Jawaharlal Nehru Technological

University Kakinada
University College of Engineering (A)
Dept. of PetroleumKakinada
Engineering & Petrochemical
Engineering

IV B. Tech. I Sem Petrochemical

Engineering
LNG: Processes, Transportation &
Storage

FPSO - LNG PROCESSES

Prof. K. V. Rao
Programme Director
Petroleum Courses
JNTUK

LNG PROCESSES

Figure 1: LNG plant block scheme C

THE BASIC SINGLE FLOW LNG PROCESS COMPRISES

A plate-fin heat exchanger set in a cold box,
where the NG gas is cooled-down to LNG
temperatures by a two stage single MR (Mixed
Refrigerant) cycle
A separation vessel, where the MR is separated
in a liquid fraction, which provides the cold
temperature after expansion in a J-T (JouleThompson) valve for the NG precooling and
liquefaction.
The gas from the separator provides the LNG
subcooling temperature after J-T expansion at
the bottom of the heat exchanger.
The cycle gas streams leaving the heat ex
changer are recompressed in the two stage
turbo compressor.
The compressed cycle gas is cooled and partly
condensed against air or water.

Figure 2 : The basic single flow LNG process

 A SWHE (Spiral-Wound Heat Exchanger) where the

ADVANCED
SINGLEgas
FLOW
LNG PROCESS
COMPRISES
natural
is precooled,
liquefied
and subcooled
against various streams of a single mixed
refrigerant cycle.
A medium pressure refrigerant separator, from
where the liquid is used to provide the precooling
temperature after J-T (Joule-Thompson) expansion
to the lower section of the SWHE.
A high pressure refrigerant separator, from where
the gas is cooled and partially condensed in the
lower section of the SWHE.
A lower temperature refrigerant separator, from
where the liquid is used to provide the natural gas
liquefaction temperature after J-T expansion. The
gaseous refrigerant stream from this separator is
used to provide the subcooling temperature after JT expansion in the upper section of the SWHE
The combined refrigerant cycle stream from the
bottom of the SWHE is compressed in a two stage
compressor with inter and aftercooling against air

Figure 3: The advanced single flow LNG process

C (MIXED FLUID CASCADE) PROCESS

The MFC LNG process excels by a high efficiency
respectively low shaft power consumption of the three
mixed refrigerant cycle compressors. The process
PFHEs (Plate-Fin Heat Exchangers) for the natural
comprises:
gas precooling
SWHEs (Spiral-Wound Heat Exchangers) for the
natural gas liquefaction and LNG subcooling
Three separate mixed refrigerant cycles, each with
different compositions, which result in minimum
compressor shaft power requirement
Three cold suction turbo compressors with inter and
ftercooling
Up to 8 mtpa LNG can be produced in a one train
unit oncerning heat exchangers and compressors.
Up to 10 mtpa LNG can be produced in a one train
unit concerning the heat exchangers, however, with
parallel compressors.

Figure 4: MFC (Mixed Fluid Cascade) process

OIL-WOUND HEAT EXCHANGER

The practically unrestricted range of utilisable mate
rials allow coil-wound heat exchangers to be used
for a wide range of applications in cold, but also
warm applications. The coil-wound heat exchanger
is the core equipment in large base load LNG plants
applying mixed refrigerant cycles for natural gas
cooling and liquefaction.
Benefits
Providing a large heating surface per shell
Tolerant against thermal shocks due to its
robustness

Figure 5: Manufacturing of coil-wound

heat exchanger

The coil-wound heat exchanger is

the core equipment in large base
load LNG plants applying mixed
refrigerant cycles for natural gas
cooling and liquefaction.

LATE-FIN HEAT EXCHANGER

The vacuum brazed aluminium plate-fin heat ex
changers are key components in many cryogenic
process plants. They are the preferred heat ex
changers in small LNG plants.
BENEFITS
Compactness, which
space and cost

saves

installation

Many process streams can be treated in

only one unit, thus avoiding expensive
interconnecting piping of different units
Low equipment weight

Assembly of aluminium plate-fin heat exchangers

The
vacuum
brazed aluminium
plate-fin
heat
exchangers
are
key components
in many cryogenic
process
plants.
They
are
the
preferred heat
exchangers
in
small LNG plants.

me of an aluminium plate-fin heat exchanger

UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM & ENERGY STUDIES,

Thank
You