Clean Technology (청정기술)

The Korean Society of Clean Technology (한국청정기술학회)
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Effects of Compositions of Mixed Refrigerants on the Performance of a C3MR Natural Gas Liquefaction Process

혼합냉매 조성에 따른 C3MR 천연가스 액화공정 성능 비교

  • Liu, Jay (Department of Chemical Engineering, Pukyong National University)
  • 유준 (부경대학교 화학공학과)
  • Received : 2014.07.04
  • Accepted : 2014.08.12
  • Published : 2014.09.30
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Abstract

The purpose of this work is to optimize composition of mixture refrigerants used in the C3MR (Propane & Mixed Refrigerants) process by a statistical optimization technique. C3MR studied in this work is one of widely used commercial natural gas liquefaction processes with high efficiency. Process simulation was performed in a commercial process simulator and methane ($C_1$), ethane ($C_2$), propane ($C_3$), and nitrogen ($N_2$) were selected as mixed refrigerants. Using the process model, optimum composition of refrigerants mixture was determined via mixture design and central composite design to produce minimum energy consumption. As a result, it was confirmed that energy consumption is reduced down to 11.3% comparing to existing design. It was also compared with heat effectiveness through temperature profile of MCHE (main cryogenic heat exchanger).

이번 연구의 목적은 세계적으로 널리 이용되고 있고, 액화 효율이 높은 Air Products and Chemicals Inc. (APCI)사(社)의 C3MR(Propane Pre-cooled & Mixed Refrigerants) 천연가스 액화공정에 사용되는 혼합냉매의 최적 조성을 통계학적 기법으로 결정하는 것이다. 공정모사는 상업 공정 모사기를 이용했으며 혼합냉매는 methane ($C_1$), ethane ($C_2$), propane ($C_3$)과 nitrogen ($N_2$)로 선택하였다. 그리고 혼합물 설계(mixture design, MD)와 중심합성계획법(central composite design, CCD)을 이용하여 전체 공정의 에너지 소비가 최소가 되게 하는 최적의 혼합냉매 조성을 결정하였다. 연구결과 기존 설계 대비 최대 11.28%의 에너지 소비 절감을 확인하였다. 또한 주 극저온 열교환기(main cryogenic heat exchanger, MCHE)의 온도 프로파일을 통해 열적 효율성도 함께 비교하였다.

Keywords

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