Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Comprehensive comparison of small-scale natural gas liquefaction processes using brazed plate heat exchangers

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Frontiers in Energy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The brazed plate heat exchanger (BPHE) has some advantages over the plate-fin heat exchanger (PFHE) when used in natural gas liquefaction processes, such as the convenient installation and transportation, as well as the high tolerance of carbon dioxide (CO2) impurities. However, the BPHEs with only two channels cannot be applied directly in the conventional liquefaction processes which are designed for multi-stream heat exchangers. Therefore, the liquefaction processes using BPHEs are different from the conventional PFHE processes. In this paper, four different liquefaction processes using BPHEs are optimized and comprehensively compared under respective optimal conditions. The processes are compared with respect to energy consumption, economic performance, and robustness. The genetic algorithm (GA) is applied as the optimization method and the total revenue requirement (TRR) method is adopted in the economic analysis. The results show that the modified single mixed refrigerant (MSMR) process with part of the refrigerant flowing back to the compressor at low temperatures has the lowest specific energy consumption but the worst robustness of the four processes. The MSMR with fully utilization of cold capacity of the refrigerant shows a satisfying robustness and the best economic performance. The research in this paper is helpful for the application of BPHEs in natural gas liquefaction processes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

A :

Heat transfer area/m2

C e :

Constant cost of electricity consumption/($·(kW·h)−1)

h :

Mass enthalpy/(kJ·kg−1)

m :

Flowrate/(N·m3·d−1)

P :

Pressure/kPa

T :

Temperature/K

U :

Total heat transfer coefficient/(kW·(K·m2)−1)

W :

Power/kW

τ :

Annual time of operation/h

BL:

Book life

BOG:

Boil-off gas

BPHE:

Brazed plate heat exchanger

CFD:

Computational fluid dynamics

CH4 :

Methane

C2H4 :

Ethylene

C2H6 :

Ethane

C3H6 :

Propylene

C3H8 :

Propane

CO2 :

Carbon dioxide

COP:

Coefficient of performance

CRF:

Capital recovery factor

DMR:

Dual mixed refrigerant

FC:

Fuel cost

FEM:

Finite element method

GA:

Genetic algorithm

i-C4H10 :

Iso-butane

LNG:

Liquefied natural gas

MR:

Mixed refrigerant

MRC:

Mixed refrigerant cycle

MSMR:

Modified single mixed refrigerant

N2 :

Nitrogen

NGL:

Natural gas liquid

OMC:

Operation and maintenance costs

PEC:

Purchased equipment cost

PFHE:

Plate-fin heat exchanger

PNEC:

Parallel nitrogen expansion cycle

PRICO:

Poly refrigerant integrated cycle operations

ROI:

Return on investment

SEC:

Specific energy consumption

SMR:

Single mixed refrigerant

TCR:

Total capital recovery

TRR:

Total revenue requirement

References

  1. He T, Karimi I A, Ju Y. Review on the design and optimization of natural gas liquefaction processes for onshore and offshore applications. Chemical Engineering Research & Design, 2018, 132: 89–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. He T, Chong Z R, Zheng J, Ju Y, Linga P. LNG cold energy utilization: prospects and challenges. Energy, 2019, 170: 557–568

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Kim D, Hwang C, Gundersen T, Lim Y. Process design and economic optimization of boil-off-gas re-liquefaction systems for LNG carriers. Energy, 2019, 173: 1119–1129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Waldrup S P. 2018 Outlook for energy: a view to 2040. ExxonMobil, 2018

  5. Nguyen T V, Rothuizen E D, Markussen W B, Elmegaard B. Thermodynamic comparison of three small-scale gas liquefaction systems. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2018, 128: 712–724

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Khan M S, Lee M. Design optimization of single mixed refrigerant natural gas liquefaction process using the particle swarm paradigm with nonlinear constraints. Energy, 2013, 49: 146–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. He T B, Liu Z M, Ju Y L, Parvez A M. A comprehensive optimization and comparison of modified single mixed refrigerant and parallel nitrogen expansion liquefaction process for small-scale mobile LNG plant. Energy, 2019, 167: 1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Mehrpooya M, Ansarinasab H. Exergoeconomic evaluation of single mixed refrigerant natural gas liquefaction processes. Energy Conversion and Management, 2015, 99: 400–413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Qyyum M A, Ali W, Long N V D, Khan M S, Lee M. Energy efficiency enhancement of a single mixed refrigerant LNG process using a novel hydraulic turbine. Energy, 2018, 144: 968–976

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Tan H B, Shan S Y, Nie Y, Zhao Q X. A new boil-off gas re-liquefaction system for LNG carriers based on dual mixed refrigerant cycle. Cryogenics, 2018, 92: 84–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Cao L, Liu J P, Xu X W. Robustness analysis of the mixed refrigerant composition employed in the single mixed refrigerant (SMR) liquefied natural gas (LNG) process. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2016, 93: 1155–1163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Hwang J H, Ku N K, Roh M I, Lee K Y. Optimal design of liquefaction cycles of liquefied natural gas floating, production, storage, and offloading unit considering optimal synthesis. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2013, 52(15): 5341–5356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Hwang J H, Roh M I, Lee K Y. Determination of the optimal operating conditions of the dual mixed refrigerant cycle for the LNG FPSO topside liquefaction process. Computers & Chemical Engineering, 2013, 49: 25–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Xiong X, Lin W, Gu A. Design and optimization of offshore natural gas liquefaction processes adopting PLNG (pressurized liquefied natural gas) technology. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 2016, 30: 379–387

