen
- M:
-
Mixed refrigerant
- ac :
-
Air cooling condenser
- c :
-
Compressor
- Des :
-
Destruction
- e :
-
Expander
- Fs :
-
Flash
- GH 2 :
-
Gaseous hydrogen
- GT :
-
Gaseous turbine
- he :
-
Heat exchanger
- i :
-
Inlet
- LH 2 :
-
Liquid hydrogen
- LN 2 :
-
Liquid nitrogen
- o :
-
Outlet
- th :
-
Thermal energy
- T S :
-
Total system
- v :
-
Valve
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Financial supports provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21736008) and (22078259) are gratefully acknowledged.
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Shengan Zhang. All authors cooperated to prepare each version of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Zhang, S., Liu, G. Design and performance analysis of a hydrogen liquefaction process. Clean Techn Environ Policy 24, 51–65 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-021-02078-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-021-02078-z