EP2629035B1 - Liquefaction device and floating liquefied gas production equipment comprising the device - Google Patents
Liquefaction device and floating liquefied gas production equipment comprising the device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP2629035B1 EP2629035B1 EP11832503.4A EP11832503A EP2629035B1 EP 2629035 B1 EP2629035 B1 EP 2629035B1 EP 11832503 A EP11832503 A EP 11832503A EP 2629035 B1 EP2629035 B1 EP 2629035B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- pressure
- low
- temperature
- gas
- turbine
- 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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- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 title claims description 26
- IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N Atomic nitrogen Chemical compound N#N IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 529
- 229910052757 nitrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 271
- VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N methane Chemical compound C VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 195
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 claims description 118
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 claims description 81
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 claims description 10
- 150000001875 compounds Chemical class 0.000 claims description 9
- 239000003209 petroleum derivative Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 239000003345 natural gas Substances 0.000 description 97
- 239000003949 liquefied natural gas Substances 0.000 description 29
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 19
- 238000004781 supercooling Methods 0.000 description 19
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 16
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 14
- 239000003507 refrigerant Substances 0.000 description 14
- 238000005057 refrigeration Methods 0.000 description 9
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 8
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 7
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 7
- 229910001868 water Inorganic materials 0.000 description 7
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 6
- 239000013505 freshwater Substances 0.000 description 5
- 239000003915 liquefied petroleum gas Substances 0.000 description 5
- CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon dioxide Chemical compound O=C=O CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 description 3
- RWSOTUBLDIXVET-UHFFFAOYSA-N Dihydrogen sulfide Chemical compound S RWSOTUBLDIXVET-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000004411 aluminium Substances 0.000 description 2
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 229910002092 carbon dioxide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000001569 carbon dioxide Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000009792 diffusion process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000004880 explosion Methods 0.000 description 2
- 229910000037 hydrogen sulfide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 238000004172 nitrogen cycle Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000013535 sea water Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000013022 venting Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000004215 Carbon black (E152) Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000003247 decreasing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000295 fuel oil Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229930195733 hydrocarbon Natural products 0.000 description 1
- 150000002430 hydrocarbons Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 239000012535 impurity Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000007791 liquid phase Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 description 1
- QJGQUHMNIGDVPM-UHFFFAOYSA-N nitrogen group Chemical group [N] QJGQUHMNIGDVPM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000012071 phase Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001131 transforming effect Effects 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
- F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
- F25J1/0002—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the fluid to be liquefied
- F25J1/0022—Hydrocarbons, e.g. 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
- F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING
- B63B35/00—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
- B63B35/44—Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
- C10L3/00—Gaseous fuels; Natural gas; Synthetic natural gas obtained by processes not covered by subclass C10G, C10K; Liquefied petroleum gas
- C10L3/06—Natural gas; Synthetic natural gas obtained by processes not covered by C10G, C10K3/02 or C10K3/04
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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
- F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
- F25J1/003—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production
- F25J1/0032—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production using the feed stream itself or separated fractions from it, i.e. "internal refrigeration"
- F25J1/004—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production using the feed stream itself or separated fractions from it, i.e. "internal refrigeration" by flash gas recovery
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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
- F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
- F25J1/003—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production
- F25J1/0047—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production using an "external" refrigerant stream in a closed vapor compression cycle
- F25J1/005—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production using an "external" refrigerant stream in a closed vapor compression cycle by expansion of a gaseous refrigerant stream with extraction of work
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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
- F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
- F25J1/006—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the refrigerant fluid used
- F25J1/007—Primary atmospheric gases, mixtures thereof
- F25J1/0072—Nitrogen
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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
- F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
- F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
- F25J1/0203—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process using a single-component refrigerant [SCR] fluid in a closed vapor compression cycle
- F25J1/0205—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process using a single-component refrigerant [SCR] fluid in a closed vapor compression cycle as a dual level SCR refrigeration cascade
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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
- F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
- F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
- F25J1/0203—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process using a single-component refrigerant [SCR] fluid in a closed vapor compression cycle
- F25J1/0207—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process using a single-component refrigerant [SCR] fluid in a closed vapor compression cycle as at least a three level SCR refrigeration cascade
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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
- F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
- F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
- F25J1/0228—Coupling of the liquefaction unit to other units or processes, so-called integrated processes
- F25J1/0229—Integration with a unit for using hydrocarbons, e.g. consuming hydrocarbons as feed stock
- F25J1/023—Integration with a unit for using hydrocarbons, e.g. consuming hydrocarbons as feed stock for the combustion as fuels, i.e. integration with the fuel gas 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
- F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
- F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
- F25J1/0243—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used; Details of the refrigerant compression system used
- F25J1/0244—Operation; Control and regulation; Instrumentation
- F25J1/0254—Operation; Control and regulation; Instrumentation controlling particular process parameter, e.g. pressure, temperature
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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
- F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
- F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
- F25J1/0243—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used; Details of the refrigerant compression system used
- F25J1/0257—Construction and layout of liquefaction equipments, e.g. valves, machines
- F25J1/0262—Details of the cold heat exchange system
- F25J1/0263—Details of the cold heat exchange system using different types of heat exchangers
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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
- F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
- F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
- F25J1/0243—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used; Details of the refrigerant compression system used
- F25J1/0257—Construction and layout of liquefaction equipments, e.g. valves, machines
- F25J1/0262—Details of the cold heat exchange system
- F25J1/0264—Arrangement of heat exchanger cores in parallel with different functions, e.g. different cooling streams
- F25J1/0265—Arrangement of heat exchanger cores in parallel with different functions, e.g. different cooling streams comprising cores associated exclusively with the cooling of a refrigerant stream, e.g. for auto-refrigeration or economizer
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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
- F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
- F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
- F25J1/0243—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used; Details of the refrigerant compression system used
- F25J1/0257—Construction and layout of liquefaction equipments, e.g. valves, machines
- F25J1/0262—Details of the cold heat exchange system
- F25J1/0264—Arrangement of heat exchanger cores in parallel with different functions, e.g. different cooling streams
- F25J1/0265—Arrangement of heat exchanger cores in parallel with different functions, e.g. different cooling streams comprising cores associated exclusively with the cooling of a refrigerant stream, e.g. for auto-refrigeration or economizer
- F25J1/0267—Arrangement of heat exchanger cores in parallel with different functions, e.g. different cooling streams comprising cores associated exclusively with the cooling of a refrigerant stream, e.g. for auto-refrigeration or economizer using flash gas as heat sink
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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
- F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
- F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
- F25J1/0243—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used; Details of the refrigerant compression system used
- F25J1/0257—Construction and layout of liquefaction equipments, e.g. valves, machines
- F25J1/0275—Construction and layout of liquefaction equipments, e.g. valves, machines adapted for special use of the liquefaction unit, e.g. portable or transportable devices
- F25J1/0277—Offshore use, e.g. during shipping
- F25J1/0278—Unit being stationary, e.g. on floating barge or fixed platform
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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
- F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
- F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
- F25J1/0243—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used; Details of the refrigerant compression system used
- F25J1/0279—Compression of refrigerant or internal recycle fluid, e.g. kind of compressor, accumulator, suction drum etc.
- F25J1/0281—Compression of refrigerant or internal recycle fluid, e.g. kind of compressor, accumulator, suction drum etc. characterised by the type of prime driver, e.g. hot gas expander
- F25J1/0282—Steam turbine as the prime mechanical driver
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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
- F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
- F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
- F25J1/0243—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used; Details of the refrigerant compression system used
- F25J1/0279—Compression of refrigerant or internal recycle fluid, e.g. kind of compressor, accumulator, suction drum etc.
- F25J1/0285—Combination of different types of drivers mechanically coupled to the same refrigerant compressor, possibly split on multiple compressor casings
- F25J1/0288—Combination of different types of drivers mechanically coupled to the same refrigerant compressor, possibly split on multiple compressor casings using work extraction by mechanical coupling of compression and expansion of the refrigerant, so-called companders
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING
- B63B25/00—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby
- B63B25/02—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby for bulk goods
- B63B25/08—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby for bulk goods fluid
- B63B25/12—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby for bulk goods fluid closed
- B63B25/14—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby for bulk goods fluid closed pressurised
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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
- F25J2230/20—Integrated compressor and process expander; Gear box arrangement; Multiple compressors on a common shaft
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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
- F25J2230/30—Compression 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
- F25J2240/40—Expansion without extracting work, i.e. isenthalpic throttling, e.g. JT valve, regulating valve or venturi, or isentropic nozzle, e.g. Laval
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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
- F25J2245/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams
- F25J2245/90—Processes or apparatus involving steps for recycling of process streams the recycled stream being boil-off gas from storage
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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
- F25J2270/00—Refrigeration techniques used
- F25J2270/14—External refrigeration with work-producing gas expansion loop
- F25J2270/16—External refrigeration with work-producing gas expansion loop with mutliple gas expansion loops of the same refrigerant
-
- 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
- F25J2270/00—Refrigeration techniques used
- F25J2270/90—External refrigeration, e.g. conventional closed-loop mechanical refrigeration unit using Freon or NH3, unspecified external refrigeration
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a liquefying apparatus and a floating liquefied-gas production facility equipped with the same, and more specifically, it relates to liquefaction of natural gas.
- liquefaction facilities on land liquefy gas to be liquefied by using cascade refrigeration cycles or refrigeration cycles that employ a mixed refrigerant composed of several kinds of refrigerants (for example, JP 2006-504928 A ).
- a mixed refrigerant composed of several kinds of refrigerants
- JP 2006-504928 A refrigerants
- installing such liquefaction facilities on offshore floating platforms has been investigated.
- a liquefaction facility similar to one used on land is to be installed on an offshore floating platform, it is necessary to make the facility suitable for use on a ship, taking into consideration anti-shaking performance, installation space, ease of liquefaction, and safety. Therefore, even a nitrogen expansion cycle using nitrogen refrigerant, which is used to reliquefy boil-off gas in an LNG ship but does not have good liquefaction efficiency when used in a liquefaction facility, has a possibility of being used.
- US 6446465 B1 on which the preamble portion of claim 1 is based, discloses an apparatus for liquefying natural gas and comprising a series of heat exchangers for cooling the natural gas in countercurrent heat exchange relationship with a refrigerant, compression means for compressing the refrigerant, and expansion means for isentropically expanding at least two separate streams of the compressed refrigerant.
- the expanded streams of refrigerant communicate with a cool end of a respective one of the heat exchangers, and a precooling refrigeration system for precooling the natural gas before it is fed to the series of heat exchangers, and for precooling the compressed refrigerant discharged from a warm end of the series of heat exchangers before it is fed back into the series of heat exchangers or the expansion means is provided.
- a precooling refrigeration system for precooling the natural gas before it is fed to the series of heat exchangers, and for precooling the compressed refrigerant discharged from a warm end of the series of heat exchangers before it is fed back into the series of heat exchangers or the expansion means is provided.
- the same heating medium circulates through the high-temperature-side heat exchanger and the low-temperature side heat exchanger.
- FIG. 5 Heat exchange between natural gas and nitrogen in a nitrogen refrigeration cycle will be described using FIG. 5 .
- the vertical axis shows temperature (°C), and the horizontal axis shows heat load (kW).
- the solid line in FIG. 5 shows natural gas pressurized to 4 MPa
- the dashed line shows natural gas pressurized to 15 MPa.
- the one-dot chain line in FIG. 5 shows nitrogen that exchanges heat with the natural gas pressurized to 4 MPa
- the two-dot chain line shows nitrogen that exchanges heat with the natural gas pressurized to 15 MPa.
- the off-gas produced in the liquefaction process is substantially at atmospheric pressure and contains a large amount of nitrogen component.
- the off-gas produced in the liquefaction process is substantially at atmospheric pressure and contains a large amount of nitrogen component.
