Original scientific paper

THE LNG RELIQUEFACTION PLANT – OPERATING PRINCIPLE AND JUSTIFIABILITY OF ITS INSTALLATION ON BOARD SHIPS

Damir Kukuljan ; University of Rijeka, Faculty of Maritime Studies Rijeka
Dean Bernečić orcid.org/0000-0002-7453-2320 ; University of Rijeka, Faculty of Maritime Studies Rijeka
Josip Orović ; University of Rijeka, Faculty of Maritime Studies Rijeka

Abstract

The reliquefaction plant is used for the reliquefaction of cargo vapor on new LNG carriers. It can be used in combination with two-stroke slow-speed marine diesel engines, medium-speed four-stroke marine diesel engines or gas turbines, but given the current level of efficiency, two-stroke marine diesel engines have primacy.
The paper describes the reliquefaction plant operation principle and the role of the major components. The reliquefaction process has been analyzed as well as the reliquefication process control system. The fuel savings comparative analysis has been incorporated in a case when the ship burns heavy fuel only, natural gas only and in the case of a combined combustion. A brief efficiency comparison between LNG ships with a steam-turbine plant and the ship with a new generation of two-stroke slow-speed marine diesel plants which can burn bi-fuel (gas and fuel), has been made. Those power plants are planned to be used not only for the LNG carriers than for other ships too, especially when greater propulsion powers are required. The most important limiting factors for the implementation of such technology was an inadequate and relatively unsafe natural gas injection for slow-speed marine diesel engines, the heavy fuel oil prices compared to the LNG price and the reliquefaction plant price.
The reliquefaction plant, in combination with the new generation of slow-speed marine diesel engines with electronically controlled fuel injection, certainly has a future.

Keywords

Reliquefaction plant; liquefied natural gas (LNG); two-stroke slow-speed marine diesel engines; steam turbines

Hrčak ID:

83509

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/83509

Publication date:

27.6.2012.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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