EP3262359B1 - Apparatus for supplying liquid fuel gas - Google Patents
Apparatus for supplying liquid fuel gas Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP3262359B1 EP3262359B1 EP16704872.7A EP16704872A EP3262359B1 EP 3262359 B1 EP3262359 B1 EP 3262359B1 EP 16704872 A EP16704872 A EP 16704872A EP 3262359 B1 EP3262359 B1 EP 3262359B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- gas
- guided
- heat exchanger
- liquid
- tower
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 title claims description 215
- 239000002737 fuel gas Substances 0.000 title claims description 38
- VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N methane Chemical compound C VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 303
- 239000003949 liquefied natural gas Substances 0.000 claims description 204
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 claims description 147
- 238000004821 distillation Methods 0.000 claims description 146
- 239000003345 natural gas Substances 0.000 claims description 112
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 107
- 238000010992 reflux Methods 0.000 claims description 42
- 239000003915 liquefied petroleum gas Substances 0.000 claims description 31
- 239000006200 vaporizer Substances 0.000 claims description 28
- 238000009833 condensation Methods 0.000 claims description 15
- 230000005494 condensation Effects 0.000 claims description 15
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 claims description 13
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 55
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 35
- OTMSDBZUPAUEDD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ethane Chemical compound CC OTMSDBZUPAUEDD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 31
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 26
- 230000005611 electricity Effects 0.000 description 24
- ATUOYWHBWRKTHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Propane Chemical compound CCC ATUOYWHBWRKTHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 17
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 13
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 13
- 238000010248 power generation Methods 0.000 description 12
- 239000001294 propane Substances 0.000 description 8
- OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon Chemical compound [C] OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 6
- 229910052799 carbon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 6
- 239000000470 constituent Substances 0.000 description 6
- 238000012795 verification Methods 0.000 description 6
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 5
- 238000002156 mixing Methods 0.000 description 5
- 238000002360 preparation method Methods 0.000 description 5
- 239000013535 sea water Substances 0.000 description 5
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 5
- 230000008016 vaporization Effects 0.000 description 5
- OFBQJSOFQDEBGM-UHFFFAOYSA-N Pentane Chemical compound CCCCC OFBQJSOFQDEBGM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 230000001174 ascending effect Effects 0.000 description 4
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000003247 decreasing effect Effects 0.000 description 4
- IJDNQMDRQITEOD-UHFFFAOYSA-N sec-butylidene Natural products CCCC IJDNQMDRQITEOD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon dioxide Chemical compound O=C=O CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 description 3
- IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N Atomic nitrogen Chemical compound N#N IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000001273 butane Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910002092 carbon dioxide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- NNPPMTNAJDCUHE-UHFFFAOYSA-N isobutane Chemical compound CC(C)C NNPPMTNAJDCUHE-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N atomic oxygen Chemical compound [O] QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000009835 boiling Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000003139 buffering effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000001569 carbon dioxide Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000002485 combustion reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000001282 iso-butane Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000013847 iso-butane Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052757 nitrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000001301 oxygen Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052760 oxygen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000002203 pretreatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011160 research Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009834 vaporization Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/0204—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream characterised by the feed stream
- F25J3/0209—Natural gas or substitute natural gas
- F25J3/0214—Liquefied natural gas
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/0228—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream characterised by the separated product stream
- F25J3/0233—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream characterised by the separated product stream separation of CnHm with 1 carbon atom or more
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/0228—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream characterised by the separated product stream
- F25J3/0238—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream characterised by the separated product stream separation of CnHm with 2 carbon atoms or more
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
- F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
- F25J3/0228—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream characterised by the separated product stream
- F25J3/0242—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream characterised by the separated product stream separation of CnHm with 3 carbon atoms or more
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J2200/00—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification
- F25J2200/02—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification in a single pressure main column system
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J2200/00—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification
- F25J2200/04—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification in a dual pressure main column system
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J2200/00—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification
- F25J2200/70—Refluxing the column with a condensed part of the feed stream, i.e. fractionator top is stripped or self-rectified
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J2200/00—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification
- F25J2200/72—Refluxing the column with at least a part of the totally condensed overhead gas
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J2205/00—Processes or apparatus using other separation and/or other processing means
- F25J2205/02—Processes or apparatus using other separation and/or other processing means using simple phase separation in a vessel or drum
- F25J2205/04—Processes or apparatus using other separation and/or other processing means using simple phase separation in a vessel or drum in the feed line, i.e. upstream of the fractionation step
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J2230/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure of gaseous process streams
- F25J2230/08—Cold compressor, i.e. suction of the gas at cryogenic temperature and generally without afterstage-cooler
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J2230/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure of gaseous process streams
- F25J2230/32—Compression of the product stream
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J2240/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for expanding of process streams
- F25J2240/02—Expansion of a process fluid in a work-extracting turbine (i.e. isentropic expansion), e.g. of the feed stream
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J2240/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for expanding of process streams
- F25J2240/02—Expansion of a process fluid in a work-extracting turbine (i.e. isentropic expansion), e.g. of the feed stream
- F25J2240/04—Multiple expansion turbines in parallel
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J2280/00—Control of the process or apparatus
- F25J2280/10—Control for or during start-up and cooling down of the installation
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
- F25J2290/00—Other details not covered by groups F25J2200/00 - F25J2280/00
- F25J2290/34—Details about subcooling of liquids
Definitions
- the present invention relates to an apparatus for supplying a liquid fuel gas, using a liquefied natural gas (which may be hereafter referred to as "LNG”) as a source material and utilizing the coldness thereof, and is useful particularly as an apparatus and a method for supplying a liquid fuel gas containing methane, which is used as a fuel for power generation or the like, as a major component.
- LNG liquefied natural gas
- a natural gas (NG) is stored as a liquefied natural gas (LNG) for facility in transportation and storage and is used mainly for thermal power generation or for a city gas after vaporization thereof. Also, after 'Shale Gas Revolution', an inexpensive LNG has come to be available in an LNG spot market and, for this reason, there are an increasing number of cases in which LNGs obtained from various countries of origin are utilized.