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. de Mello P E B, Villanueva H H S, Scuotto S, Donato G H B, Ortega F D. Heat transfer, pressure drop and structural analysis of a finned plate ceramic heat exchanger. Energy, 2017, 120: 597–607

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Wang Z, Li Y Z. A combined method for surface selection and layer pattern optimization of a multistream plate-fin heat exchanger. Applied Energy, 2016, 165: 815–827

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Ma H, Hou C, Yang R, Li C, Ma B, Ren J, Liu Y. The influence of structure parameters on stress of plate-fin structures in LNG heat exchanger. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 2016, 34: 85–99

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Zhan Y, Wang J, Wang W, Wang R S. Dynamic simulation of a single nitrogen expansion cycle for natural gas liquefaction under refrigerant inventory operation. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2018, 128: 747–761

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Sun H, Hu H, Ding G, Chen H, Zhang Z, Wu C, Wang L. A general distributed-parameter model for thermal performance of cold box with parallel plate-fin heat exchangers based on graph theory. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2019, 148: 478–490

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Berstad D, Nekså P, Anantharaman R. Low-temperature CO2 removal from natural gas. Energy Procedia, 2012, 26: 41–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Wu J T, He T B, Ju Y L. Experimental study on CO2 frosting and clogging in a brazed plate heat exchanger for natural gas liquefaction process. Cryogenics, 2018, 91: 128–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Wu J T, Ju Y L. Design and optimization of natural gas liquefaction process using brazed plate heat exchangers based on the modified single mixed refrigerant process. Energy, 2019, 186: 115819

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Aslambakhsh A H, Moosavian M A, Amidpour M, Hosseini M, AmirAfshar S. Global cost optimization of a mini-scale liquefied natural gas plant. Energy, 2018, 148: 1191–1200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Lee W, An J, Lee J M, Lim Y. Design of single mixed refrigerant natural gas liquefaction process considering load variation. Chemical Engineering Research & Design, 2018, 139: 89–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Watson H A J, Vikse M, Gundersen T, Barton P I. Optimization of single mixed-refrigerant natural gas liquefaction processes described by nondifferentiable models. Energy, 2018, 150: 860–876

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. He T B, Ju Y L. Design and optimization of a novel mixed refrigerant cycle integrated with NGL recovery process for small-scale LNG plant. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2014, 53(13): 5545–5553

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Pham T N, Khan M S, Minh L Q, Husmil Y A, Bahadori A, Lee S, Lee M. Optimization of modified single mixed refrigerant process of natural gas liquefaction using multivariate Coggin’s algorithm combined with process knowledge. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 2016, 33: 731–741

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Nekså P, Brendeng E, Drescher M, Norberg B. Development and analysis of a natural gas reliquefaction plant for small gas carriers. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 2010, 2(2–3): 143–149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Holland J H. Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems: an Introductory Analysis with Applications to Biology, Control and Artificial Intelligence. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1992

    Book  Google Scholar 

  30. Technical Assessment Guide (TAGTM). TR-100281 Revision 6 Palo Alto Electric Power Research Institute. CA (Edinburgh), 1993

  31. Bejan A TG, Moran M. Thermal Design and Optimization. New York: Wiley, 1996

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  32. Ghorbani B, Mehrpooya M, Hamedi M H, Amidpour M. Exergoeconomic analysis of integrated natural gas liquids (NGL) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) processes. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2017, 113: 1483–1495

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Couper J R, Penney W R, Fair J R. Chemical Process Equipment: Selection and Design. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2010

    Google Scholar 

  34. Towler Gavin R K S. Chemical Engineering Design: Principles, Practice and Economics of Plant and Process Design. London: Elsevier, 2012

    Google Scholar 

  35. Khan T S, Khan M S, Chyu M C, Ayub Z H. Experimental investigation of single phase convective heat transfer coefficient in a corrugated plate heat exchanger for multiple plate configurations. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2010, 30(8–9): 1058–1065

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Khan T S, Khan M S, Chyu M C, Ayub Z H. Experimental investigation of evaporation heat transfer and pressure drop of ammonia in a 60° Chevron plate heat exchanger. International Journal of Refrigeration, 2012, 35(2): 336–348

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Refrigeration and Cryogenics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Jitan Wu & Yonglin Ju

Authors
  1. Jitan Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yonglin Ju
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yonglin Ju.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wu, J., Ju, Y. Comprehensive comparison of small-scale natural gas liquefaction processes using brazed plate heat exchangers. Front. Energy 14, 683–698 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-020-0705-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-020-0705-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation