Chart issued patent for liquefaction technology

Chart Energy & Chemicals Inc., a Chart Industries Company, has announced that it has been awarded a patent for its IPSMR^® cryogenic liquefaction process technology by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

The IPSMR^® cryogenic liquefaction process technology has been developed by an in-house engineering team comprising Douglas Ducote, Vice President - Process Plant Technology; Timothy Gushanas, Process Consultant; and James Podolski, Process Engineer.

The technology, initially intended for use in the making of LNG, uses a mixture of light hydrocarbons and nitrogen to provide refrigeration. Process optimisation is achieved through an improved refrigeration cycle using Chart’s proprietary brazed aluminium heat exchangers (BAHX). Chart said that the IPSMR^® process allows clients to achieve maximum operating efficiency, economy and performance by 6 - 10% over other industry recognised single mixed refrigerant processes.

Andrew Moriarty, President of Chart Energy & Chemicals, highlighted the practical role and importance of the company’s continuous R&D programme: “The IPSMR^® process technology and our modular plant solutions, are at the centre of many of the proposed investments, at various stages of regulatory approval, that will enable the export of North American shale gas through liquefaction.”

Chart is also actively developing IPSMR^® to improve the efficiency of other liquefaction processes, such as ethane, ethylene and energy storage projects.

In addition to the US, IPSMR^® process technology has been patented in other major countries, including China and Japan, and it is patent pending in many others.

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/liquefaction/26092016/chart-issued-patent-for-liquefaction-technology-3093/