LNG StorageChemical Gas StorageLiquefaction PlantsGas Processing Package Plants
Recondensers in LNG Import Terminals
Nov. 2009
by
R.Brannock, W.H.Isalski, P. Van den Bossche
Company Structure
2
GASFIN Investment SA Luxembourg
CIMCGroup
Shenzhen, P.R. China
TGE Gas Engineering GmbHBonn, Germany
40% 60%
CIMC TGE Gas Investment SA Luxembourg
Sep. 2010
CIMC China International Marine Containers (Group)
Founded 1980 in Shenzhen. Listed in Shenzhen Stock Exchange since 1994.
Main shareholders: COSCO, China Merchants Holdings.
Over 100 subsidiaries.
More than 47,000 employees worldwide.
Products and Services
Containers including dry van, reefer, tankand special containers.
Vehicles and road transportation equipments.
Chemical, beverages and food equipmentsincluding tanks, reactors and machineries.
Marine and offshore fabrication.
Airport equipment including passengerboarding bridges, automatic air cargohandling systems and automatic parkingsystems.
2008 Financial Data (in Euro)
Annual Sales 4.824 billion
Total Profit 0.196 billion
Net Profit 0.143 billion
Currency Conversion: 1 Euro = 9.81 RMB
CIMC Group Companies
3
Sep. 2010
Yantai Raffles Shipyard (51%)
Offshore and marine construction specialist.
Main office in Singapore.
Burg Industries (80% )
Semi-trailers, truck bodies and road tankers.
Process and storage tanks.
Main office in Pijnacker, The Netherlands.
CIMC Enric / CIMC Sanctum (100%)
Storage, transportation and dispensing products for cryogenic liquids and compressed gases.
Process equipments such as vaporizers, compressors, vessels, columns, reactors.
Main office in Shenzhen, P.R. China.
CIMC Group Companies
4
Sep. 2010
TGE Marine Gas Engineering
Design and Supply of cargo handlingsystems and cargo tanks for gas carriersand offshore units for LNF, LEG, LPG andCO2.
Ship Designs for all kinds of gas carriers.
Floating storage and production barges.
More than 25 years of experience andmore than 100 gas carrier contracts.
Main office in Bonn, Germany.
Air LNG
Conception and Development of specificLNG solution alternatives for transpor-tation systems on air, ground and water.
Creates project proposals of conclusiveecological LNG service capacity.
Main office in Bonn, Germany.
GASFIN and Associated Companies
5
Sep. 2010
Office Locations
Brussels
New Delhi
LisbonLjublijana
Teheran
Manchester Bonn
Shanghai
Taipei
Cairo
Manchester
Bonn Shanghai
Taipei
Head / Main Office
Branch Office
Representation
New Delhi
Brussels
6
Sep. 2010
Important Business Milestones
7
Sep. 2010
Man Power
Project / Construction Management
18%
Project Control
8%
QHSE / Document
Control6%
Project Engineering
8%Process /
HSE Design18%
Storage Tanks5%
Equipment / Package & Valves
8%
Electrical & Instrumentation
14%Piping & Structural9%
Civil1%
Procurement / Expediting
5%
TGE employs more than 320 engineers and specialists worldwide of more than 20 different nationalities.
8
Sep. 2010
TGE Business areas.
9
Nov. 2009
LPG & petrochemical gas terminalsLNG Import TerminalsLNG Export terminals including liquefactionGas Processing.Packages Plants ....Re-condensers
Recondensers in LNG Import Terminals
What are they there for?
Location in the terminal
Recondenser Design
Alternative Uses
Process Intensification Methods
10
Nov. 2009
Recondensers: What and Why
What...
Pressure vessel fitted with various internals
Why....