- the present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and it provides a liquefying apparatus as defined in claim 1 and a floating liquefied-gas production facility equipped with the same as defined by claim 4, with which safety is ensured, and the facility can be made compact, while suppressing decrease in liquefaction efficiency.
- a liquefying apparatus and a floating liquefied-gas production facility equipped with the same of the present invention employ the following solutions.
- the present invention provides a liquefying apparatus which allows a liquefaction method wherein gas to be liquefied that has been subjected to heat exchange with a high-pressure heating medium composed of a single component is reduced in pressure to a predetermined pressure, after which the gas to be liquefied that has been reduced in pressure is made to exchange heat with a low-temperature-side heating medium that is lower in temperature than and of the same type as the high-pressure heating medium.
- the gas to be liquefied is liquefied by making the gas exchange heat with the heating medium.
- the temperature difference between the gas to be liquefied and the heating medium be uniformly small through the entire heat exchange process.
- the size of the heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the gas and the heating medium increases.
- the gas to be liquefied forms a step shape in the heat exchange process.
- the pressure of the heating medium is set in accordance with the position where the temperature difference between the gas to be liquefied and the heating medium is smallest (pinch point), the temperature difference between the gas to be liquefied and the heating medium increases in the process other than the pinch point, resulting in a decreased in heat exchange efficiency.
- a cascade system which performs heat exchange in a plurality of heat exchangers using a mixed heating medium composed of hydrocarbon, nitrogen, etc., or a plurality of heating media each composed of a single component.
- the cascade system has a problem in that the number of devices, such as heat exchangers, increases.
- a mixed heating medium is used, because it is composed of a plurality of components, a plurality of heating media are used according to the properties of the gas to be liquefied.
- there is a safety problem because some of these heating media are flammable.
- the gas to be liquefied is made to exchange heat with a high-temperature-side heating medium composed of a single component and is then reduced in pressure to a predetermined pressure.
- the gas to be liquefied that has been reduced in pressure is made to exchange heat with the low-temperature-side heating medium which is of the same type as the high-temperature-side heating medium and is lower in temperature than the high-temperature-side heating medium.
- the predetermined pressure is a pressure of the gas to be liquefied that exchanges heat with the heating medium corresponding to the critical point.
- the gas to be liquefied is the source gas before being liquefied, which is natural gas (LNG) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
- LNG natural gas
- LPG liquefied petroleum gas
- the liquefying apparatus of the present invention inter alia includes a high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between gas to be liquefied and a high-temperature-side heating medium; a reducing valve that reduces the pressure of the gas to be liquefied discharged from the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger; and a low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the gas to be liquefied which has passed through the reducing valve and a low-temperature-side heating medium.
- the high-temperature-side heating medium and the low-temperature-side heating medium are made of a single component and are of the same type.
- the reducing valve reduces the pressure of the gas to be liquefied that will be guided to the low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger to a predetermined pressure.
- the high-temperature-side heating medium composed of a single component is guided to the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger, the low-temperature-side heating medium of the same type as the high-temperature-side heating medium is guided to the low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger, and the reducing valve that reduces the pressure of the gas to be liquefied to a predetermined pressure is provided between the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger and the low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger.
- the liquefying apparatus of the present invention further includes a cross compound turbine having a high-pressure turbine that is driven by steam guided thereto, a high-pressure-turbine-side shaft that is connected to the high-pressure turbine, a low-pressure turbine that is driven by the steam discharged from the high-pressure turbine and guided thereto, and a low-pressure-turbine-side shaft that is connected to the low-pressure turbine; a high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor that compresses a high-temperature-side heating medium guided to the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger; a low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor that compresses a low-temperature-side heating medium guided to the low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger; and a steam generating means that generates steam to be guided to the high-pressure turbine.
- the high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor is connected to the high-pressure-turbine-side shaft.
- the high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor is connected to the high-pressure-turbine-side shaft
- the low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor is connected to the low-pressure-turbine-side shaft. Because the high-pressure-turbine-side shaft and the low-pressure-turbine-side shaft constituting the cross compound turbine are separated from each other, it is possible to independently control the high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor and the low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor by respectively controlling the high-pressure turbine connected to the high-pressure-turbine-side shaft and the low-pressure turbine connected to the low-pressure-turbine-side shaft. Accordingly, it is possible to independently compress the high-temperature-side heating medium and the low-temperature-side heating medium and to independently control the refrigeration load of the high-temperature-side heating medium and that of the low-temperature-side heating medium.
- the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger may be of a plate type.
- the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the gas to be liquefied and the high-temperature-side heating medium is of a plate type.
- the steam generating means may be configured to generate steam by using off-gas in the liquefied gas as fuel.
- the steam generating means that generates steam by burning the off-gas in the liquefied gas as fuel is used.
- the steam generating means that generates steam by burning the off-gas in the liquefied gas as fuel is used.
- the present invention also provides a floating liquefied-gas production facility including the above-described liquefying apparatus of the invention.
- the liquefying apparatus including the cross compound turbine driven by steam is used in the floating liquefied-gas production facility.
- a steam turbine used in an existing marine main engine as the cross compound turbine. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively utilize an existing apparatus, without needing to develop a new cross compound turbine for driving the high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor and the low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor.
- the high-temperature-side heating medium and the low-temperature-side heating medium employ nitrogen or any non-flammable heating medium.
- the liquefying apparatus that includes the high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor, the low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor, the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger, and the low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger, which use non-flammable nitrogen as the heating medium, is used in the floating liquefied-gas production facility. Furthermore, the steam turbine is used to drive the high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor and the low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor. With this configuration, it is possible to eliminate the risk of explosion caused by flammable gas leaking from the heating medium or the like.
- the gas to be liquefied is made to exchange heat with the high-temperature-side heating medium composed of a single component and is then reduced in pressure to a predetermined pressure.
- the gas to be liquefied that has been reduced in pressure is made to exchange heat with the low-temperature-side heating medium which is of the same type as the high-temperature-side heating medium and is lower in temperature than the high-temperature-side heating medium.
- the temperature differences between the gas to be liquefied and the high-temperature-side heating medium and between the gas to be liquefied and the low-temperature-side heating medium can be maintained substantially constant. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently liquefy the gas to be liquefied using the heating medium composed of a single component.
- FIG. 1 A schematic diagram showing the configuration of a floating liquefied-gas production facility including a liquefying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described on the basis of FIG. 1 .
- a floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility (floating LNG: FLNG) 1 includes a plurality of cargo tanks 2 in which liquefied natural gas (liquefied gas) is stored, a pretreatment apparatus 3, a liquefying apparatus (not shown), and a power supply apparatus (not shown) that supplies power to the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility 1.
- the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility (floating liquefied-gas production facility) 1 purifies and liquefies natural gas (gas to be liquefied), which is source gas venting from below strata on land or on the sea bed at high pressure, into liquefied natural gas (liquefied natural gas: LNG), i.e., the product, and is installed at the sea.
- natural gas gas to be liquefied
- LNG liquefied natural gas
- the cargo tanks (only three cargo tanks are shown in the diagram) 2 store the liquefied natural gas.
- the cargo tanks 2 are Moss Maritime self-supporting spherical tanks.
- the pretreatment apparatus 3 removes impurities, such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, water, and heavy components, contained in the natural gas, i.e., the source gas.
- the liquefying apparatus liquefies natural gas by making the natural gas exchange heat with refrigerant (a heating medium for cooling).
- the liquefying apparatus is divided into a cold box 5 accommodating a high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger (not shown) and a low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger (not shown), which will be described below; an inboard power installation area 4 where a power supply apparatus for supplying power to the ship is provided; a liquefying-apparatus power unit area 6 accommodating a high-pressure nitrogen compressor (not shown), a low-pressure nitrogen compressor (not shown), a compressor-driving steam turbine (not shown), etc., which will be described below; and a storage area 7 where an end flash tank (not shown)
- the cold box 5 is provided above deck.
- the cold box 5 accommodates the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger (high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger) and the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger (low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger), which constitute part of the liquefying apparatus.
- the cold box 5 is heat-insulated to prevent transfer of heat to or from the outside.
- the liquefying-apparatus power unit area 6 is provided below deck.
- the high-pressure nitrogen compressor (high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor) and low-pressure nitrogen compressor (low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor) constituting the liquefying apparatus, and the compressor-driving steam turbine (cross compound turbine) that drives these compressors are provided in the liquefying-apparatus power unit area 6.
- the storage area 7, in which the end flash tank is provided, is provided below deck.
- the inboard power installation area 4 is provided below deck and includes a boiler (not shown), a gas-fired diesel engine (not shown), and a gas-fired-diesel-engine-driven generator (not shown), which will be described below.
- the power required in the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility 1 is supplied from these apparatuses provided in the inboard power installation area 4.
- FIG. 2 shows an enlarged diagram showing the configuration on the right side of the liquefying apparatus shown in FIG. 1
- FIG. 3 shows an enlarged diagram showing the configuration on the left side thereof.
- the liquefying apparatus 10 mainly includes a high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 11, a low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12, a high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13, a low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14, a compressor-driving steam turbine 15, a Joule-Thomson expansion valve (reducing valve) 16, the boiler (not shown), and an end flash tank 30.
- the liquefying apparatus 10 is divided into a refrigeration cycle and a driving section that drives the liquefying apparatus 10.
- the refrigeration cycle includes a high-pressure nitrogen loop 17, in which high-pressure natural gas (at a pressure of, for example, from 15 MPa to 20 MPa) and nitrogen, which serves as refrigerant, exchange heat, and a low-pressure nitrogen loop 18, in which relatively low-pressure natural gas (at a pressure of, for example, 6 MPa or less) and nitrogen, which serves as refrigerant, exchange heat.
- high-pressure natural gas at a pressure of, for example, from 15 MPa to 20 MPa
- nitrogen which serves as refrigerant, exchange heat
- a low-pressure nitrogen loop 18 in which relatively low-pressure natural gas (at a pressure of, for example, 6 MPa or less) and nitrogen, which serves as refrigerant, exchange heat.
- the driving section includes the compressor-driving steam turbine 15.
- the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17 mainly includes the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 11, the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13, and a high-pressure nitrogen expander 19.
- the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 11 performs heat exchange between the high-pressure natural gas and the nitrogen (hereinbelow, "high-pressure nitrogen”).
- high-pressure nitrogen a stainless-steel-plate diffusion type heat exchanger (diffusion-bonded heat exchanger), of the plate type manufactured by Heatric, is suitably used as the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 11.
- the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13 compresses high-pressure nitrogen (high-temperature-side heating medium).
- a high-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 20 connected to the compressor-driving steam turbine 15 (described below) is connected to the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13.
- the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13 compresses the high-pressure nitrogen due to the high-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 20 being driven.
- the high-pressure nitrogen expander 19 expands the high-pressure nitrogen.
- a high-pressure-nitrogen booster 21 is connected to the high-pressure nitrogen expander 19. The high-pressure-nitrogen booster 21 is driven by the high-pressure nitrogen expander 19 being rotationally driven upon expanding the high-pressure nitrogen. The high-pressure-nitrogen booster 21 pressurizes the high-pressure nitrogen by being driven.
- the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18 mainly includes the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12, the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14, and a low-pressure nitrogen expander 22.
- the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12 performs heat exchange between natural gas and nitrogen (hereinbelow, "low-pressure nitrogen").
- An aluminium brazed plate/fin-type heat exchanger is used as the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12.
- the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14 compresses low-pressure nitrogen (low-temperature-side heating medium).
- a low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23 connected to the compressor-driving steam turbine 15 (described below) is connected to the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14.
- the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14 compresses the low-pressure nitrogen due to the low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23 being driven.
