DEVICE AND METHOD FOR REFRIGERATION OR LIQUEFACTION OF A FLUID

Disclosed is a device for refrigerating or liquefying a fluid such as natural gas or hydrogen, comprising a circuit (3) for fluid that is to be cooled and has an upstream end for connection to a source (2) of gaseous fluid and a downstream end (23) for connection to a member for collecting the cooled or liquefied fluid, the device (1) comprising a heat exchanger assembly (6, 10) in heat exchange with the circuit (3) of fluid to be cooled, the device (1) comprising a refrigerator (20) in heat exchange with at least a portion of the heat exchanger assembly (6, 10), the refrigerator (20) being of the type that has a cycle for refrigerating a cycle gas containing at least one of: helium, hydrogen, nitrogen or neon; said refrigerator (20) comprising, arranged in series in a cycle circuit (14): a mechanism (15) for compressing the cycle gas, at least one member (7, 6, 10) for cooling the cycle gas, a mechanism (17) for expanding the cycle gas, and at least one member (6, 10) for reheating the expanded cycle gas, wherein the compression mechanism comprises a plurality of compression stages (15) in series composed of a centrifugal compressor assembly, the compression stages (15) being mounted on a set of shafts rotated by an assembly of one or more motors (18), the at least one member (7, 6, 10) for cooling the cycle gas comprising at least one heat exchanger (7) arranged at the outlet of at least one compression stage (15) in heat exchange with the cycle circuit (14), said heat exchanger (7) being cooled by a heat-transfer fluid, characterised in that the compression mechanism comprises at least two compression stages (15) that are arranged successively in series and do not include any member for cooling the cycle gas such as a heat exchanger (7) therebetween. Dispositif de réfrigération ou de liquéfaction d'un fluide tel que du gaz naturel ou de l'hydrogène, comprenant un circuit (3) de fluide à refroidir ayant une extrémité amont destinée à être reliée à une source (2) de fluide gazeux et une extrémité aval (23) destinée à être reliée à un organe de collecte du fluide refroidi ou liquéfié, le dispositif (1) comprenant un ensemble d'échangeur(s) (6, 10) de chaleur en échange thermique avec le circuit (3) de fluide à refroidir, le dispositif (1) comprenant un réfrigérateur (20) en échange thermique avec au moins une partie de l'ensemble d'échangeur(s) (6, 10) de chaleur, le réfrigérateur (20) étant du type à cycle de réfrigération d'un gaz de cycle comprenant l'u