Eliminate venting or flaring of BOG
Economic absorption of boil-off gas
Allows contact between LNG and BOG
Allows buffering of LNG between LP and HP export systems
11
Nov. 2009
BOG Generation
Pumping energy
Ship unloading Flash gas
Displacement of gas in tanks
Heat Ingress Equipment – tanks, arms, vessels
Piping
Truck Loading
12
Nov. 2009
BOG Flowrates
The BOG flowrate is affected by the location, design and operation of the terminal
Unloading operation
Gas export rate
Ambient conditions - heat and solar radiation
Insulation quality
13
Nov. 2009
Typical Arrangement of Import LNG Terminal
Import jetty with unloading Arms
Transfer lines – liquid unloading, vapour return
LNG Storage(s)
Boil-off gas Recovery and Compression
Boil-off gas Recondensation
HP LNG Pumping
LNG Vaporisation
Export gas – odorisation ,metering and send-out
Truck Loading Facilities
14
Nov. 2009
Typical Arrangement of Import LNG Terminal
15
Nov. 2009
Typical Arrangement of Import LNG Terminal
16
Nov. 2009
FUTURE
FUTURE
FUTURE
ORV
ORV
SCV
GAS
METERING
&
EXPORT
FUTURE
BOG
ABSORPTION
& HP PUMPING
BOG COMPRESSION
3 MACHINES
SHIP
UNLOADING
TRUCK
LOADING
Recondenser
Only processing part in an LNG import terminal
Links batch unloading/storage operation to the continuous export operation
Must exhibit very high flexibility
High availability
17
Nov. 2009
Recondenser Design
18
Nov. 2009
Recondenser Features
Two diameter vessel for economic design
Upper section includes: LNG and BOG distribution
Packed upper section for condensation
Lower section includes: Liquid calming zone
Liquid mixing devices
19
Nov. 2009
Boil-off Gas Handling
BOG generated by heat input to the system Production of vapour as LNG boils
Collects in tank vapour space
Connection via BOG heater to BOG compressors
Large variation in BOG rates Typically 2-20 tonnes/hour
As large as 60 tonnes/hour
Composition mainly methane and nitrogen Up to 30% nitrogen
20
Nov. 2009
BOG Compressors
Reciprocating Compressor (typically 2-3)
Multistage machines with capacity control Tank pressure variation is slow
Feed forward control to the re-condenser
21
Nov. 2009
Recondenser Design
BOG can be readily absorbed in LNG above 2 barg
LNG is saturated liquid in storage tanks
LNG is sub-cooled after pumping capable of absorbing BOG without
change in phase
22
Nov. 2009
Recondenser Function
Absorb gas BOG
Nitrogen
Absorption is undertaken in specific height of packing
Provide liquid buffer capacity for HP LNG pumps
Provide a uniform export LNG/gas mixture
Provide adequate NPSH for HP LNG pumps
23
Nov. 2009
Alternative Uses of Recondensers
BOG Condensation
Wobbe adjustment Increased – addition of propane
Decreased - addition of nitrogen as liquid or gas
Wide range of LNG compositions
Acceptable gas calorific value varies worldwide
24
Nov. 2009
Multi-function Recondenser
25
Nov. 2009
Multi-function Recondenser
Absorption of MP BOG
Absorption of LP BOG Use of gas ejector
HP motive gas
Absorption of nitrogen
Printed circuit heat exchanger to enhance BOG absorption capacity
26
Nov. 2009
Multi Function Recondenser
27
Nov. 2009
Case Absorber
Pressure, barg
LNG/Gas
mass Ratio
Remarks Kg/hr of Gas
Absorbed
LP BOG Gas 6 -7 <7 Ejector operation 12500
MP Gas 6-7 ~ 7 3 running BOG compressors 52000
Nitrogen 6-7 4 - 5 There is even greater capability to
absorb when raining the operating
pressure of the recondenser.
13500
Process Intensification Methods
Reduction in Size Lower residence times for LNG
Bypass Design Reduction in size by bypassing the cold LP LNG flow
Full flow design All LNG flows through the vessel
Radical schemes BOG cooling followed by mixing device, and sump vessel
Not yet implemented
Counter Current Absorption
OR.....
28
Nov. 2009
Summary
OR....
Use a conventional co-current recondenser
LNG Industry is conservative
Recondenser relatively low cost, compared to high revenues for export
Tried and tested methods Prevail
29
Nov. 2009
Acknowledgements
All at TGE Gas Engineering
GASTECH Organisation
30
Jan. 2011
Creating the future with engineering