- the low-pressure nitrogen expander 22 expands the low-pressure nitrogen.
- a low-pressure-nitrogen booster 24 is connected to the low-pressure nitrogen expander 22.
- the low-pressure-nitrogen booster 24 is driven by the low-pressure nitrogen expander 22 being rotationally driven upon expanding the low-pressure nitrogen.
- the low-pressure-nitrogen booster 24 pressurizes the low-pressure nitrogen by being driven.
- the compressor-driving steam turbine 15 is a large, cross-compound-type steam turbine, which is used in the main engine of a ship.
- a UST (ultra steam turbine) manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. is preferably used as the compressor-driving steam turbine 15.
- the compressor-driving steam turbine 15 includes a high-pressure turbine 15a, an intermediate-pressure turbine (high-pressure turbine) 15b, a first low-pressure turbine 15c, and a second low-pressure turbine 15d.
- the high-pressure turbine 15a and the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b are provided on a primary shaft 15e (high-pressure-turbine-side shaft).
- the first low-pressure turbine (low-pressure turbine) 15c and the second low-pressure turbine (low-pressure turbine) 15d are provided on a secondary shaft (low-pressure-turbine-side shaft) 15f.
- the high-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 20 is connected to an end of the primary shaft 15e, and the low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23 is connected to an end of the secondary shaft 15f.
- the high-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 20 transmits the output transmitted from the primary shaft 15e to the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13.
- the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13 is driven by the high-pressure turbine 15a or the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b being rotationally driven.
- the low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23 transmits the output transmitted from the secondary shaft 15f to the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14.
- the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14 is driven by the first low-pressure turbine 15c or the second low-pressure turbine 15d being rotationally driven.
- the boiler (steam generating means) is a multi-fuel-fired boiler that uses liquefied natural gas, such as off-gas and boil-off gas (described below), and heavy oil as fuel.
- the end flash tank 30 expands the liquefied natural gas that has passed through the high-pressure nitrogen cycle 17 and the low-pressure nitrogen cycle 18 to reduce the temperature thereof.
- the nitrogen component in the liquefied natural gas is removed in the end flash tank 30.
- a reducing valve may be used instead of the end flash tank 30.
- the Joule-Thomson expansion valve 16 is provided between the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17 and the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18.
- the Joule-Thomson expansion valve 16 allows the natural gas that has passed through the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17 to expand according to the Joule-Thomson effect via a throttle mechanism thereof.
- Natural gas which is the source gas venting from below strata on land or on the sea bed, is guided to the pretreatment apparatus 3 provided above deck of the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility 1 (see FIG. 1 ). Carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, water, heavy components, etc. in the natural gas are removed in the pretreatment apparatus 3.
- the natural gas purified by the pretreatment apparatus 3 is guided to the cold box 5.
- the natural gas guided to the cold box 5 is pressurized by a booster compressor 31 (see FIG. 2 ) or the like to, for example, 15 MPa or more. Note that it is desirable that the pressure be increased to 10 MPa or more.
- the natural gas pressurized by the booster compressor 31 is guided to a first heat exchanger 32.
- the natural gas guided to the first heat exchanger 32 is cooled to, for example, 30 °C by heat exchange with sea water.
- the natural gas cooled by the first heat exchanger 32 is then guided to a second heat exchanger 33.
- the natural gas guided to the second heat exchanger 33 is cooled to, for example, -20 °C by heat exchange with fresh water, which serves as chiller water.
- the natural gas precooled by the second heat exchanger 33 is guided to the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17.
- the natural gas guided to the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17 is guided to the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 11 constituting the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17.
- the natural gas guided to the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 11 exchanges heat with the high-pressure nitrogen in a first supercooling unit K1 provided in the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 11. By exchanging heat with the high-pressure nitrogen in the first supercooling unit K1, the natural gas is cooled to, for example, -80 °C.
- the cooled natural gas is guided to the Joule-Thomson expansion valve 16.
- the natural gas guided to the Joule-Thomson valve 16 expands (is reduced in pressure) to a pressure of, for example, 10 MPa by passing through the Joule-Thomson expansion valve 16.
- the natural gas that has passed through the Joule-Thomson expansion valve 16 is cooled to, for example, -90 °C.
- the pressure of the natural gas be 10 MPa or less after being expanded by the Joule-Thomson expansion valve 16.
- the natural gas that has expanded and has been cooled by passing through the Joule-Thomson expansion valve 16 is guided to the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18.
- the natural gas guided to the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18 is guided to the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12 constituting the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18.
- the natural gas guided to the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12 exchanges heat with the low-pressure nitrogen in two stages. That is, the natural gas is cooled to, for example, -135 °C in a second supercooling unit K2 provided in the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12 and is then cooled to, for example, -160 °C in a third supercooling unit K3 provided in the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12, thereby being liquefied.
- the liquefied natural gas liquefied in this way is guided to the end flash tank 30.
- the liquefied natural gas guided to the end flash tank 30 expands in the end flash tank 30 and is cooled, and the nitrogen component in the liquefied natural gas is released.
- the liquefied natural gas that has been further cooled and released the nitrogen component is guided to the cargo tanks 2 shown in FIG. 1 , where it is stored.
- a portion of the liquefied natural gas guided to the end flash tank 30 is gasified.
- the amount of gasified liquefied natural gas (hereinbelow, "off-gas") is controlled to a flash rate of, for example, 10% or less by adjusting the temperature of the liquefied natural gas guided to the end flash tank 30.
- the off-gas (for example, -140 °C) is guided from the end flash tank 30 to the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12.
- the off-gas guided to the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12 exchanges heat with the natural gas in the second supercooling unit K2 provided in the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12. As a result, the temperature of the off-gas becomes, for example, -100 °C.
- the off-gas is then guided to a second condensing unit G2 provided in the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12.
- the off-gas guided to the second condensing unit G2 exchanges heat with the low-pressure nitrogen (described below).
- the off-gas that has been subjected to heat exchange in the second condensing unit G2 is heated to, for example, 30 °C and is discharged from the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12.
- boil-off gas which is produced by a portion of the liquefied natural gas being gasified in the cargo tanks 2 (see FIG. 1 ), is also guided to the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12, similarly to the off-gas.
- the boil-off gas guided to the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12 is subjected to heat exchange in the second supercooling unit K2 and second condensing unit G2 provided in the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12 to be heated to, for example, 30 °C and is discharged from the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12.
- the high-pressure nitrogen circulating in the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17 is compressed to, for example, 12 MPa and 120 °C by the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13 driven by the high-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 20.
- the high-pressure nitrogen that has been further pressurized is guided to a third heat exchanger 34.
- the high-pressure nitrogen guided to the third heat exchanger 34 is cooled to 85 °C by heat exchange with feedwater guided from a feedwater system (not shown).
- the high-pressure nitrogen that has passed through the third heat exchanger 34 is then guided to a fourth heat exchanger 35.
- the high-pressure nitrogen guided to the fourth heat exchanger 35 is cooled to 40 °C by heat exchange with fresh water guided from a fresh water system (not shown).
- the high-pressure nitrogen cooled to 40 °C is guided to the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 11.
- the high-pressure nitrogen guided to the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 11 is guided to a first condensing unit G1 provided in the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 11.
- the high-pressure nitrogen guided to the first condensing unit G1 exchanges heat with the high-pressure nitrogen that has passed through the first supercooling unit K1 and expanded.
- the high-pressure nitrogen that has passed through the first condensing unit G1 is cooled to, for example, -25 °C.
- the high-pressure nitrogen that has been subjected to heat exchange in the first condensing unit G1 and cooled is guided to the high-temperature nitrogen expander 19.
- the high-pressure nitrogen guided to the high-temperature nitrogen expander 19 is expanded to, for example, 2 MPa and - 85 °C.
- the high-pressure nitrogen that has expanded and has been cooled is guided to the first supercooling unit K1 provided in the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 11.
- the expanded high-pressure nitrogen guided to the first supercooling unit K1 is heated to, for example, -30 °C by heat exchange with the above-mentioned natural gas.
- the high-pressure nitrogen heated in the first supercooling unit K1 is heated to, for example, 35 °C by heat exchange with the high-pressure nitrogen guided from the fourth heat exchanger 35 in the first condensing unit G1.
- the high-pressure nitrogen that has been heated and expanded by passing through the first supercooling unit K1 and the first condensing unit G1 provided in the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 11 is guided to the high-pressure-nitrogen booster 21.
- the expanded high-pressure nitrogen guided to the high-pressure-nitrogen booster 21 is pressurized to, for example, 3 MPa and 85 °C by the high-pressure-nitrogen booster 21 and is then guided to a fifth heat exchanger 36.
- the high-pressure nitrogen pressurized and guided to the fifth heat exchanger 36 is cooled to, for example, 40 °C by heat exchange with fresh water guided from the fresh water system.
- the high-pressure nitrogen that has been cooled upon passing through the fifth heat exchanger 36 is guided to the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13.
- the high-pressure nitrogen circulates in the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17.
- the low-pressure nitrogen circulating in the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18 is compressed to, for example, 5 MPa by the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14 driven by the low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23.
- the compressed low-pressure nitrogen is guided to a sixth heat exchanger 37.
- the low-pressure nitrogen guided to the sixth heat exchanger 37 is cooled to, for example, 85 °C by heat exchange with feedwater guided from a feedwater system.
- the low-pressure nitrogen that has passed through the sixth heat exchanger 37 is then guided to a seventh heat exchanger 38.
- the low-pressure nitrogen guided to the seventh heat exchanger 38 is cooled to, for example, 40 °C by heat exchange with feedwater guided from the feedwater system.
- the low-pressure nitrogen that has been cooled upon passing through the sixth heat exchanger 37 and the seventh heat exchanger 38 is guided to the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12.
- the low-pressure nitrogen guided to the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12 is guided to the second condensing unit G2 provided in the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12.
- the low-pressure nitrogen guided to the second condensing unit G2 exchanges heat with the low-pressure nitrogen that has passed through the second supercooling unit K2 and expanded.
- the low-pressure nitrogen that has passed through the second condensing unit G2 is cooled to, for example, - 90 °C.
- the low-pressure nitrogen that has been subjected to heat exchange in the second condensing unit G2 is guided from the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12 to the low-pressure nitrogen expander 22.
- the cooled low-pressure nitrogen guided to the low-pressure nitrogen expander 22 expands to, for example, 3 MPa and -164 °C.
- the low-pressure nitrogen that has expanded and has been further cooled is guided to the third supercooling unit K3 provided in the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12.
- the expanded low-pressure nitrogen guided to the third supercooling unit K3 is heated to, for example, -140 °C by heat exchange with the natural gas that has passed through the above-mentioned second supercooling unit K2.
- the expanded low-pressure nitrogen that has passed through the third supercooling unit K3 then exchanges heat with the natural gas guided from the Joule-Thomson expansion valve 16 to the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12 in the second supercooling unit K2.
- the low-pressure nitrogen that has exchanged heat with the natural gas and expanded is heated to, for example, - 100 °C.
- the low-pressure nitrogen that has passed through the second cooler K2 and expanded is then guided to the second condensing unit G2 provided in the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12.
- the expanded low-pressure nitrogen guided to the second condensing unit G2 exchanges heat with the low-pressure nitrogen guided from the seventh heat exchanger 38.
- the expanded low-pressure nitrogen is made to have a temperature of, for example, 36 °C and is discharged from the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12.
- the low-pressure nitrogen that has been heated upon passing through the third supercooling unit K3, the second supercooling unit K2, and the second condensing unit G2 provided in the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12 is guided to the low-pressure-nitrogen booster 24.
- the expanded low-pressure nitrogen guided to the low-pressure-nitrogen booster 24 is pressurized to, for example, 1 MPa and 85 °C by the low-pressure-nitrogen booster 24.
