Liquified gas pumping and vaporization system

Abstract

A cryogenic fluid pumping and vaporization system utilizes a heat engine to drive a cryogenic fluid pump, a coolant pump, a lube oil pump and a dynamometer, the cryogenic fluid pump and the coolant pump being driven through a hydraulic drive system, while the lube oil pump, hydraulic pump and the dynamometer are mechanically driven by the engine. Operation of the coolant pump and cryogenic fluid pump flows coolant fluid through a coolant flow circuit and flows cryogenic fluid through a cryogenic fluid flow circuit, each of these two circuits being operatively connected to a process fluid heat exchanger which transfers coolant heat to the cryogenic fluid to vaporize it. Heat from the hydraulic drive system and a lube oil flow circuit associated with the lube oil pump is transferred to the coolant flow circuit via suitable heat exchangers interposed therein. Exhaust gas heat generated by the engine is also transferred to the coolant through an exhaust gas heat exchanger. The dynamometer is connected in parallel with the coolant flow circuit to receive a selectively variable throughflow of coolant to thereby selectively vary its load on the engine and selectively vary the total heat transferred from the engine to the coolant. Heat generated within the dynamometer is transferred directly to the coolant, and the dynamometer load may be varied without altering the cryogenic fluid pumping load borne by the engine.