LNG regasification device and cogenerator of cold water and cold dry air
View Patent ↗A device for regasification of LNG, and cogeneration of fresh water and dry air, having a casing hermetically sealed from the exterior withstanding vacuum conditions, and containing a working fluid in its liquid and gaseous phases; the casing is traversed by t a cryogenic tube through which LNG is fed and regasified natural gas is collected via the other end. The external surface of the cryogenic tube condenses the gaseous working fluid, releasing energy, and evaporative condenser tubes located outside the casing, with the external condensing surface in contact with damp air, and the air vapor contained in the damp air condenses thereupon, generating cold fresh water and releasing energy to the working fluid in its liquid phase which flows through the evaporative condenser and which evaporates, generating a gaseous phase working fluid, which exits through the evaporative condenser and is directed into the casing for the condensation
1 . A regasification device for the regasification of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the cogeneration of water and air, the regasification device comprising:
at least one casing hermetically sealed from the exterior which withstands vacuum conditions and that contains a working fluid in its liquid and gaseous phases;
at least one cryogenic tube which traverses the at least one casing and through which liquefied natural gas is fed via one end thereof and regasified natural gas is collected via the other end thereof, wherein an external surface of the at least one cryogenic tube is a condensing surface and the gaseous phase of the working fluid condenses thereupon being converted into the liquid phase of the working fluid; and
a plurality of evaporative condenser tubes or chambers which are outside the at least one casing and which are under vacuum interiorly, the evaporative condenser tubes or chambers having an external condensing surface and an internal evaporating surface, wherein the external condensing surface of the evaporative condenser tubes or chambers is in contact with atmospheric air such that water vapor contained in the atmospheric air condenses on the external condensing surface of the evaporative condenser tubes or chambers, thereby being converted into condensed water and releasing energy, and wherein the internal evaporative surface of the evaporative condenser tubes or chambers, on which the liquid phase of the working fluid fed from the at least one casing flows and evaporates, by absorbing the released energy, transforms the liquid phase of the working fluid into the gaseous phase of the working fluid, which exits through one end of the evaporative condenser tubes or chambers and is directed into the at least one casing for the condensation thereof.
2 . The regasification device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one fan, blower, or turbine which drives the atmospheric air on the external condensing surface of the evaporative condenser tubes or chambers.
3 . The regasification device according to claim 1 , wherein the evaporative condenser tubes or chambers have their internal evaporative surface covered, at least in part, with a first capillary structure in the form of microslots, microgrooves, or sintered wicks in which a gas-liquid interface of the working fluid curves and flows orderly within the first capillary structure without forming liquid films and wherein the evaporative condenser tubes or chambers have their external condensing surface covered, at least in part, with a second capillary structure in the form of microslots, microgrooves, or sintered wicks in which the gas-liquid interface of the condensed water curves and flows orderly within the second capillary structure without forming water films.
4 . The regasification device according to claim 1 , wherein the external condensing surface of the at least one cryogenic tube is covered, at least in part, with fins to increase the exchange surface or with a capillary structure on which the working fluid condenses in a capillary condensation regime.
5 . The regasification device according to claim 1 , wherein the external condensing surface of the at least one cryogenic tube is covered, at least in part, with a capillary structure on which the working fluid in gaseous phase condenses in a capillary condensation regime.
6 . The regasification device according to claim 2 , wherein the regasification device is inside at least one structure having at least one fan, blower, or turbine to direct the flow of the atmospheric air onto the evaporative surface of the evaporative condenser tubes or chambers.
7 . The regasification device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one casing is a plurality of casings with a specific working fluid to work within a specific working temperature range above its solidification temperature.
8 . The regasification device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one heat pipe inserted between the at least one casing and the at least one hermetic container under vacuum conditions, and the at least one heat pipe contains a specific two-phase working fluid with a solidification point at a temperature lower than a range of working temperatures of the at least one heat pipe.
9 . The regasification device according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one heat pipe incorporates or is connected to a sensitive heat exchanger to control the temperature of the working fluid.
10 . The regasification device according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one heat pipe includes at least one evaporative tube on its external surface and a condenser on its internal surface that evaporates the working fluid, and the evaporated gaseous phase is supplied at a controlled temperature inside the at least one casing, the working fluid being a two-phase working fluid with a solidification point below the temperature of the external surface of the at least one cryogenic tube.
11 . The regasification device according to claim 1 , further comprising a supply control system configured to dose (i) liquified natural gas to the at least one cryogenic tube and (ii) the working fluid in its gaseous phase to the at least one casing so that there is a thermal gradient up to a controlled temperature inside a wall of the at least one cryogenic tube.
12 . The regasification device according to claim 1 , further comprising an external collection container configured to accumulate the condensed water from the external condensing surface of the evaporative condenser tubes or chambers.
13 . The regasification device according to claim 1 , further comprising a hermetic container which is under vacuum conditions and which is connected to the one end of the evaporative condenser tubes or chambers and is configured to collect and accumulate (i) the gaseous phase of the working fluid evaporated on the internal evaporative surface of the evaporative condenser tubes or chambers and (ii) a remaining portion of the working fluid in the liquid phase not evaporated.
14 . The regasification device according to claim 13 , further comprising a pipe connecting the hermetic container to the at least one casing, the pipe being configured to direct the gaseous phase of the working fluid evaporated on the internal evaporative surface of the evaporative condenser tubes or chambers from the hermetic container to the at least one casing where the gaseous phase of the working fluid condenses again on the external condensing surface of the at least one cryogenic tube.
15 . The regasification device according to claim 13 , further comprising a pump configured to pump the working fluid in the liquid phase not evaporated that is accumulated inside the hermetic container to the interior of the at least one casing.