- the pressurized low-pressure nitrogen is guided to an eighth heat exchanger 39.
- the pressurized low-pressure nitrogen guided to the eighth heat exchanger 39 is cooled to, for example, 40 °C by heat exchange with feedwater guided from the feedwater system.
- the low-pressure nitrogen that has been cooled upon passing through the eighth heat exchanger 39 is guided to the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14.
- the low-pressure nitrogen circulates in the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18.
- Off-gas and boil-off gas discharged from the second condensing unit G2 provided in the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12 and heated to, for example, 30 °C are guided to the boiler.
- the off-gas and boil-off gas guided to the boiler are burned as fuel for the boiler, generating high-temperature, high-pressure (for example, 555 °C and 11 MPa) steam.
- the steam generated in the boiler is guided to the high-pressure turbine 15a of the compressor-driving steam turbine 15.
- the thermal energy of the steam guided to the high-pressure turbine 15a is transformed into rotation energy for the high-pressure turbine 15a, thereby rotationally driving the high-pressure turbine 15a.
- Due to the high-pressure turbine 15a being rotationally driven the primary shaft 15e rotates. Due to the primary shaft 15e rotating, the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b and high-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 20 provided on the primary shaft 15e are driven.
- the steam used to rotationally drive the high-pressure turbine 15a is made to have a pressure of, for example, 2 MPa and is discharged from the high-pressure turbine 15a.
- the steam discharged from the high-pressure turbine 15a is guided to a reheater (not shown).
- the steam guided to the reheater is transformed into reheat steam at a temperature of, for example, 555 °C by the reheater.
- This reheat steam is guided to the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b of the compressor-driving steam turbine 15.
- the thermal energy of the reheat steam guided to the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b is transformed into rotation energy for the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b, thereby rotationally driving the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b. Due to the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b being rotationally driven, the primary shaft 15e rotates even more. Due to the primary shaft 15e rotating even more, the high-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 20 provided on the primary shaft 15e is driven even more.
- a portion of the steam is extracted from an intermediate stage of the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b.
- the extracted steam at a pressure of, for example, 1 MPa is used as high-pressure general service steam or the like for use in the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility 1 (see FIG. 1 ) .
- the steam that has passed through all of the stages of the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b is made to have a temperature of, for example, 110 °C and is guided to the first low-pressure turbine 15c of the compressor-driving steam turbine 15.
- the thermal energy of the steam guided to the first low-pressure turbine 15c is transformed into rotation energy for the first low-pressure turbine 15c, thereby rotationally driving the first low-pressure turbine 15c. Due to the first low-pressure turbine 15c being rotationally driven, the secondary shaft 15f rotates. Due to the secondary shaft 15f rotating, the second low-pressure turbine 15d and low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23 provided on the secondary shaft 15f are driven.
- a portion of the steam is extracted from an intermediate stage of the first low-pressure turbine 15c.
- the extracted steam at a pressure of, for example, 0.1 MPa, is used as low-pressure general service steam or the like for use in the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility 1 (see FIG. 1 ) .
- the steam that has passed through all of the stages of the first low-pressure turbine 15c is guided to the second low-pressure turbine 15d provided on the secondary shaft 15f.
- assist steam at a pressure of, for example, 0.6 MPa is separately supplied to the second low-pressure turbine 15d from an assist steam supply system (not shown).
- the second low-pressure turbine 15d is rotationally driven by the supplied assist steam. Due to the second low-pressure turbine 15d being rotationally driven, it is possible to drive the low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23 connected to the secondary shaft 15f.
- the steam that has passed through all of the stages of the first low-pressure turbine 15c and the assist steam that has driven the second low-pressure turbine 15d are guided to the main condenser (not shown), where they exchange heat with sea water and are transformed into condensed water.
- T-H graphs of the natural gas and the nitrogen refrigerant in this embodiment will be described using FIG. 4 and the above-described FIG. 5 .
- FIG. 4 shows a T-H graph of the natural gas and the nitrogen refrigerant according to this embodiment.
- the horizontal axis shows heat load (kW), and the vertical axis shows temperature (°C).
- the solid line in FIG. 4 shows natural gas pressurized to 15 MPa or 4 MPa, and the one-dot chain line shows nitrogen that exchanges heat with the natural gas pressurized to 4 MPa.
- FIG. 5 shows a T-H graph showing the relationships for natural gas and nitrogen at a plurality of pressures.
- the horizontal axis shows heat load (kW), and the vertical axis shows temperature (°C).
- the solid line in FIG. 5 shows natural gas pressurized to 15 MPa
- the dashed line shows natural gas pressurized to 4 MPa
- the one-dot chain line shows nitrogen that has a small temperature difference with respect to the natural gas at a relatively low-pressure, i.e., 4 MPa
- the two-dot chain line shows nitrogen that has a small temperature difference with respect to the natural gas at a high-pressure, i.e., 15 MPa.
- the natural gas at a pressure of 4 MPa forms a step shape, indicating that almost no temperature change occurs in the process in which it is cooled by heat exchange with the nitrogen.
- the pinch point, at which the temperature difference between the nitrogen (dashed line) and the natural gas is smallest forms a step shape. Therefore, the temperature difference between the natural gas and the nitrogen is large in the heat exchange process other than the step-shaped portion, and the overall liquefaction efficiency decreases.
- the step shape that appears when using the natural gas at 4 MPa disappears, and the temperature change of the natural gas becomes a substantially straight-line shape. Therefore, the temperature difference between the natural gas at 15 MPa and the nitrogen (two-dot chain line) decreases, and it is possible to perform efficient liquefaction over the entire range.
- the temperature difference between the nitrogen and the natural gas is small.
- a substantially even temperature difference over the entire range of the heat exchange process is achieved by pressurizing the natural gas to a high pressure (for example, 15 MPa) and making it exchange heat with the nitrogen at a high-temperature part of the natural gas, and by pressurizing the natural gas to a relatively low pressure (for example, 4 MPa) and making it exchange heat with the nitrogen at a low-temperature part of the natural gas.
- a high pressure for example, 15 MPa
- a relatively low pressure for example, 4 MPa
- the high-pressure natural gas is made to exchange heat with the high-pressure nitrogen in the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17, and at a low-temperature part of the natural gas, the low-pressure natural gas is made to exchange heat with the low-pressure nitrogen in the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18.
- the Joule-Thomson expansion valve 16 is provided between the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17 and the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18 to expand high-pressure natural gas at a pressure of 15 MPa to low-pressure natural gas at a pressure of 4 MPa.
- the Joule-Thomson expansion valve 16 is provided between the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17 and the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18 to expand high-pressure natural gas at a pressure of 15 MPa to low-pressure natural gas at a pressure of 4 MPa.
- the liquefying apparatus 10 and the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility 1 provide the following advantages.
- the high-pressure nitrogen composed of a single component is guided to the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger (high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger) 11, the low-pressure nitrogen of the same type as the high-pressure nitrogen (low-temperature-side heating medium) is guided to the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger (low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger) 12, and the Joule-Thomson expansion valve (reducing valve) 16 that reduces the pressure of the natural gas (gas to be liquefied) to a predetermined pressure is provided between the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 11 and the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12.
- the high-pressure nitrogen compressor (high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor) 13 is connected to the primary shaft (high-pressure-turbine-side shaft) 15e via the high-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 20, and the low-pressure nitrogen compressor (low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor) 14 is connected to the secondary shaft (low-pressure-turbine-side shaft) 15f via the low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23.
- the primary shaft 15e and the secondary shaft 15f that constitute the compressor-driving steam turbine (cross compound turbine) 15 are separated from each other, it is possible to independently control the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13 and the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14 by independently controlling the high-pressure turbine 15a and the intermediate-pressure turbine (high-pressure turbine) 15b, which are connected to the primary shaft 15e, and the first low-pressure turbine (low-pressure turbine) 15c and the second low-pressure turbine (low-pressure turbine) 15d, which are connected to the secondary shaft 15f. Accordingly, it is possible to independently compress the high-pressure nitrogen and the low-pressure nitrogen and independently control the refrigeration load of the high-pressure nitrogen circulating in the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17 and that of the low-pressure nitrogen circulating in the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18.
- a stainless-steel-plate diffusion type (plate type) heat exchanger is used as the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 11 that performs heat exchange between the natural gas and the high-pressure nitrogen.
- plate type stainless-steel-plate diffusion type
- the pressure of the natural gas is reduced by allowing the gas to pass through the Joule-Thomson expansion valve 16, and an aluminium brazed plate/fin-type (plate type) heat exchanger is used as the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12. Therefore, it is also possible to reduce the size of the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12. Accordingly, it is possible to make the cold box 5 constituting the liquefying apparatus 10 even more compact.
- a boiler steam generating means that generates steam by burning off-gas and boil-off gas in the liquefied natural gas as fuel is used.
- steam generating means that generates steam by burning off-gas and boil-off gas in the liquefied natural gas as fuel is used.
- the liquefying apparatus 10 that is composed of the compressor-driving steam turbine 15 which is driven by steam is used in the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility (floating liquefied-gas production facility) 1. Therefore, a cross-compound-type steam turbine, which is used for an existing marine main engine, may be used as the compressor-driving steam turbine 15.
- a cross-compound-type steam turbine which is used for an existing marine main engine, may be used as the compressor-driving steam turbine 15.
- the liquefying apparatus 10 that includes the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13, the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14, the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 11, and the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger 12, which use non-flammable nitrogen as the heating medium, is used in the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility 1. Furthermore, the compressor-driving steam turbine 15 is used to drive the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13 and the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the risk of explosion caused by leakage of flammable gas from the heating medium etc.
- heating medium used in the liquefying apparatus 10 has been described as nitrogen in this embodiment, any non-flammable heating medium may be used.
- liquefied natural gas LNG
- liquefied petroleum gas LPG
- the present invention is not limited thereto; it is also possible that no precooling with chiller water is performed, i.e., no second heat exchanger 33 is provided.
- precooling to a temperature of about -10 °C to - 30 °C with chiller water, it is possible to increase the effect of reducing power to compress the high-pressure nitrogen and the low-pressure nitrogen guided to the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17 and the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18; but the precooling does not have to be performed.
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Description
- The present invention relates to a liquefying apparatus and a floating liquefied-gas production facility equipped with the same, and more specifically, it relates to liquefaction of natural gas.
- Typically, liquefaction facilities on land liquefy gas to be liquefied by using cascade refrigeration cycles or refrigeration cycles that employ a mixed refrigerant composed of several kinds of refrigerants (for example,
JP 2006-504928 A -
US 6446465 B1 , on which the preamble portion of claim 1 is based, discloses an apparatus for liquefying natural gas and comprising a series of heat exchangers for cooling the natural gas in countercurrent heat exchange relationship with a refrigerant, compression means for compressing the refrigerant, and expansion means for isentropically expanding at least two separate streams of the compressed refrigerant. The expanded streams of refrigerant communicate with a cool end of a respective one of the heat exchangers, and a precooling refrigeration system for precooling the natural gas before it is fed to the series of heat exchangers, and for precooling the compressed refrigerant discharged from a warm end of the series of heat exchangers before it is fed back into the series of heat exchangers or the expansion means is provided. In this apparatus the same heating medium circulates through the high-temperature-side heat exchanger and the low-temperature side heat exchanger. - Heat exchange between natural gas and nitrogen in a nitrogen refrigeration cycle will be described using
FIG. 5 . InFIG. 5 , the vertical axis shows temperature (°C), and the horizontal axis shows heat load (kW). Furthermore, the solid line inFIG. 5 shows natural gas pressurized to 4 MPa, and the dashed line shows natural gas pressurized to 15 MPa. Moreover, the one-dot chain line inFIG. 5 shows nitrogen that exchanges heat with the natural gas pressurized to 4 MPa, and the two-dot chain line shows nitrogen that exchanges heat with the natural gas pressurized to 15 MPa. - As shown in
FIG. 5 , when the natural gas (solid line) is pressurized to 4 MPa, in the process in which the temperature changes, the temperature change of the natural gas is small relative to the heat load, forming a step shape. This step shape appears because the temperature of nitrogen, which serves as refrigerant, is constant while transforming between a liquid phase and a gas phase in the heat exchange process. Therefore, when the conditions of nitrogen (one-dot chain line) are set in accordance with a pinch point at which the temperature difference between the natural gas pressurized to 4 MPa and the nitrogen is smallest, the temperature difference between the natural gas and the nitrogen increases in the heat exchange process other than the pinch point, typically resulting in a low liquefaction efficiency compared with the case where the temperature difference is small. - A nitrogen compressor that compresses and circulates nitrogen, which serves as a heating medium, requires great motive power and thus is usually driven by a gas turbine, as in the invention disclosed in
JP 2006-503252 A - Furthermore, the off-gas produced in the liquefaction process is substantially at atmospheric pressure and contains a large amount of nitrogen component. Thus, there has been a problem in that it is difficult to use the off-gas as fuel for the gas turbine that drives the nitrogen compressor.
