Exergy recovery in regasification facilities – Cold utilization: A modular unit

Abstract

The paper deals with the problem of cold recovery for direct utilization both in the site of regasification facility and far from it.A modular LNG regasification unit is proposed having the regasification capacity of 2 billion standard cubic meters/year of gas. The modular plant is based on use of a Power Cycle working with Ethane or Ethylene which allows operation of cold energy transfer, contained in LNG to be regasified, in a range of temperatures suitable for multipurpose use of cold, reducing regasification process irreversibility. Some electric energy is produced by the Power Cycle, but the own mission of modular unit proposed is addressed to deliver cold suitable for industrial and commercial use in the proper 1 Corresponding Author -E-Mail: dispenza@unipa.it * Viale delle Scienze Parco d'Orleans, Ed. 9, 90128 Palermo, Italy, EU ** Salita Santa Lucia Sopra Contesse, 5, 98126 Messina, Italy, EU ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT temperature range. The option considers, also, the use of Carbon dioxide as a secondary fluid for transfer of cold from regasification site to far end users. This option seems very attractive due to expected wide future exploitation of LNG regasification in the World.Results of a detailed thermodynamic and economic analysis demonstrate the suitability of the proposal.

Cold recovery during regasification of LNG part one: Cold utilization far from the regasification facility

“…1 ref. [5] it is reported a process sheet of a modular multipurpose regasification facility conceived to recover LNG physical exergy for cold utilization.…”

“…The terminal was designed to store and regasify LNG to deliver 775 million cubic feet per day (8 billion cubic meters per year of natural gas). 5 Two hundred and seventy days correspond to a seasonal characteristic period of year during which there is a high gas demand. In a typical modern Terminal having a regasification capacity of 8 Â 10 9 Stm 3 /y it can have four modular Units or a mix of CHP Units [3,4] and this kind of facility.…”

“…and D. on this subject was developed at DREAM [3] since 2000. A modular LNG regasification unit has been proposed [5] having the regasification capacity of 2-billion gas standard cubic meters/year. Two other (dissipative) Service Cycles working with CO 2 are included in the design of the modular plant related facilities (see also Figs.…”

“…The process proposed includes both the possibility to use cold at lower temperatures for industrial use and cold at higher temperatures for other use [5].…”

“…As far as it pertains to cold recovery for direct cold utilization both in the site of regasification facility and far from it, in the framework of a Research Program in the field of innovation technology, a modular LNG regasification unit has been proposed at DREAM [5] having the regasification capacity of 2 Â 10 9 Stm 3 /yr. The research developed includes both cryogenic applications and industrial use of cold at very low temperature inside the regasification site and cold utilization by end users far from the regasification site in deep freezing facilities and for space conditioning in the commercial sector (e.g.…”