- LNG liquefied natural gas
- a component having a large carbon number such as ethane (which may be hereafter referred to as "component of ethane or the like) is not only valuable as a source material in chemical plants but also is advantageous in that the amount of use of an LPG can be reduced by using the component as an LNG made to have a higher calorie.
- component of ethane or the like a component having a large carbon number
- an apparatus for separating a high-pressure natural gas which uses a high-pressure natural gas or a city gas in a gas pipeline as a source material and which is provided with a rectifying tower 110 by cryogenic separation that stores a high-boiling-point component in the source material gas on the lower side thereof in a liquid state and stores a methane-rich gas on the upper side thereof, a heat exchanger 102 that cools the source material gas, a reboiler 101 that cools the source material gas that has passed through the heat exchanger 102, a source material gas expansion means (source material gas expansion valve 103) that causes adiabatic expansion of the source material gas that has passed through the reboiler 101, a first product gas flow passageway M that guides the methane-rich gas existing in the upper portion of the rectifying tower through the heat exchanger 102 to the outside as a first product gas, and a second product gas flow passageway E that guides the high-boil
- an apparatus for separating a high-pressure natural gas such as described above may raise various problems such as the following.
- US2006/000234 A1 discloses an apparatus for supplying a liquid fuel gas.
- An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for supplying a liquid fuel gas having a high energy efficiency, which is efficiently using the coldness of the LNG and being capable of ensuring a supply amount of the liquid fuel gas according to the fluctuation in the composition or the demanded amount of the LNG serving as a source material with little need of the external energy by effectively using the coldness, the compression energy, and the expansion energy that are needed in preparing the liquid fuel gas.
- another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for supplying a liquid fuel gas having a high energy efficiency and being capable of efficiently taking out various liquid fuel gases such as a methane-rich NG, a natural gas liquid (which may be hereafter referred to as "NGL”), an ethane-rich NG, and a liquefied petroleum gas by using LNG as a source material.
- a liquid fuel gas having a high energy efficiency and being capable of efficiently taking out various liquid fuel gases such as a methane-rich NG, a natural gas liquid (which may be hereafter referred to as "NGL”), an ethane-rich NG, and a liquefied petroleum gas by using LNG as a source material.
- NNL natural gas liquid
- the present invention is characterized to an apparatus for supplying a liquid fuel gas in which a liquefied natural gas is guided as a source material into a distillation tower, whereafter a methane-rich natural gas is prepared from a gas component guided out from a tower top portion of the distillation tower, and a natural gas liquid is prepared from a liquid component guided out from a tower bottom portion of the distillation tower, having:
- a construction such as described above makes it possible to provide an apparatus for supplying a liquid fuel gas having a high energy efficiency, which is efficiently using the coldness of the LNG and being capable of ensuring a supply amount of the liquid fuel gas according to the fluctuation in the composition or the demanded amount of the LNG serving as a source material with little need of the external energy by effectively using the coldness, the compression energy, and the expansion energy that are needed in preparing the liquid fuel gas.
- the coldness of the LNG can be completely used by sequentially releasing the whole amount of the coldness of the pressurized LNG in a supercooled state via the first to third heat exchangers and using the coldness in preparing the reflux liquid, the source material in a gas-liquid mixed state after adiabatic expansion, and the NGL.
- the present invention is also characterized to the apparatus for supplying the liquid fuel gas described above, further having:
- a construction such as described above makes it possible to provide an apparatus for supplying a liquid fuel gas having a high energy efficiency and being capable of efficiently taking out not only a methane-rich NG and an NGL but also various liquid fuel gases such as an ethane-rich NG and a liquefied petroleum gas by using LNG as a source material.
- each of the liquid fuel gases can be individually supplied out in an arbitrary amount, and also a liquid fuel gas obtained by blending these in an arbitrary ratio can be supplied out in accordance with a demanded specification.
- the pressurized LNG in a supercooled state still has an effective coldness after releasing a predetermined amount of the coldness via the first to third heat exchangers.
- the present invention makes it possible to prepare various liquid fuel gases such as LPG effectively with little need of the external energy.
- the present invention is also characterized to the apparatus for supplying the liquid fuel gas described above, wherein a whole amount of the liquefied natural gas supplied from the source material supplying portion is processed into an ordinary-temperature pressurized state via the first to third heat exchangers and the vaporizer, thereafter subjected to lowering of temperature and lowering of pressure through adiabatic expansion by the expander, further subjected to low-temperature condensation by being guided into the second heat exchanger again, and subjected to separation by being guided into the gas-liquid separator, whereafter a gas separated in the gas-liquid separator is guided as the source material into an upper portion of a middle tower of the distillation tower, and a liquid separated in the gas-liquid separator is guided as the source material into a lower portion of the middle tower of the distillation tower.
- the above-described apparatus for supplying the liquid fuel gas can achieve effective use of the coldness that could not have been made in the past in giving and receiving heat energy in that the whole amount of the coldness of the LNG, particularly the coldness of the pressurized LNG in a supercooled state, can be used.
- the supplied LNG is in a high-pressure state, and the LNG serving as the source material that is guided into the distillation tower is preferably set to have a pressure that attains the optimum conditions of distillation.
- the present invention realizes such a function by vaporizing the whole amount of the supplied LNG to release the coldness thereof and thereafter subjecting this to adiabatic expansion and cooling to prepare the material. This makes it possible to ensure the optimum temperature and pressure conditions in the distillation tower even when fluctuation occurs in the supply amount, the composition, the temperature, or the pressure of the LNG, and to reduce the energy loss accompanying the transmission of the coldness to a great extent.
- the present invention is also characterized to the apparatus for supplying the liquid fuel gas described above, wherein the expander is made of a plurality of expansion turbines arranged in series; the liquefied natural gas guided out from the vaporizer is branched to be guided into each of the expansion turbines; one or a plurality of the expansion turbines are linked to the same number of the compressors; the other expansion turbines are linked to the same number of power generators; and the gas component A is guided into the compressors.
- a fluctuation may occur in the supply amount or the supply temperature and pressure of the prepared methane-rich natural gas (which may be hereafter referred to as "NG") or natural gas liquid (which may be hereafter referred to as "NGL”) in addition to the fluctuation in the supply amount, the composition, or the delivery temperature and pressure of the LNG.
- NG prepared methane-rich natural gas
- NNL natural gas liquid
- the present invention makes it possible to ensure the function of the optimum conditions according to the above fluctuation by using the expander having a plurality of expansion turbines and adjusting the amount of operation of each of the turbines and the compressors linked to a part thereof, and also makes it possible to ensure a power generation amount according to the operation of only the expansion turbines by linking the power generators to a part of the expansion turbines.
- the present invention is also characterized to the apparatus for supplying the liquid fuel gas described above, further having a flow passageway that connects between the source material supplying portion and the upper portion of the distillation tower, whereby a part of the liquefied natural gas supplied from the source material supplying portion is guided as the source material into the distillation tower through the upper portion of the distillation tower when the apparatus is started.
- part of the reflux liquid is one of the rate-limiting conditions for forming a stable gas-liquid equilibrium.
- the present invention allows that, by introducing the low-temperature LNG supplied as the source material through the upper portion of the distillation tower, such formation of the reflux liquid is complemented, whereby a stable gas-liquid equilibrium can be formed quickly.
- a liquefied natural gas (LLNG) is guided as a source material into a distillation tower, whereafter a methane-rich natural gas (NG) is prepared from a gas component guided out from a tower top portion of the distillation tower, and a natural gas liquid (NGL) is prepared from a liquid component guided out from a tower bottom portion of the distillation tower.
- NG methane-rich natural gas
- NNL natural gas liquid
- the apparatus comprises a source material supplying flow passageway in which the pressurized LNG in a supercooled state is guided as the source material into the distillation tower via a source material supplying portion, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a third heat exchanger, a vaporizer, an expander, the second heat exchanger again, and a gas-liquid separator; a natural gas supplying flow passageway in which one gas component A derived from branching of the gas component is supplied out as the NG via a compressor linked to the expander and a natural gas supplying portion; a reflux flow passageway in which the other gas component B derived from branching of the gas component is guided as a reflux liquid into an upper portion of the distillation tower via the first heat exchanger; and a natural gas liquid supplying flow passageway in which the liquid component is supplied out as the NGL via the third heat exchanger and a natural gas liquid supplying portion.
- the gas component B is subjected to condensation in the first heat exchanger by coldness of the LNG supplied from the source material supplying portion, thereby to prepare the reflux liquid.
- the LNG guided out from the expander is subjected to low-temperature condensation in the second heat exchanger by coldness of the LNG guided out from the first heat exchanger, thereby to prepare the source material.
- the liquid component guided out from the tower bottom portion is subjected to lowering of temperature in the third heat exchanger by coldness of the LNG guided out from the second heat exchanger, thereby to prepare the NGL.
- conditions such as the temperature, the pressure, and the flow rate of each portion can be suitably changed in accordance with other conditions such as the kind and the flow rate of the gases.
- a pressurized LNG in a supercooled state is guided as a source material into a distillation tower 10; a methane-rich NG is prepared from a gas component (tower top gas) guided out from a tower top portion 11; and an NGL is prepared from a liquid component (tower bottom liquid) guided out from a tower bottom portion 12.
- the LNG supplied from a source material supplying portion 1 is vaporized via coldness releasing process through a first heat exchanger 21, a second heat exchanger 22, a third heat exchanger 23, a vaporizer 30, and an expander 41, and the vaporized LNG is passed through the second heat exchanger 22 and a gas-liquid separator 50 to form a gas-liquid mixture to be guided as the source material into the distillation tower 10.
- a gas-liquid separator 50 to form a gas-liquid mixture to be guided as the source material into the distillation tower 10.
- an intersection of the LNG with itself is formed at which the returning LNG gives and receives the coldness in a countercurrent manner.
- the coldness of the LNG in a releasing process is used for lowering of temperature and condensation of the LNG itself once vaporized.
- the coldness of the LNG is not only released but also received, that is, a part of the released coldness is received, whereby the coldness can be further more effectively used.
- a source material supplying flow passageway in which the pressurized LNG in a supercooled state is guided as the source material into the distillation tower 10 via the source material supplying portion 1, the first heat exchanger 21, the second heat exchanger 22, the third heat exchanger 23, the vaporizer 30, the expander 41, the second heat exchanger 22 again, and the gas-liquid separator 50.
- a low-temperature high-pressure LNG (for example, about -150°C, about 6 MPa) is supplied in a liquid form from the source material supplying portion 1 and vaporized by the vaporizer 30 after sequentially releasing the coldness via the first to third heat exchangers 21 to 23.
- the coldness of the LNG can be used to the maximum extent.
- the vaporized LNG is subjected to adiabatic expansion by the expander 41 to be subjected to lowering of temperature and also to lowering of pressure down to a predetermined pressure (for example about 2.3 MPa) that is optimal as the source material, so as to form a gaseous low-temperature and low-pressure LNG.
- the gaseous LNG is further subjected to lowering of temperature to a predetermined temperature that is optimal as the source material by the second heat exchanger 22 again.
- the predetermined temperature at this time refers to a temperature at which an LNG having a predetermined composition is condensed under an optimum pressure to form a gas-liquid coexistence state.
- a predetermined temperature for example, in the case of an LNG having a composition exemplified in the following Table 1, about -80°C is suitable under about 2.3 MPa.
- the condensed LNG is separated into a gas and a liquid by the gas-liquid separator 50 and guided into the distillation tower 10.
- the gas separated by being guided into the gas-liquid separator 50 is guided as the source material into an upper portion of a middle tower portion 13 (upper portion of a middle tower) of the distillation tower 10, and the liquid separated by being guided into the gas-liquid separator 50 is guided as the source material into a lower portion of the middle tower portion 13 (lower portion of the middle tower) of the distillation tower 10.
- the gas-liquid separator 50 can be made to function as a pre-positioned distillation tower, whereby the efficiency of separation into a methane component and components other than methane can be further increased.
- a whole amount of the LNG supplied from the source material supplying portion 1 is processed into an ordinary-temperature pressurized state via the first to third heat exchangers 21 to 23 and the vaporizer 30, thereafter subjected to lowering of temperature and lowering of pressure through adiabatic expansion by the expander 41, further subjected to low-temperature condensation by being guided into the second heat exchanger 22 again, and subjected to separation by being guided into the gas-liquid separator 50, whereafter the gas separated by being guided into the gas-liquid separator 50 is guided as the source material into the upper portion of the middle tower portion 13 (upper portion of the middle tower) of the distillation tower 10, and the liquid separated by being guided into the gas-liquid separator 50 is guided as the source material into the lower portion of the middle tower portion 13 (lower portion of the middle tower) of the distillation tower 10.
- the composition, the temperature, or the pressure of the LNG the optimum temperature and pressure conditions in the distillation tower 10 can be ensured, and the energy loss accompanying the transmission of the coldness can be reduced to a great extent.
- the amount of the supplied coldness exceeds an amount sufficient for preparation of desired NG and NGL, the coldness can be drawn out for other purposes in the middle of the source material supplying flow passageway.
- a branching portion is disposed in a flow passageway for guiding out the gas component (tower top gas) from the tower top portion 11 of the distillation tower 10.
- the present apparatus is provided, in the one of the branching portion, with a natural gas supplying flow passageway in which the gas component A derived from branching at the branching portion is made into a methane-rich NG via a compressor 42 linked to the expander 41 and is supplied out via a natural gas supplying portion 2.
- the tower top gas is a methane-rich NG having a low temperature and a low pressure (for example, about -100°C and about 2.3 MPa), so that a temperature-raising and pressure-raising process must be carried out in order to take out as a product NG having a predetermined temperature and pressure (for example, about -30°C and about 6 MPa).
- a desired product NG can be supplied out without introduction of additional energy by subjecting the one gas component A derived from branching to adiabatic compression by the compressor 42 that is linked to the expander 41 used for preparation of the source material.
- the tower top gas is guided out in a low-temperature low-pressure state equivalent to that of the product NG, the tower top gas is supplied out directly from the tower top portion 11 without performing such a process.
- the compressor 42 is meant to include not only a single-body construction but also a construction in which a plurality of compressors are arranged in series in a case such as having a large compression ratio or a construction in which a plurality of compressors are arranged in parallel in a case of such as performing adjustment of the compression ratio independent from the expander 41.
- the present apparatus is provided, in the other of the branching portion, with a reflux flow passageway in which the gas component B derived from branching at the branching portion is guided as a reflux liquid into an upper portion 14 of the distillation tower via the first heat exchanger 21.
- the branched gas component B is guided into the first heat exchanger 21 to be efficiently condensed by ensuring sufficient condensation heat together with temperature-lowering energy through heat exchange with the LNG having the maximum amount of coldness and thereafter used as the reflux liquid to the distillation tower 10, thereby achieving effective use of the coldness of the LNG and also performing a buffering function for ensuring stable performance of the distillation tower 10 when fluctuation occurs in the supply amount of the product gas prepared from the gas component A.
- the distillation tower 10 can be operated without fluctuation in the guided-out flow rate of the tower top gas by decreasing the supply flow rate of the gas component A (for example, from about 500,000 to 400,000 kg/h) and increasing the flow rate of the gas component B (for example, from about 500,000 to 600,000 kg/h).
- decreasing the supply flow rate of the gas component A for example, from about 500,000 to 400,000 kg/h
- increasing the flow rate of the gas component B for example, from about 500,000 to 600,000 kg/h.
- the yield of the NG By increase of the reflux liquid in a state in which the distillation efficiency of the distillation tower 10 is maintained, the yield of the NG can be lowered, and rise in the yield of the NGL can be obtained. Conversely, when the product NG is increased in amount, the yield of the NG can be raised, and the yield of the NGL can be lowered by decreasing the flow rate of the gas component B and decreasing the amount of the reflux liquid.
- the present apparatus is provided with a natural gas liquid supplying flow passageway in which the liquid component (tower bottom liquid) guided out from the tower bottom portion 12 of the distillation tower 10 is made into an NGL via the third heat exchanger 23 and supplied out via a natural gas liquid supplying portion 3.
- the tower bottom liquid is an NGL having an ordinary temperature and a low pressure (for example, about 25°C and about 2.3 MPa), so that a temperature-lowering process (and further a pressure-lowering process depending on the cases) must be carried out in order to take out as a product NGL having a predetermined temperature and pressure (for example, about -10°C and about 2.3 MPa).
- a desired product NGL can be supplied out without introduction of additional energy by subjecting the tower bottom liquid to lowering of temperature efficiently by heat exchange with the LNG having coldness.
- the tower bottom liquid can be, as it is, supplied out as the product NGL without lowering the temperature.
- the tower bottom liquid may be branched to supply the product NGL out on one hand, and the tower bottom liquid may be heated via a reboiler (not illustrated in the drawings) on the other hand to be guided into a lower portion 15 of the distillation tower, whereby a high distillation function can be obtained.
- the LNG supplied from the source material supplying portion 1 sequentially releases a part of the coldness in the first heat exchanger 21 to condense the tower top gas (gas component B) to prepare the reflux liquid, further releases a part of the coldness in the second heat exchanger 22 to subject the LNG guided out from the expander 41 to low-temperature condensation to prepare the source material, and releases the residual amount of the coldness in the third heat exchanger 23 to subject the tower bottom liquid to lowering of temperature to prepare the NGL.
- the LNG supplied from the source material supplying portion 1 refers, for example, to a pressurized LNG in a supercooled state that has been stored in a high-pressure tank.
- the LNG supplied in the present apparatus has, for example, a composition such as exemplified in the following Table 1, with the components fluctuating according to the place of origin and with differing temperature and pressure conditions under which the LNG is stored in a high-pressure tank.
- the LNG is stored under temperature conditions of about -120 to -160°C and under pressure conditions of about 5 to 10 MPa.
- the LNGs according to the present invention are meant to include a shale gas such as already described in addition to the LNG conventionally referred to, or are meant to include not only a refined LNG but also a non-refined LNG.
- Table 1 Component Formula Concentration (mol%) Methane CH 4 90.27 Ethane C 2 H 6 5.66 Propane C 3 H 8 2.16 iso-Butane i-C 4 H 10 0.61 normal-Butane n-C 4 H 10 0.92 Pentane C 5 H 12 0.14 Nitrogen N 2 0.20 Oxygen O 2 0.02 Carbon Dioxide CO 2 0.01
- the first to third heat exchangers 21 to 23 are not particularly limited; however, a plate fin type heat exchanger, a shell tube type heat exchanger, or the like can be used, for example.
- a plate fin type heat exchanger in which heat exchange is carried out between the low-temperature liquid LNG and the low-temperature gaseous NG and in the second heat exchanger 22 in which heat exchange is carried out between the low-temperature liquid LNG and the low-temperature gaseous LNG, the coldness can be given and received more efficiently by using a plate fin type heat exchanger having a larger heat transmission area.
- the coldness can be given and received more efficiently by using a shell tube type heat exchanger having a smaller passage resistance and having a larger heat transmission area.
- an LNG having a composition exemplified in the above Table 1 was supplied as a source material, so as to verify the temperature (°C), the pressure (MPa), the flow rate (kg/h), and the composition (G/L: gas/liquid) in each portion.
- FIG. 3 A summary of the second construction example of the present apparatus will be shown in Fig. 3 .
- constituent elements common to those of the basic construction will be denoted with common numelations and reference symbols, and the description thereof may be omitted.
- the present apparatus has a construction in which, in the source material supplying flow passageway of the basic construction example, the expander 41 is comprised of expansion turbines 41a, 41b that are arranged in parallel; the LPG guided out from the vaporizer 30 is branched to be guided into each of the expansion turbines 41a, 41b; the expansion turbine 41a is linked to the compressor 42; and the expansion turbine 41b is linked to a power generator 60.
- the functions under the optimum conditions of the present apparatus comprising the distillation tower 10 can be ensured by adjusting the operation amount of the expansion turbines 41a, 41b and the operation amount of the compressor 42 in accordance with the fluctuation in the supply amount, the composition, the supply temperature, the pressure, and the like of the LNG or the fluctuation in the supply amount, the supply temperature, the pressure, and the like of the NG and the NGL that are supplied out.
- the power generator 60 by linking the power generator 60 to the expansion turbine 41b, a power generation amount corresponding to the operation amount of the expansion turbine 41b can be ensured.
- the expander 41 is made of two expansion turbines 41a, 41b that are arranged in parallel; however, the number of the expansion turbines is not limited thereto.
- the present apparatus is meant to comprise a construction in which the expander is made of two or more expansion turbines 41a, 41b ... 41n (not illustrated in the drawings).
- the operation amount of the expander (amount, temperature, and pressure of adiabatic expansion of LNG) can be adjusted, and the operation amount (compression ratio) of the compressor can be adjusted in accordance with the fluctuation in the supply amount, the supply temperature, the pressure, and the like of the NG that is supplied out.
- the compression ratio of the compressor can be varied by linking two expansion turbines having different expansion functions to two compressors having different compression ratios and varying the operation amount of the compressors by changing the ratio of the operation amount thereof while maintaining the total expansion function to be constant.
- a high compression ratio can be obtained when the gas component A is branched and guided into each of the compressors in series, and a high adjustment precision of the compression ratio can be obtained when the gas component A is branched and guided into each of the compressors in parallel.
- the operation amount of the expander can be adjusted, and the operation amount of the power generator can be adjusted in accordance with the needed amount of power generation.
- the power generation amount can be varied by linking two expansion turbines having different expansion functions to two power generators having different power generation capabilities and varying the operation amount of the power generators by changing the ratio of the operation amount thereof while maintaining the total expansion function to be constant.
- an LNG having a composition exemplified in the above Table 1 was supplied as a source material, so as to verify the temperature (°C), the pressure (MPa), the flow rate (kg/h), and the composition (G/L: gas/liquid) in each portion.
- an LNG (-150°C, 6.00 MPa) was supplied at 427,000 kg/h
- the temperature, the pressure, the flow rate, and the composition in each of the portions s to v in Fig. 4 in addition to each of the portions a to r in Fig. 2 were obtained as exemplified in the following Table 4.
- a power generation amount of about 500 kW/h could be obtained from the power generator 60 linked to the expansion turbine 42.
- the present apparatus according to the third construction example has a construction in which a flow passageway Ld that connects between the source material supplying portion 1 and the upper portion 14 of the distillation tower is provided, whereby a part of the LNG supplied from the source material supplying portion 1 is guided as the source material into the distillation tower 10 through the upper portion 14 of the distillation tower 10 when the apparatus is started.
- a formation of the reflux in the tower which is one of the rate-limiting conditions for forming a stable gas-liquid equilibrium, can be complemented, whereby the distillation tower 10 can be started quickly.
- a quick formation of the gas-liquid equilibrium in the tower can be achieved by providing a valve Lv in the flow passageway Ld and introducing, for example, an LNG having a low-temperature and a high-pressure (for example, about -150°C and about 6 MPa) and having a composition exemplified in the above Table 1 through the upper portion 14 of the distillation tower 10 while limiting to the low-temperature low-pressure conditions (for example, about -150°C and about 2.3 MPa) in the same manner as in the basic construction example.
- an LNG having a low-temperature and a high-pressure for example, about -150°C and about 6 MPa
- the low-temperature low-pressure conditions for example, about -150°C and about 2.3 MPa
- a method for supplying a liquid fuel gas according to the present invention is such that, by using the present apparatus described above, an LNG is guided as a source material into a distillation tower, whereafter a methane-rich NG is prepared from a gas component guided out from a tower top portion of the distillation tower, and an NGL is prepared from a liquid component guided out from a tower bottom portion of the distillation tower.
- the whole amount of the pressurized LNG in a supercooled state is guided as the source material into the distillation tower via a source material supplying portion, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a third heat exchanger, a vaporizer, an expander, the second heat exchanger again, and a gas-liquid separator.
- the coldness of the LNG can be used to the maximum extent by sequentially releasing the whole amount of the coldness of the pressurized LNG in a supercooled state via the first to third heat exchangers to vaporize the whole amount of the LNG.
- the vaporized LNG is subjected to adiabatic expansion and further to lowering of temperature and condensation in the second heat exchanger by the coldness of the LNG itself, whereby the LNG can be adjusted to become a source material optimal for distillation processing and, in addition, effective use of the coldness of the LNG can be made.
- a construction example comprising the following steps can be raised as an example.
- each of the portions in the present apparatus is denoted with the reference symbol exemplified in Fig. 1 , and the conditions exemplified in the above Table 2 may be applied as the conditions of each gas or liquid; however, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited thereto.
- the pressurized LNG stored in a supercooled state is prepared into a gaseous LNG by the following steps.
- a methane-rich NG is supplied out from the tower top gas coming from the tower top portion 11 of the distillation tower 10, and an NGL is supplied out from the tower bottom liquid coming from the tower bottom portion 12 of the distillation tower 10, by passing through the following steps.
- the gaseous LNG guided into the upper portion of the middle tower forms an ascending flow and is brought into gas-liquid contact with a descending flow, which is mainly made of the methane-rich reflux liquid, to increase the purity of methane (tower top gas).
- the liquid LNG guided into the lower portion of the middle tower forms the descending flow and is brought into gas-liquid contact with the ascending flow, which contains a component such as ethane and is heated at the tower bottom portion, to increase the purity of the component such as ethane (tower bottom liquid).
- a tower top gas having a temperature of about -104°C and a pressure of about 2.3 MPa and containing methane at 99.9% or more is guided out, and about 90% thereof is subjected to adiabatic compression, for example, to about -43°C and about 6 MPa as the gas component A by the compressor 42 to be made into a methane-rich NG, which is supplied out via the natural gas supplying portion 2.
- a desired product NG can be supplied out without introduction of additional energy.
- about 20% of the tower top gas is guided as the gas component B into the first heat exchanger 21, where a condensate of about -104°C is prepared, and the prepared condensate is guided as a reflux liquid into the upper portion 14 of the distillation tower.
- a tower bottom liquid having a temperature of about 21°C and a pressure of about 2.3 MPa and containing a component such as ethane at 99.9% or more is guided out and cooled to about 10°C via the third heat exchanger 23 to be made into an NGL, which is supplied out via the natural gas liquid supplying portion 3.
- a desired product NGL can be supplied out by effectively using the coldness of the LNG.
- the tower bottom liquid may be branched to supply the product NGL out on one hand, and the tower bottom liquid may be heated via a reboiler (not illustrated in the drawings) on the other hand to be guided into the lower portion 15 of the distillation tower, whereby a high distillation function can be obtained.
- the LNG serving as the source material contains not only methane constituting a major component but also substances having different boiling points such as ethane, propane, and butane. These are not only individually used as fuels but also used as various chemical materials that are extremely useful, so that the demand for each of these is high.
- an NG and an NGL but also an ethane-rich natural gas (sNG) and a liquid fuel gas (LPG) having a carbon number of 3 or more can be individually supplied out in an arbitrary amount by disposing a plurality of distillation towers in series instead of a single distillation tower as in the above construction example and sequentially taking out substances containing a low-boiling-point substance as a major component.
- sNG ethane-rich natural gas
- LPG liquid fuel gas
- the fourth construction example has a construction further comprising a fourth heat exchanger 24 and a fifth heat exchanger 25 provided downstream of the third heat exchanger 23 in the source material supplying flow passageway of the basic construction example (first construction example); a second distillation flow passageway in which at least a part of the liquid component guided out from the tower bottom portion 12 of the distillation tower (which may be hereafter referred to as "first distillation tower") 10 is guided into a second distillation tower 70; a second natural gas supplying flow passageway in which one gas component C derived from branching of a second gas component guided out from a second tower top portion 71 of the second distillation tower 70 is supplied out as a second natural gas via a second compressor 43, a second vaporizer 31, and a second natural gas supplying portion 4; a second reflux flow
- the two distillation towers 10, 70 By disposing the two distillation towers 10, 70 in series with respect to the LNG serving as the source material in addition to the functions of the basic construction example, not only the NG and the NGL but also the sNG and the LPG can be supplied out individually in an arbitrary amount. Further, the LNG still having a residual effective coldness after releasing a predetermined amount of coldness via the first heat exchanger 21 to the third heat exchanger 23 may be guided into the fourth heat exchanger 24 and the fifth heat exchanger 25 so as to perform heat exchange with the tower top gas or the tower bottom liquid of the second distillation tower 70 via these heat exchangers, whereby the sNG and the LPG can be prepared effectively with little need of the external energy.
- a part or a whole amount of the liquid component having an ordinary temperature and a low pressure (for example, about 22°C and about 2.3 MPa) that has been guided out from the tower bottom portion 12 of the first distillation tower 10 is guided into a middle tower portion 73 of the second distillation tower 70 by the second distillation flow passageway.
- This liquid component obtained by removal of the methane component from the LNG (including a case in which a slight amount of the methane component remains) is separated in the second distillation tower 70 into a second gas component containing ethane as a major component and a second liquid component (having a carbon number of 3 or more) such as propane.
- the second gas component having a low temperature and a low pressure (for example, about -63°C and about 2.3 MPa) that has been guided out from the tower top portion 71 is branched, and one gas component C derived from the branching is pressurized (about 6 MPa) in the second natural gas supplying flow passageway via the second compressor 43 and is further heated (for example, -41 °C) via the second vaporizer to be made into an ethane-rich sNG, which is supplied out via the second natural gas supplying portion 4.
- the other gas component D derived from the branching is guided into the fourth heat exchanger 24 in the second reflux flow passageway to be subjected to a low-temperature condensation process (for example, about -63°C) by the coldness of the LNG guided out from the third heat exchanger 23, and thereafter guided as a reflux liquid into the upper portion 74 of the second distillation tower.
- a low-temperature condensation process for example, about -63°C
- the second liquid component having a high temperature and a low pressure (for example, about 84°C and about 2.3 MPa) that has been guided out from the tower bottom portion 72 is guided into the fifth heat exchanger 25 in the liquefied petroleum gas supplying flow passageway to be subjected to a low-temperature process (for example, about 20°C) by the coldness of the LNG guided out from the fourth heat exchanger 24, and thereafter supplied out as the LPG via the liquefied petroleum gas supplying portion 5.
- a high temperature and a low pressure for example, about 84°C and about 2.3 MPa
- liquid fuel gases such as "methane- and ethane-rich gas" (NG + sNG) and LPG containing NGL can be prepared and supplied out effectively with little need of the external energy by blending the NG, the NGL, the sNG, and the LPG supplied out from each flow passageway in an arbitrary manner in accordance with a demanded specification.
- NG + sNG methane- and ethane-rich gas
- LPG containing NGL can be prepared and supplied out effectively with little need of the external energy by blending the NG, the NGL, the sNG, and the LPG supplied out from each flow passageway in an arbitrary manner in accordance with a demanded specification.
- a branching passageway may be provided in the second natural gas supplying flow passageway in which the second natural gas is transferred from the second vaporizer 31 to the second natural gas supplying portion 4, and may be connected to the natural gas supplying flow passageway in which the natural gas is transferred from the compressor 42 to the natural gas supplying portion 2, whereby a mixture of the methane-rich NG and the ethane-rich sNG, that is, "gas having a carbon number of 1 and 2 as major components" (NG + sNG), can be supplied out from the natural gas supplying portion 2 or the second natural gas supplying portion 4.
- NG + sNG gas having a carbon number of 1 and 2 as major components
- a case is exemplified in which the second natural gas is supplied out from the second natural gas supplying flow passageway to the natural gas supplying flow passageway as shown by an arrow symbol; however, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that the present invention comprises a case of an opposite flow and a case in which the two flow passageways each supply out a part to prepare a mixture gas.
- various kinds of liquid fuel gases can be prepared and supplied out by mixing the LNG serving as the source material or mixing, for example, a butane gas or the like from outside of the system to these.
- an LNG having a composition exemplified in the above Table 1 was supplied as a source material, so as to verify the temperature (°C), the pressure (MPa), the flow rate (kg/h), and the composition (G/L: gas/liquid) in each portion.
- a method for supplying a liquid fuel gas according to the fourth construction example is such that, in the steps (1) to (8) of supplying the liquid fuel gas according to the first construction example described above, at least a part of the liquid component guided out from the tower bottom portion is guided into a second distillation tower; an ethane-rich second natural gas is prepared from a second gas component guided out from a second tower top portion of the second distillation tower; and a liquefied petroleum gas is prepared from a second liquid component guided out from a second tower bottom portion of the second distillation tower.
- one gas component C derived from branching of the second gas component is subjected to adiabatic compression by a second compressor and is supplied out as the heated and pressurized second natural gas;
- the other gas component D derived from branching of the second gas component is condensed through being subjected to lowering of temperature by the coldness of the LNG in the step (4a) and is refluxed as a second reflux liquid into an upper portion of the second distillation tower; and the second liquid component is supplied out as the liquefied petroleum gas subjected to lowering of temperature by the coldness of the LNG in the step (4b).
- a supplying method comprising the following steps can be mentioned as an example.
- description of the constituent elements overlapping with those of the steps (1) to (8c) described above may be omitted, and each of the portions in the present apparatus is denoted with the reference symbol exemplified in Fig. 1 or Fig. 6 .
- the conditions exemplified in the above Table 2 may be applied as the conditions of each gas or liquid; however, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited thereto.
- the pressurized LNG stored in a supercooled state and serving as the source material is guided out from the third heat exchanger 23 after passing through the above steps (1) to (3), and
- the gaseous LNG guided out from the vaporizer 30 is guided as the source material into the distillation tower 10 by passing through the above steps (5) to (8).
- a methane-rich NG is supplied out from the tower top gas coming from the tower top portion 11 of the distillation tower 10
- an NGL is supplied out from the tower bottom liquid coming from the tower bottom portion 12 of the distillation tower 10, by passing through the above steps (8a) to (8c).
- a part or a whole amount of the tower bottom liquid coming from the tower bottom portion 12 is guided into the second distillation tower 70, whereafter an ethane-rich sNG is prepared from a second tower top gas (second gas component) guided out from a second tower top portion 71 of the second distillation tower 70, and an LPG is prepared from a second tower bottom liquid (second liquid component) guided out from a second tower bottom portion 72 of the second distillation tower 70, by passing through the following steps (9a) to (9c).
- an ethane-rich sNG is prepared from a second tower top gas (second gas component) guided out from a second tower top portion 71 of the second distillation tower 70
- an LPG is prepared from a second tower bottom liquid (second liquid component) guided out from a second tower bottom portion 72 of the second distillation tower 70, by passing through the following steps (9a) to (9c).
- the present apparatus has a construction in which, in the source material supplying flow passageway of the fourth construction example, the expander 41 is made of expansion turbines 41a, 41b that are arranged in parallel; the LNG guided out from the vaporizer 30 is branched to be guided into each of the expansion turbines 41a, 41b; the expansion turbine 41a is linked to the compressor 42; and the expansion turbine 41b is linked to a power generator 60.