- Moreover, when the nitrogen compressor is driven by a hybrid of a gas turbine and a steam turbine or by a hybrid of a steam turbine and an electric motor, as in the invention disclosed in
JP 2006-503252 A - On the other hand, as shown by the dashed line in
FIG. 5 , when the natural gas is pressurized to 15 MPa, the step shape appearing with the natural gas pressurized to 4 MPa, which is shown by the solid line, disappears and a substantially straight-line shape appears. Therefore, it is possible to make the high-pressure natural gas pressurized to 15 MPa and the nitrogen (two-dot chain line) exchange heat with a reduced temperature difference therebetween over the entire range, and thus, it is possible to enable efficient liquefaction. However, there has been a problem in that, because a shell- and-tube type heat exchanger needs to be used to make the high-pressure natural gas and the nitrogen exchange heat, the size of the heat exchanger is large, and thus, it impossible to reduce the installation space for the liquefying apparatus. - The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and it provides a liquefying apparatus as defined in claim 1 and a floating liquefied-gas production facility equipped with the same as defined by claim 4, with which safety is ensured, and the facility can be made compact, while suppressing decrease in liquefaction efficiency.
- To overcome the above-described problems, a liquefying apparatus and a floating liquefied-gas production facility equipped with the same of the present invention employ the following solutions.
- The present invention provides a liquefying apparatus which allows a liquefaction method wherein gas to be liquefied that has been subjected to heat exchange with a high-pressure heating medium composed of a single component is reduced in pressure to a predetermined pressure, after which the gas to be liquefied that has been reduced in pressure is made to exchange heat with a low-temperature-side heating medium that is lower in temperature than and of the same type as the high-pressure heating medium.
- The gas to be liquefied is liquefied by making the gas exchange heat with the heating medium. For the sake of the liquefaction efficiency of the gas to be liquefied, it is desirable that the temperature difference between the gas to be liquefied and the heating medium be uniformly small through the entire heat exchange process. However, when the gas to be liquefied is at high pressure, although the temperature difference between the gas and the heating medium is substantially uniformly small through the entire heat exchange process, the size of the heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the gas and the heating medium increases. Furthermore, when the gas to be liquefied is at low pressure, the gas to be liquefied forms a step shape in the heat exchange process. Therefore, if the pressure of the heating medium is set in accordance with the position where the temperature difference between the gas to be liquefied and the heating medium is smallest (pinch point), the temperature difference between the gas to be liquefied and the heating medium increases in the process other than the pinch point, resulting in a decreased in heat exchange efficiency.
- Hence, in order to reduce the temperature difference between the gas to be liquefied and the heating medium, a cascade system is used, which performs heat exchange in a plurality of heat exchangers using a mixed heating medium composed of hydrocarbon, nitrogen, etc., or a plurality of heating media each composed of a single component. The cascade system has a problem in that the number of devices, such as heat exchangers, increases. Furthermore, when a mixed heating medium is used, because it is composed of a plurality of components, a plurality of heating media are used according to the properties of the gas to be liquefied. However, there is a safety problem because some of these heating media are flammable.
- Hence, in the liquefying apparatus of the present invention, the gas to be liquefied is made to exchange heat with a high-temperature-side heating medium composed of a single component and is then reduced in pressure to a predetermined pressure. In addition, the gas to be liquefied that has been reduced in pressure is made to exchange heat with the low-temperature-side heating medium which is of the same type as the high-temperature-side heating medium and is lower in temperature than the high-temperature-side heating medium. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the pressure of the gas to be liquefied that has exchanged heat with the high-temperature-side heating medium so as to approximate the temperature change of the low-temperature-side heating medium and then to make the gas exchange heat with the low-temperature-side heating medium. Thus, the temperature differences between the gas to be liquefied and the high-temperature-side heating medium and between the gas to be liquefied and the low-temperature-side heating medium can be maintained substantially constant. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently liquefy the gas to be liquefied using the heating medium composed of a single component.
- Note that the predetermined pressure is a pressure of the gas to be liquefied that exchanges heat with the heating medium corresponding to the critical point.
- Furthermore, the gas to be liquefied is the source gas before being liquefied, which is natural gas (LNG) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
- The liquefying apparatus of the present invention inter alia includes a high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between gas to be liquefied and a high-temperature-side heating medium; a reducing valve that reduces the pressure of the gas to be liquefied discharged from the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger; and a low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the gas to be liquefied which has passed through the reducing valve and a low-temperature-side heating medium. The high-temperature-side heating medium and the low-temperature-side heating medium are made of a single component and are of the same type. The reducing valve reduces the pressure of the gas to be liquefied that will be guided to the low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger to a predetermined pressure.
- The high-temperature-side heating medium composed of a single component is guided to the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger, the low-temperature-side heating medium of the same type as the high-temperature-side heating medium is guided to the low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger, and the reducing valve that reduces the pressure of the gas to be liquefied to a predetermined pressure is provided between the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger and the low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger. With this configuration, it is possible to make the gas to be liquefied that has passed through the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger approximate the temperature change of the low-temperature-side heating medium by the reducing valve and to guide the gas to the low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger. Thus, the temperature differences between the gas to be liquefied and the high-temperature-side heating medium and between the gas to be liquefied and the low-temperature-side heating medium can be maintained substantially constant. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently liquefy the gas to be liquefied using the heating medium composed of a single component.
- The liquefying apparatus of the present invention further includes a cross compound turbine having a high-pressure turbine that is driven by steam guided thereto, a high-pressure-turbine-side shaft that is connected to the high-pressure turbine, a low-pressure turbine that is driven by the steam discharged from the high-pressure turbine and guided thereto, and a low-pressure-turbine-side shaft that is connected to the low-pressure turbine; a high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor that compresses a high-temperature-side heating medium guided to the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger; a low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor that compresses a low-temperature-side heating medium guided to the low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger; and a steam generating means that generates steam to be guided to the high-pressure turbine. The high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor is connected to the high-pressure-turbine-side shaft. The low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor is connected to the low-pressure-turbine-side shaft.
- The high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor is connected to the high-pressure-turbine-side shaft, and the low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor is connected to the low-pressure-turbine-side shaft. Because the high-pressure-turbine-side shaft and the low-pressure-turbine-side shaft constituting the cross compound turbine are separated from each other, it is possible to independently control the high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor and the low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor by respectively controlling the high-pressure turbine connected to the high-pressure-turbine-side shaft and the low-pressure turbine connected to the low-pressure-turbine-side shaft. Accordingly, it is possible to independently compress the high-temperature-side heating medium and the low-temperature-side heating medium and to independently control the refrigeration load of the high-temperature-side heating medium and that of the low-temperature-side heating medium.
- In the above-described liquefying apparatus of the present invention, the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger may be of a plate type.
- With this configuration, the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the gas to be liquefied and the high-temperature-side heating medium is of a plate type. Thus, it is possible to reduce the size of the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger. Accordingly, it is possible to make the liquefying apparatus compact.
- In the above-described liquefying apparatus of the present invention, the steam generating means may be configured to generate steam by using off-gas in the liquefied gas as fuel.
- With this configuration, the steam generating means that generates steam by burning the off-gas in the liquefied gas as fuel is used. Thus, it is possible to generate steam used to drive the cross compound turbine using the off-gas produced in the liquefying apparatus substantially at an atmospheric pressure. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively utilize the off-gas produced by the liquefying apparatus.
- The present invention also provides a floating liquefied-gas production facility including the above-described liquefying apparatus of the invention.
- The liquefying apparatus including the cross compound turbine driven by steam is used in the floating liquefied-gas production facility. Thus, it is possible to use a steam turbine used in an existing marine main engine as the cross compound turbine. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively utilize an existing apparatus, without needing to develop a new cross compound turbine for driving the high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor and the low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor.
- In the above-described liquefying apparatus and in the liquefying apparatus of the floating liquefied-gas production facility of the present invention, the high-temperature-side heating medium and the low-temperature-side heating medium employ nitrogen or any non-flammable heating medium.
- The liquefying apparatus that includes the high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor, the low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor, the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger, and the low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger, which use non-flammable nitrogen as the heating medium, is used in the floating liquefied-gas production facility. Furthermore, the steam turbine is used to drive the high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor and the low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor. With this configuration, it is possible to eliminate the risk of explosion caused by flammable gas leaking from the heating medium or the like. Thus, it is possible to dispose apparatuses, such as the high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor, the low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor, and the steam turbine, below deck. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the space for disposing the liquefying apparatus above deck.
- According to the present invention, the gas to be liquefied is made to exchange heat with the high-temperature-side heating medium composed of a single component and is then reduced in pressure to a predetermined pressure. In addition, the gas to be liquefied that has been reduced in pressure is made to exchange heat with the low-temperature-side heating medium which is of the same type as the high-temperature-side heating medium and is lower in temperature than the high-temperature-side heating medium. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the pressure of the gas to be liquefied that has exchanged heat with the high-temperature-side heating medium so as to approximate the temperature change of the low-temperature-side heating medium and then to make the gas exchange heat with the low-temperature-side heating medium. Thus, the temperature differences between the gas to be liquefied and the high-temperature-side heating medium and between the gas to be liquefied and the low-temperature-side heating medium can be maintained substantially constant. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently liquefy the gas to be liquefied using the heating medium composed of a single component.
-
- {
FIG. 1} FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a floating liquefied-gas production facility including a liquefying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. - {
FIG. 2} FIG. 2 is an enlarged diagram showing the configuration on the right side of the liquefying apparatus shown inFIG. 1 . - {
FIG. 3} FIG. 3 is an enlarged diagram showing the configuration on the left side of the liquefying apparatus shown inFIG. 1 . - {
FIG. 4} FIG. 4 is a T-H graph showing the relationships for natural gas and nitrogen in the liquefying apparatus shown inFIGS. 2 and3 . - {
FIG. 5} FIG. 5 is a T-H graph showing the relationships for natural gas and nitrogen at a plurality of pressures. - A schematic diagram showing the configuration of a floating liquefied-gas production facility including a liquefying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described on the basis of
FIG. 1 . - A floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility (floating LNG: FLNG) 1 includes a plurality of
cargo tanks 2 in which liquefied natural gas (liquefied gas) is stored, apretreatment apparatus 3, a liquefying apparatus (not shown), and a power supply apparatus (not shown) that supplies power to the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility 1. - The floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility (floating liquefied-gas production facility) 1 purifies and liquefies natural gas (gas to be liquefied), which is source gas venting from below strata on land or on the sea bed at high pressure, into liquefied natural gas (liquefied natural gas: LNG), i.e., the product, and is installed at the sea.
