Characteristics of the nitrogen gas cycle for small scale LNG production

UDC 621.592, 661.91

Characteristics of the nitrogen gas cycle for small scale LNG production

Vizgalov S. V., Khisameev I. G.

For citation: Vizgalov S.V., Khisameev I.G. Characteristics of the nitrogen gas cycle for small scale LNG production. Journal of International Academy of Refrigeration. 2023. No 2. p. 34-39. DOI: 10.17586/1606-4313-2023-22-2-34-39

Abstract
The development of small-scale LNG production in Russia over the past decade has led to the intensification of scientific research in this area in the direction of energy and technical excellence of installations, optimization of logistics supply chains for LNG, and its consumption. In this paper, we consider a method for thermodynamic calculation of a small-tonnage natural gas liquefaction plant using a nitrogen gas cycle used at a number of plants. Some calculation results are presented in the form of graphical dependences of the specific nitrogen consumption, plant power on the nitrogen pre-cooling temperature, its pressure in the forward flow, and the degree of liquid natural gas supercooling in the heat exchanger. It has been found that, with an increase in the subcooling of liquid natural gas at the outlet of the heat exchanger, an increase in the flow rate of nitrogen is required, and this also leads to an increase in the power consumption of the installation. A decrease in pressure in the direct flow of nitrogen leads to an increase in both its flow rate and the power of the plant.

Keywords: small scale LNG, cycle with nitrogen gas cooling, thermodynamic calculation, cycle characteristics.


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