Russian scientists have developed a program that helps small-scale plants produce more liquefied natural gas without purchasing new equipment or making large investments. The system analyzes the plant's operations, identifies areas where gas and energy are lost, and then suggests what needs to be changed. According to the developers' calculations, LNG production can be increased by up to 7%, and energy consumption can be reduced by up to 5%.
The development was created by specialists from the Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas. The system is based on a digital copy of the plant, which replicates its technological processes in real time. This model allows one to see how efficiently the equipment is working and where there are shortcomings. The program has already been tested at an operating enterprise and is ready for implementation at other facilities.
First, scientists studied a plant with a capacity of 21.5 thousand tons of LNG per year. The digital model showed several reasons for reduced productivity: some gas was lost during adsorber cleaning, the refrigeration cycle was not efficient enough, measuring instruments gave errors, and pipes were poorly protected from heating. Another 4% of the finished product could be lost during shipment due to poor thermal insulation of the loading arms.
After the analysis, specialists proposed using flash gas for the plant's own needs, replacing thermal insulation, calibrating instruments, and installing an adjustable throttle for more precise pressure settings. According to Roman Barashkin, associate professor at Gubkin University, adjusting the throttle alone can increase LNG output by 2–4% without installing new equipment. Replacing the refrigerant will also allow gas to be cooled not to minus 50°C, but to minus 55°C, which will cause more gas to turn into liquid.
In addition to the digital model, scientists have created a hint system for operators and a training complex. On it, employees will be able to practice different plant management scenarios without risking real production.
The developers note that the actual capacity of the studied plant was lower than the design capacity, and the new system helped to understand the causes of losses and find solutions without stopping the enterprise and incurring large costs.
Комментарии