- The cargo tanks (only three cargo tanks are shown in the diagram) 2 store the liquefied natural gas. The
cargo tanks 2 are Moss Maritime self-supporting spherical tanks. - The
pretreatment apparatus 3 removes impurities, such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, water, and heavy components, contained in the natural gas, i.e., the source gas. - The liquefying apparatus liquefies natural gas by making the natural gas exchange heat with refrigerant (a heating medium for cooling). The liquefying apparatus is divided into a
cold box 5 accommodating a high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger (not shown) and a low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger (not shown), which will be described below; an inboard power installation area 4 where a power supply apparatus for supplying power to the ship is provided; a liquefying-apparatuspower unit area 6 accommodating a high-pressure nitrogen compressor (not shown), a low-pressure nitrogen compressor (not shown), a compressor-driving steam turbine (not shown), etc., which will be described below; and a storage area 7 where an end flash tank (not shown) - The
cold box 5 is provided above deck. Thecold box 5 accommodates the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger (high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger) and the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger (low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger), which constitute part of the liquefying apparatus. Thecold box 5 is heat-insulated to prevent transfer of heat to or from the outside. - The liquefying-apparatus
power unit area 6 is provided below deck. The high-pressure nitrogen compressor (high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor) and low-pressure nitrogen compressor (low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor) constituting the liquefying apparatus, and the compressor-driving steam turbine (cross compound turbine) that drives these compressors are provided in the liquefying-apparatuspower unit area 6. - The storage area 7, in which the end flash tank is provided, is provided below deck.
- The inboard power installation area 4 is provided below deck and includes a boiler (not shown), a gas-fired diesel engine (not shown), and a gas-fired-diesel-engine-driven generator (not shown), which will be described below. The power required in the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility 1 is supplied from these apparatuses provided in the inboard power installation area 4.
- Next, the configuration of the liquefying apparatus according to this embodiment will be described using
FIGs. 2 and3 . -
FIG. 2 shows an enlarged diagram showing the configuration on the right side of the liquefying apparatus shown inFIG. 1 , andFIG. 3 shows an enlarged diagram showing the configuration on the left side thereof. - The liquefying
apparatus 10 mainly includes a high-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 11, a low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12, a high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13, a low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14, a compressor-drivingsteam turbine 15, a Joule-Thomson expansion valve (reducing valve) 16, the boiler (not shown), and anend flash tank 30. The liquefyingapparatus 10 is divided into a refrigeration cycle and a driving section that drives the liquefyingapparatus 10. - The refrigeration cycle includes a high-
pressure nitrogen loop 17, in which high-pressure natural gas (at a pressure of, for example, from 15 MPa to 20 MPa) and nitrogen, which serves as refrigerant, exchange heat, and a low-pressure nitrogen loop 18, in which relatively low-pressure natural gas (at a pressure of, for example, 6 MPa or less) and nitrogen, which serves as refrigerant, exchange heat. These two refrigeration cycles form loops independent of each other. - The driving section includes the compressor-driving
steam turbine 15. - The high-
pressure nitrogen loop 17 mainly includes the high-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 11, the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13, and a high-pressure nitrogen expander 19. - The high-pressure
nitrogen heat exchanger 11 performs heat exchange between the high-pressure natural gas and the nitrogen (hereinbelow, "high-pressure nitrogen"). For example, a stainless-steel-plate diffusion type heat exchanger (diffusion-bonded heat exchanger), of the plate type manufactured by Heatric, is suitably used as the high-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 11. - The high-
pressure nitrogen compressor 13 compresses high-pressure nitrogen (high-temperature-side heating medium). A high-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 20 connected to the compressor-driving steam turbine 15 (described below) is connected to the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13. The high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13 compresses the high-pressure nitrogen due to the high-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 20 being driven. - The high-
pressure nitrogen expander 19 expands the high-pressure nitrogen. A high-pressure-nitrogen booster 21 is connected to the high-pressure nitrogen expander 19. The high-pressure-nitrogen booster 21 is driven by the high-pressure nitrogen expander 19 being rotationally driven upon expanding the high-pressure nitrogen. The high-pressure-nitrogen booster 21 pressurizes the high-pressure nitrogen by being driven. - The low-
pressure nitrogen loop 18 mainly includes the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12, the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14, and a low-pressure nitrogen expander 22. - The low-pressure
nitrogen heat exchanger 12 performs heat exchange between natural gas and nitrogen (hereinbelow, "low-pressure nitrogen"). An aluminium brazed plate/fin-type heat exchanger is used as the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12. - The low-
pressure nitrogen compressor 14 compresses low-pressure nitrogen (low-temperature-side heating medium). A low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23 connected to the compressor-driving steam turbine 15 (described below) is connected to the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14. The low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14 compresses the low-pressure nitrogen due to the low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23 being driven. - The low-
pressure nitrogen expander 22 expands the low-pressure nitrogen. A low-pressure-nitrogen booster 24 is connected to the low-pressure nitrogen expander 22. The low-pressure-nitrogen booster 24 is driven by the low-pressure nitrogen expander 22 being rotationally driven upon expanding the low-pressure nitrogen. The low-pressure-nitrogen booster 24 pressurizes the low-pressure nitrogen by being driven. - The compressor-driving
steam turbine 15 is a large, cross-compound-type steam turbine, which is used in the main engine of a ship. A UST (ultra steam turbine) manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. is preferably used as the compressor-drivingsteam turbine 15. - The compressor-driving
steam turbine 15 includes a high-pressure turbine 15a, an intermediate-pressure turbine (high-pressure turbine) 15b, a first low-pressure turbine 15c, and a second low-pressure turbine 15d. The high-pressure turbine 15a and the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b are provided on aprimary shaft 15e (high-pressure-turbine-side shaft). The first low-pressure turbine (low-pressure turbine) 15c and the second low-pressure turbine (low-pressure turbine) 15d are provided on a secondary shaft (low-pressure-turbine-side shaft) 15f. - The high-pressure-turbine-
side reduction gear 20 is connected to an end of theprimary shaft 15e, and the low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23 is connected to an end of thesecondary shaft 15f. - The high-pressure-turbine-
side reduction gear 20 transmits the output transmitted from theprimary shaft 15e to the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13. Thus, the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13 is driven by the high-pressure turbine 15a or the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b being rotationally driven. - The low-pressure-turbine-
side reduction gear 23 transmits the output transmitted from thesecondary shaft 15f to the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14. Thus, the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14 is driven by the first low-pressure turbine 15c or the second low-pressure turbine 15d being rotationally driven. - The boiler (steam generating means) is a multi-fuel-fired boiler that uses liquefied natural gas, such as off-gas and boil-off gas (described below), and heavy oil as fuel.
- The
end flash tank 30 expands the liquefied natural gas that has passed through the high-pressure nitrogen cycle 17 and the low-pressure nitrogen cycle 18 to reduce the temperature thereof. The nitrogen component in the liquefied natural gas is removed in theend flash tank 30. Note that a reducing valve may be used instead of theend flash tank 30. - The Joule-
Thomson expansion valve 16 is provided between the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17 and the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18. The Joule-Thomson expansion valve 16 allows the natural gas that has passed through the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17 to expand according to the Joule-Thomson effect via a throttle mechanism thereof. - Next, a method for liquefying natural gas will be described.
- Natural gas, which is the source gas venting from below strata on land or on the sea bed, is guided to the
pretreatment apparatus 3 provided above deck of the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility 1 (seeFIG. 1 ). Carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, water, heavy components, etc. in the natural gas are removed in thepretreatment apparatus 3. - The natural gas purified by the
pretreatment apparatus 3 is guided to thecold box 5. The natural gas guided to thecold box 5 is pressurized by a booster compressor 31 (seeFIG. 2 ) or the like to, for example, 15 MPa or more. Note that it is desirable that the pressure be increased to 10 MPa or more. - The natural gas pressurized by the
booster compressor 31 is guided to afirst heat exchanger 32. The natural gas guided to thefirst heat exchanger 32 is cooled to, for example, 30 °C by heat exchange with sea water. The natural gas cooled by thefirst heat exchanger 32 is then guided to asecond heat exchanger 33. The natural gas guided to thesecond heat exchanger 33 is cooled to, for example, -20 °C by heat exchange with fresh water, which serves as chiller water. By precooling the natural gas through the heat exchange with chiller water, it is possible to improve the heat exchange efficiency with the high-pressure nitrogen in the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17. - The natural gas precooled by the
second heat exchanger 33 is guided to the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17. The natural gas guided to the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17 is guided to the high-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 11 constituting the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17. The natural gas guided to the high-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 11 exchanges heat with the high-pressure nitrogen in a first supercooling unit K1 provided in the high-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 11. By exchanging heat with the high-pressure nitrogen in the first supercooling unit K1, the natural gas is cooled to, for example, -80 °C. - The cooled natural gas is guided to the Joule-
Thomson expansion valve 16. The natural gas guided to the Joule-Thomson valve 16 expands (is reduced in pressure) to a pressure of, for example, 10 MPa by passing through the Joule-Thomson expansion valve 16. As a result, the natural gas that has passed through the Joule-Thomson expansion valve 16 is cooled to, for example, -90 °C. - Note that it is desirable that the pressure of the natural gas be 10 MPa or less after being expanded by the Joule-
Thomson expansion valve 16. - The natural gas that has expanded and has been cooled by passing through the Joule-
Thomson expansion valve 16 is guided to the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18. The natural gas guided to the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18 is guided to the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12 constituting the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18. The natural gas guided to the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12 exchanges heat with the low-pressure nitrogen in two stages. That is, the natural gas is cooled to, for example, -135 °C in a second supercooling unit K2 provided in the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12 and is then cooled to, for example, -160 °C in a third supercooling unit K3 provided in the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12, thereby being liquefied. - The liquefied natural gas liquefied in this way is guided to the
end flash tank 30. The liquefied natural gas guided to theend flash tank 30 expands in theend flash tank 30 and is cooled, and the nitrogen component in the liquefied natural gas is released. The liquefied natural gas that has been further cooled and released the nitrogen component is guided to thecargo tanks 2 shown inFIG. 1 , where it is stored. - A portion of the liquefied natural gas guided to the
end flash tank 30 is gasified. The amount of gasified liquefied natural gas (hereinbelow, "off-gas") is controlled to a flash rate of, for example, 10% or less by adjusting the temperature of the liquefied natural gas guided to theend flash tank 30. - The off-gas (for example, -140 °C) is guided from the
end flash tank 30 to the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12. The off-gas guided to the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12 exchanges heat with the natural gas in the second supercooling unit K2 provided in the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12. As a result, the temperature of the off-gas becomes, for example, -100 °C. The off-gas is then guided to a second condensing unit G2 provided in the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12. The off-gas guided to the second condensing unit G2 exchanges heat with the low-pressure nitrogen (described below). The off-gas that has been subjected to heat exchange in the second condensing unit G2 is heated to, for example, 30 °C and is discharged from the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12. - Furthermore, boil-off gas, which is produced by a portion of the liquefied natural gas being gasified in the cargo tanks 2 (see
FIG. 1 ), is also guided to the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12, similarly to the off-gas. The boil-off gas guided to the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12 is subjected to heat exchange in the second supercooling unit K2 and second condensing unit G2 provided in the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12 to be heated to, for example, 30 °C and is discharged from the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12. - Next, the flow of the high-pressure nitrogen will be described.
- The high-pressure nitrogen circulating in the high-
pressure nitrogen loop 17 is compressed to, for example, 12 MPa and 120 °C by the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13 driven by the high-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 20. The high-pressure nitrogen that has been further pressurized is guided to athird heat exchanger 34. The high-pressure nitrogen guided to thethird heat exchanger 34 is cooled to 85 °C by heat exchange with feedwater guided from a feedwater system (not shown). - The high-pressure nitrogen that has passed through the
third heat exchanger 34 is then guided to afourth heat exchanger 35. The high-pressure nitrogen guided to thefourth heat exchanger 35 is cooled to 40 °C by heat exchange with fresh water guided from a fresh water system (not shown). The high-pressure nitrogen cooled to 40 °C is guided to the high-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 11. The high-pressure nitrogen guided to the high-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 11 is guided to a first condensing unit G1 provided in the high-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 11. - The high-pressure nitrogen guided to the first condensing unit G1 exchanges heat with the high-pressure nitrogen that has passed through the first supercooling unit K1 and expanded. As a result, the high-pressure nitrogen that has passed through the first condensing unit G1 is cooled to, for example, -25 °C. The high-pressure nitrogen that has been subjected to heat exchange in the first condensing unit G1 and cooled is guided to the high-
temperature nitrogen expander 19. The high-pressure nitrogen guided to the high-temperature nitrogen expander 19 is expanded to, for example, 2 MPa and - 85 °C. The high-pressure nitrogen that has expanded and has been cooled is guided to the first supercooling unit K1 provided in the high-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 11. - The expanded high-pressure nitrogen guided to the first supercooling unit K1 is heated to, for example, -30 °C by heat exchange with the above-mentioned natural gas. The high-pressure nitrogen heated in the first supercooling unit K1 is heated to, for example, 35 °C by heat exchange with the high-pressure nitrogen guided from the
fourth heat exchanger 35 in the first condensing unit G1. - The high-pressure nitrogen that has been heated and expanded by passing through the first supercooling unit K1 and the first condensing unit G1 provided in the high-pressure
nitrogen heat exchanger 11 is guided to the high-pressure-nitrogen booster 21. The expanded high-pressure nitrogen guided to the high-pressure-nitrogen booster 21 is pressurized to, for example, 3 MPa and 85 °C by the high-pressure-nitrogen booster 21 and is then guided to afifth heat exchanger 36. - The high-pressure nitrogen pressurized and guided to the
fifth heat exchanger 36 is cooled to, for example, 40 °C by heat exchange with fresh water guided from the fresh water system. The high-pressure nitrogen that has been cooled upon passing through thefifth heat exchanger 36 is guided to the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13. - In this manner, the high-pressure nitrogen circulates in the high-
pressure nitrogen loop 17. - Next, the flow of the low-pressure nitrogen will be described.
- The low-pressure nitrogen circulating in the low-
pressure nitrogen loop 18 is compressed to, for example, 5 MPa by the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14 driven by the low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23. The compressed low-pressure nitrogen is guided to asixth heat exchanger 37. The low-pressure nitrogen guided to thesixth heat exchanger 37 is cooled to, for example, 85 °C by heat exchange with feedwater guided from a feedwater system. - The low-pressure nitrogen that has passed through the
sixth heat exchanger 37 is then guided to aseventh heat exchanger 38. The low-pressure nitrogen guided to theseventh heat exchanger 38 is cooled to, for example, 40 °C by heat exchange with feedwater guided from the feedwater system. The low-pressure nitrogen that has been cooled upon passing through thesixth heat exchanger 37 and theseventh heat exchanger 38 is guided to the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12. The low-pressure nitrogen guided to the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12 is guided to the second condensing unit G2 provided in the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12. - The low-pressure nitrogen guided to the second condensing unit G2 exchanges heat with the low-pressure nitrogen that has passed through the second supercooling unit K2 and expanded. As a result, the low-pressure nitrogen that has passed through the second condensing unit G2 is cooled to, for example, - 90 °C. The low-pressure nitrogen that has been subjected to heat exchange in the second condensing unit G2 is guided from the low-pressure
nitrogen heat exchanger 12 to the low-pressure nitrogen expander 22. The cooled low-pressure nitrogen guided to the low-pressure nitrogen expander 22 expands to, for example, 3 MPa and -164 °C. The low-pressure nitrogen that has expanded and has been further cooled is guided to the third supercooling unit K3 provided in the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12. - The expanded low-pressure nitrogen guided to the third supercooling unit K3 is heated to, for example, -140 °C by heat exchange with the natural gas that has passed through the above-mentioned second supercooling unit K2. The expanded low-pressure nitrogen that has passed through the third supercooling unit K3 then exchanges heat with the natural gas guided from the Joule-
Thomson expansion valve 16 to the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12 in the second supercooling unit K2. The low-pressure nitrogen that has exchanged heat with the natural gas and expanded is heated to, for example, - 100 °C. - The low-pressure nitrogen that has passed through the second cooler K2 and expanded is then guided to the second condensing unit G2 provided in the low-pressure
nitrogen heat exchanger 12. The expanded low-pressure nitrogen guided to the second condensing unit G2 exchanges heat with the low-pressure nitrogen guided from theseventh heat exchanger 38. As a result, the expanded low-pressure nitrogen is made to have a temperature of, for example, 36 °C and is discharged from the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12. - The low-pressure nitrogen that has been heated upon passing through the third supercooling unit K3, the second supercooling unit K2, and the second condensing unit G2 provided in the low-pressure
nitrogen heat exchanger 12 is guided to the low-pressure-nitrogen booster 24. The expanded low-pressure nitrogen guided to the low-pressure-nitrogen booster 24 is pressurized to, for example, 1 MPa and 85 °C by the low-pressure-nitrogen booster 24. The pressurized low-pressure nitrogen is guided to aneighth heat exchanger 39. - The pressurized low-pressure nitrogen guided to the
eighth heat exchanger 39 is cooled to, for example, 40 °C by heat exchange with feedwater guided from the feedwater system. The low-pressure nitrogen that has been cooled upon passing through theeighth heat exchanger 39 is guided to the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14. - In this manner, the low-pressure nitrogen circulates in the low-
pressure nitrogen loop 18. - Next, the flow of steam will be described.
- Off-gas and boil-off gas discharged from the second condensing unit G2 provided in the low-pressure
nitrogen heat exchanger 12 and heated to, for example, 30 °C are guided to the boiler. The off-gas and boil-off gas guided to the boiler are burned as fuel for the boiler, generating high-temperature, high-pressure (for example, 555 °C and 11 MPa) steam. The steam generated in the boiler is guided to the high-pressure turbine 15a of the compressor-drivingsteam turbine 15. The thermal energy of the steam guided to the high-pressure turbine 15a is transformed into rotation energy for the high-pressure turbine 15a, thereby rotationally driving the high-pressure turbine 15a. Due to the high-pressure turbine 15a being rotationally driven, theprimary shaft 15e rotates. Due to theprimary shaft 15e rotating, the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b and high-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 20 provided on theprimary shaft 15e are driven. - Meanwhile, the steam used to rotationally drive the high-
pressure turbine 15a is made to have a pressure of, for example, 2 MPa and is discharged from the high-pressure turbine 15a. The steam discharged from the high-pressure turbine 15a is guided to a reheater (not shown). The steam guided to the reheater is transformed into reheat steam at a temperature of, for example, 555 °C by the reheater. This reheat steam is guided to the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b of the compressor-drivingsteam turbine 15. - The thermal energy of the reheat steam guided to the intermediate-
pressure turbine 15b is transformed into rotation energy for the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b, thereby rotationally driving the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b. Due to the intermediate-pressure turbine 15b being rotationally driven, theprimary shaft 15e rotates even more. Due to theprimary shaft 15e rotating even more, the high-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 20 provided on theprimary shaft 15e is driven even more. - A portion of the steam is extracted from an intermediate stage of the intermediate-
pressure turbine 15b. The extracted steam at a pressure of, for example, 1 MPa is used as high-pressure general service steam or the like for use in the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility 1 (seeFIG. 1 ) . - The steam that has passed through all of the stages of the intermediate-
pressure turbine 15b is made to have a temperature of, for example, 110 °C and is guided to the first low-pressure turbine 15c of the compressor-drivingsteam turbine 15. - The thermal energy of the steam guided to the first low-
pressure turbine 15c is transformed into rotation energy for the first low-pressure turbine 15c, thereby rotationally driving the first low-pressure turbine 15c. Due to the first low-pressure turbine 15c being rotationally driven, thesecondary shaft 15f rotates. Due to thesecondary shaft 15f rotating, the second low-pressure turbine 15d and low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23 provided on thesecondary shaft 15f are driven. - A portion of the steam is extracted from an intermediate stage of the first low-
pressure turbine 15c. The extracted steam at a pressure of, for example, 0.1 MPa, is used as low-pressure general service steam or the like for use in the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility 1 (seeFIG. 1 ) . - The steam that has passed through all of the stages of the first low-
pressure turbine 15c is guided to the second low-pressure turbine 15d provided on thesecondary shaft 15f. - Furthermore, assist steam at a pressure of, for example, 0.6 MPa is separately supplied to the second low-
pressure turbine 15d from an assist steam supply system (not shown). The second low-pressure turbine 15d is rotationally driven by the supplied assist steam. Due to the second low-pressure turbine 15d being rotationally driven, it is possible to drive the low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23 connected to thesecondary shaft 15f. - The steam that has passed through all of the stages of the first low-
pressure turbine 15c and the assist steam that has driven the second low-pressure turbine 15d are guided to the main condenser (not shown), where they exchange heat with sea water and are transformed into condensed water. - In this way, in the compressor-driving
steam turbine 15, it is possible to independently control the high-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 20 and the low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23 with theprimary shaft 15e and thesecondary shaft 15f, and moreover, it is possible to independently control the low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23 also by driving the second low-pressure turbine 15d with the assist steam. - Herein, T-H graphs of the natural gas and the nitrogen refrigerant in this embodiment will be described using
FIG. 4 and the above-describedFIG. 5 . -
FIG. 4 shows a T-H graph of the natural gas and the nitrogen refrigerant according to this embodiment. - In
FIG. 4 , the horizontal axis shows heat load (kW), and the vertical axis shows temperature (°C). The solid line inFIG. 4 shows natural gas pressurized to 15 MPa or 4 MPa, and the one-dot chain line shows nitrogen that exchanges heat with the natural gas pressurized to 4 MPa. - Furthermore,
FIG. 5 shows a T-H graph showing the relationships for natural gas and nitrogen at a plurality of pressures. - In
FIG. 5 , the horizontal axis shows heat load (kW), and the vertical axis shows temperature (°C). The solid line inFIG. 5 shows natural gas pressurized to 15 MPa, the dashed line shows natural gas pressurized to 4 MPa, the one-dot chain line shows nitrogen that has a small temperature difference with respect to the natural gas at a relatively low-pressure, i.e., 4 MPa, and the two-dot chain line shows nitrogen that has a small temperature difference with respect to the natural gas at a high-pressure, i.e., 15 MPa. - As shown in
FIG. 5 , the natural gas at a pressure of 4 MPa (solid line) forms a step shape, indicating that almost no temperature change occurs in the process in which it is cooled by heat exchange with the nitrogen. Because the liquefaction efficiency of the natural gas is higher when the temperature difference between the natural gas and the nitrogen is smaller, the pinch point, at which the temperature difference between the nitrogen (dashed line) and the natural gas is smallest, forms a step shape. Therefore, the temperature difference between the natural gas and the nitrogen is large in the heat exchange process other than the step-shaped portion, and the overall liquefaction efficiency decreases. - When the natural gas is pressurized to a high pressure, for example, 15 MPa (dashed line), the step shape that appears when using the natural gas at 4 MPa disappears, and the temperature change of the natural gas becomes a substantially straight-line shape. Therefore, the temperature difference between the natural gas at 15 MPa and the nitrogen (two-dot chain line) decreases, and it is possible to perform efficient liquefaction over the entire range.