- constituent elements common to those of the first, second, and fourth construction examples will be denoted with common appellations and reference symbols, and the description thereof may be omitted.
- the functions under the optimum conditions of the present apparatus comprising the distillation tower 10 and the second distillation tower 70 can be ensured by adjusting the operation amount of the expansion turbines 41a, 41b and the operation amount of the compressor 42 in accordance with the fluctuation in the supply amount, the composition, the supply temperature, the pressure, and the like of the LNG or the fluctuation in the supply amount, the supply temperature, the pressure, and the like of the NG and the NGL that are supplied out.
- the linkage of the expansion turbine 41b to the power generator 60, the number of the expansion turbines, and the linkage of the plurality of expansion turbines to the compressors and the power generators are the same as those in the second construction example.
- an LNG having a composition exemplified in the above Table 1 was supplied as a source material, so as to verify the temperature (°C), the pressure (MPa), the flow rate (kg/h), and the composition (G/L: gas/liquid) in each portion.
- an LNG (-150°C, 6.00 MPa) was supplied at 427,000 kg/h
- the temperature, the pressure, the flow rate, and the composition in each of the portions s to v in Fig. 9 in addition to each of the portions a to r2 in Fig. 7 were obtained as exemplified in the following Table 7.
- a power generation amount of about 500 kW/h could be obtained from the power generator 60 linked to the expansion turbine 42.
- each construction example has been described with reference to each explanatory view; however, the present apparatus is not limited to these and is constructed in a wide concept comprising a combination of the constituent elements thereof or a combination with related known constituent elements.
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JP2015035321A JP6527714B2 (ja) | 2015-02-25 | 2015-02-25 | 液体燃料ガスの供給装置および供給方法 |
PCT/EP2016/053481 WO2016135042A1 (en) | 2015-02-25 | 2016-02-18 | Apparatus and method for supplying liquid fuel gas |
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JP7026470B2 (ja) | 2017-09-29 | 2022-02-28 | レール・リキード-ソシエテ・アノニム・プール・レテュード・エ・レクスプロワタシオン・デ・プロセデ・ジョルジュ・クロード | 天然ガスの製造装置および天然ガスの製造方法 |
RU2675184C1 (ru) * | 2018-01-16 | 2018-12-17 | Андрей Владиславович Курочкин | Система подачи сжиженного природного газа в энергоустановку и способ ее работы |
JP7084219B2 (ja) * | 2018-06-15 | 2022-06-14 | レール・リキード-ソシエテ・アノニム・プール・レテュード・エ・レクスプロワタシオン・デ・プロセデ・ジョルジュ・クロード | 天然ガスの製造装置および天然ガスの製造方法 |
JP7330446B2 (ja) | 2019-05-24 | 2023-08-22 | レール・リキード-ソシエテ・アノニム・プール・レテュード・エ・レクスプロワタシオン・デ・プロセデ・ジョルジュ・クロード | 液化天然ガス(lng)から天然ガス液(ngl)を抽出する抽出システム |
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JPS5525761A (en) * | 1978-08-16 | 1980-02-23 | Hitachi Ltd | Method of removing nitrogen from natural gas by lowwtemperature processing |
EP0137744B2 (en) * | 1983-09-20 | 1991-08-28 | Costain Petrocarbon Limited | Separation of hydrocarbon mixtures |
DE4228784A1 (de) * | 1992-08-28 | 1994-03-03 | Linde Ag | Verfahren zum Zerlegen eines Gasgemisches durch einstufige Rektifikation bei tiefer Temperatur |
FR2855526B1 (fr) * | 2003-06-02 | 2007-01-26 | Technip France | Procede et installation de production simultanee d'un gaz naturel apte a etre liquefie et d'une coupe de liquides du gaz naturel |
AU2003258212B2 (en) * | 2003-06-05 | 2009-03-19 | Fluor Technologies Corporation | Liquefied natural gas regasification configuration and method |
FR2861164B1 (fr) * | 2003-10-16 | 2010-11-26 | Inst Francais Du Petrole | Procede de liquefaction et de conversion d'un gaz naturel |
EP1678449A4 (en) * | 2003-10-30 | 2012-08-29 | Fluor Tech Corp | FLEXIBLE NGL PROCESSES AND METHODS |
EP1782010A4 (en) * | 2004-06-30 | 2014-08-13 | Fluor Tech Corp | CONFIGURATIONS AND METHODS FOR LNG REGAZEIFICATION |
CN100436988C (zh) * | 2004-07-01 | 2008-11-26 | 奥特洛夫工程有限公司 | 液化天然气的处理 |
WO2006118583A1 (en) * | 2004-07-01 | 2006-11-09 | Ortloff Engineers, Ltd. | Liquefied natural gas processing |
CN201240702Y (zh) * | 2008-04-29 | 2009-05-20 | 白长军 | 散料输送堆垛设备 |
US20100287982A1 (en) * | 2009-05-15 | 2010-11-18 | Ortloff Engineers, Ltd. | Liquefied Natural Gas and Hydrocarbon Gas Processing |
DE102010044869A1 (de) * | 2010-09-09 | 2012-03-15 | Linde Aktiengesellschaft | Erdgasverflüssigung |
SG190306A1 (en) * | 2010-10-20 | 2013-06-28 | Kirtikumar Natubhai Patel | Process for separating and recovering ethane and heavier hydrocarbons from lng |
JP5875808B2 (ja) * | 2011-09-20 | 2016-03-02 | エア・ウォーター株式会社 | 高圧天然ガスの分離方法およびそれに用いる分離装置 |
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TWI616631B (zh) | 2018-03-01 |
CN107295807A (zh) | 2017-10-24 |
CN107295807B (zh) | 2020-05-01 |
JP6527714B2 (ja) | 2019-06-05 |
WO2016135042A1 (en) | 2016-09-01 |
JP2016156581A (ja) | 2016-09-01 |
ES2712922T3 (es) | 2019-05-16 |
TW201638540A (zh) | 2016-11-01 |
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