- Note that, as shown in
FIG. 5 , at a low-temperature part of the natural gas, the temperature difference between the nitrogen and the natural gas, whether it is at a pressure of 15 MPa or at a pressure of 4 MPa, is small. - In this embodiment, as shown in
FIG. 4 , a substantially even temperature difference over the entire range of the heat exchange process is achieved by pressurizing the natural gas to a high pressure (for example, 15 MPa) and making it exchange heat with the nitrogen at a high-temperature part of the natural gas, and by pressurizing the natural gas to a relatively low pressure (for example, 4 MPa) and making it exchange heat with the nitrogen at a low-temperature part of the natural gas. - More specifically, at a high-temperature part of the natural gas, the high-pressure natural gas is made to exchange heat with the high-pressure nitrogen in the high-
pressure nitrogen loop 17, and at a low-temperature part of the natural gas, the low-pressure natural gas is made to exchange heat with the low-pressure nitrogen in the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18. - Furthermore, the Joule-
Thomson expansion valve 16 is provided between the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17 and the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18 to expand high-pressure natural gas at a pressure of 15 MPa to low-pressure natural gas at a pressure of 4 MPa. Thus, as shown inFIG. 4 , it is possible to reduce the difference between the temperature of the natural gas at a high-pressure part and the temperature of the low-pressure natural gas at a pressure of 4 MPa, making the temperature change of the natural gas over the entire range have a substantially straight-line shape. - As has been described above, the liquefying
apparatus 10 and the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility 1 according to this embodiment provide the following advantages. - The high-pressure nitrogen composed of a single component (high-temperature-side heating medium) is guided to the high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger (high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger) 11, the low-pressure nitrogen of the same type as the high-pressure nitrogen (low-temperature-side heating medium) is guided to the low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger (low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger) 12, and the Joule-Thomson expansion valve (reducing valve) 16 that reduces the pressure of the natural gas (gas to be liquefied) to a predetermined pressure is provided between the high-pressure
nitrogen heat exchanger 11 and the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12. With this configuration, it is possible to make the natural gas that has passed through the high-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 11 approximate the temperature change of the low-pressure nitrogen by means of the Joule-Thomson expansion valve 16 and to guide the gas to the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12. Thus, the temperature difference between the natural gas and the high-pressure nitrogen during heat exchange and the temperature difference between the natural gas and the low-pressure nitrogen during heat exchange can be maintained substantially constant in the heat exchange process. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently liquefy natural gas using the nitrogen (heating medium) composed of a single component. - The high-pressure nitrogen compressor (high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor) 13 is connected to the primary shaft (high-pressure-turbine-side shaft) 15e via the high-pressure-turbine-
side reduction gear 20, and the low-pressure nitrogen compressor (low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor) 14 is connected to the secondary shaft (low-pressure-turbine-side shaft) 15f via the low-pressure-turbine-side reduction gear 23. Because theprimary shaft 15e and thesecondary shaft 15f that constitute the compressor-driving steam turbine (cross compound turbine) 15 are separated from each other, it is possible to independently control the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13 and the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14 by independently controlling the high-pressure turbine 15a and the intermediate-pressure turbine (high-pressure turbine) 15b, which are connected to theprimary shaft 15e, and the first low-pressure turbine (low-pressure turbine) 15c and the second low-pressure turbine (low-pressure turbine) 15d, which are connected to thesecondary shaft 15f. Accordingly, it is possible to independently compress the high-pressure nitrogen and the low-pressure nitrogen and independently control the refrigeration load of the high-pressure nitrogen circulating in the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17 and that of the low-pressure nitrogen circulating in the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18. - A stainless-steel-plate diffusion type (plate type) heat exchanger is used as the high-pressure
nitrogen heat exchanger 11 that performs heat exchange between the natural gas and the high-pressure nitrogen. Thus, it is possible to reduce the size of the high-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 11. Accordingly, it is possible to make thecold box 5 accommodating the high-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 11 constituting the liquefyingapparatus 10 compact. - Furthermore, the pressure of the natural gas is reduced by allowing the gas to pass through the Joule-
Thomson expansion valve 16, and an aluminium brazed plate/fin-type (plate type) heat exchanger is used as the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12. Therefore, it is also possible to reduce the size of the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12. Accordingly, it is possible to make thecold box 5 constituting the liquefyingapparatus 10 even more compact. - A boiler (steam generating means) that generates steam by burning off-gas and boil-off gas in the liquefied natural gas as fuel is used. Thus, it is possible to generate the steam used to drive the compressor-driving
steam turbine 15, using the off-gas and boil-off gas produced in the liquefiedgas apparatus 10. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively utilize the off-gas and boil-off gas produced in the liquefyingapparatus 10. - The liquefying
apparatus 10 that is composed of the compressor-drivingsteam turbine 15 which is driven by steam is used in the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility (floating liquefied-gas production facility) 1. Therefore, a cross-compound-type steam turbine, which is used for an existing marine main engine, may be used as the compressor-drivingsteam turbine 15. Thus, it is possible to effectively utilize an existing apparatus, without needing to develop a new compressor-drivingsteam turbine 15 that drives the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13 and the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14. - The liquefying
apparatus 10 that includes the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13, the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14, the high-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 11, and the low-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 12, which use non-flammable nitrogen as the heating medium, is used in the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility 1. Furthermore, the compressor-drivingsteam turbine 15 is used to drive the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13 and the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the risk of explosion caused by leakage of flammable gas from the heating medium etc. Thus, it is possible to dispose apparatuses, such as the high-pressure nitrogen compressor 13, the low-pressure nitrogen compressor 14, and the compressor-drivingsteam turbine 15, in the liquefying-apparatuspower unit area 6 below deck in the floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility 1. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the space for disposing the liquefyingapparatus 10 above deck. - Although the heating medium used in the liquefying
apparatus 10 has been described as nitrogen in this embodiment, any non-flammable heating medium may be used. - Although the gas to be liquefied has been described as liquefied natural gas (LNG) in this embodiment, liquefied petroleum gas (liquefied petroleum gas: LPG) may also be used.
- Although it has been described that the natural gas guided from the
booster compressor 31 to the high-pressurenitrogen heat exchanger 11 is precooled by thefirst heat exchanger 32 and thesecond heat exchanger 33 in this embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto; it is also possible that no precooling with chiller water is performed, i.e., nosecond heat exchanger 33 is provided. By performing precooling to a temperature of about -10 °C to - 30 °C with chiller water, it is possible to increase the effect of reducing power to compress the high-pressure nitrogen and the low-pressure nitrogen guided to the high-pressure nitrogen loop 17 and the low-pressure nitrogen loop 18; but the precooling does not have to be performed. - Furthermore, it is possible that high-temperature exhaust gas discharged from the gas-fired diesel engine provided in the inboard power installation area 4 is guided to an exhaust heat recovery apparatus (not shown), such as an exhaust heat recovery boiler, to generate steam, and the steam generated by the exhaust heat recovery boiler is guided to the compressor-driving
steam turbine 15, where it is used to start up the compressor-drivingsteam turbine 15. Thus, it is possible to effectively utilize the exhaust heat from the gas-fired diesel engine. -
- 1: floating liquefied-natural-gas production facility (floating liquefied-gas production facility)
- 10: liquefaction facility
- 11: high-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger (high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger)
- 12: low-pressure nitrogen heat exchanger (low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger)
- 16: Joule-Thomson expansion valve (reducing valve)
Claims (4)
- A liquefying apparatus (10) comprising:a high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger (11) for performing heat exchange between gas to be liquefied and a high-temperature-side heating medium;a reducing valve (16) for reducing the pressure of the gas to be liquefied discharged from the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger (11);a low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger (12) for performing heat exchange between the gas to be liquefied which has passed through the reducing valve (16) and a low-temperature-side heating medium;a cross compound turbine includinga high-pressure turbine (15a,15b),a high-pressure-turbine-side shaft (15e) that is connected to the high-pressure turbine (15a,15b),a low-pressure turbine (15c,15d), anda low-pressure-turbine-side shaft (15f) that is connected to the low-pressure turbine (15c,15d);a high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor (13) that is arranged to compress a high-temperature-side heating medium guided to the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger (11);a low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor (14) that is arranged to compress a low-temperature-side heating medium guided to the low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger (12); whereinthe high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor (13) is connected to the high-pressure-turbine-side shaft (15e),the low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor (14) is connected to the low-pressure-turbine-side shaft (15f),the high-pressure-turbine-side shaft (15e) and the low-pressure-turbine-side shaft (15f) are separated from each other,the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger (11) and the high-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor (13) are arranged in a high-pressure side loop (17),the low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger (12) and the low-temperature-side-heating-medium compressor (14) are arranged in a low-pressure side loop (18),the high-temperature-side heating medium and the low-temperature-side heating medium are made of a single component and are of the same type,the reducing valve (16) is configured to reduce the pressure of the gas to be liquefied that will be guided to the low-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger (12) to a predetermined pressure,the high-temperature-side heating medium and the low-temperature-side heating medium employ nitrogen or any non-flammable heating medium, andthe gas to be liquefied is liquified natural gas or liquified petroleum gas,characterized in that the apparatus further comprises a steam generating means that is arranged to generate steam to be guided to the high-pressure turbine (15a,15b), whereinthe high-pressure turbine (15a,15b) is arranged to be driven by steam guided thereto,the low-pressure turbine (15c,15d) is arranged to be driven by the steam discharged from the high-pressure turbine (15a,15b) and guided thereto, andthe high-pressure side loop (17) and the low-pressure side loop (18) are independent from each other.
- The liquefying apparatus (10) according to Claim 1, wherein the high-temperature-side-heating-medium heat exchanger (11) is of a plate type.
- The liquefying apparatus (10) according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the steam generating means is arranged to generate steam by using off-gas in the liquefied gas as fuel.
- A floating liquefied-gas production facility (1) comprising the liquefying apparatus (10) according to any one of Claims 1 to 3.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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JP2010230766A JP5660845B2 (en) | 2010-10-13 | 2010-10-13 | Liquefaction method, liquefaction apparatus, and floating liquefied gas production facility equipped with the same |
PCT/JP2011/073255 WO2012050068A1 (en) | 2010-10-13 | 2011-10-07 | Liquefaction method, liquefaction device, and floating liquefied gas production equipment comprising same |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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EP2629035A1 EP2629035A1 (en) | 2013-08-21 |
EP2629035A4 EP2629035A4 (en) | 2018-04-04 |
EP2629035B1 true EP2629035B1 (en) | 2020-12-02 |
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EP11832503.4A Active EP2629035B1 (en) | 2010-10-13 | 2011-10-07 | Liquefaction device and floating liquefied gas production equipment comprising the device |
Country Status (5)
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EP (1) | EP2629035B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP5660845B2 (en) |
KR (1) | KR101536394B1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN102959351B (en) |
WO (1) | WO2012050068A1 (en) |
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- 2011-10-07 CN CN201180031178.7A patent/CN102959351B/en active Active
- 2011-10-07 EP EP11832503.4A patent/EP2629035B1/en active Active
- 2011-10-07 WO PCT/JP2011/073255 patent/WO2012050068A1/en active Application Filing
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EP2629035A1 (en) | 2013-08-21 |
EP2629035A4 (en) | 2018-04-04 |
KR20130023275A (en) | 2013-03-07 |
KR101536394B1 (en) | 2015-07-13 |
CN102959351B (en) | 2015-04-22 |
WO2012050068A1 (en) | 2012-04-19 |
JP5660845B2 (en) | 2015-01-28 |
CN102959351A (en) | 2013-03-06 |
JP2012083051A (en) | 2012-04-26 |
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