Volume 5: Innovative Solutions for Energy Transitions: Part IV

LNG Waste Cold Recovery for Future Sustainable Cooling Luo Y, Lonis F, Brown S, Andresen J, Majid M, Mamat O, Mahadzir S, Sulaiman S, Ya H, Mahadzir S, Maroto-Valer M

Abstract

The world currently has 117 Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) regasification facilities, collectively processing 14,400 m3 /s of natural gas. Most of the facilities use processes which waste the cold energy, the most common of which discharges it at sea. Globally, up to 6.1 GW of cold energy can be recovered from LNG regasification terminals, delivering sustainable cooling chain to industries were low-grade waste heat is generated and cooling is required. This paper has proposed a direct heat exchange system, in which cold energy from LNG regasification can be fully recovered and utilised through the use of a brazed plate heat exchanger. Feasibility of implementing the system has been carefully examined through computational fluid dynamics modelling and experimental validation. The results suggested an optimal LNG to water/ethyleneglycol solution mass flow ratio of 1:6 most appropriate with the heat exchanger. This can potentially recover around 37 MJ of cold energy from an average sized LNG regasification terminal.

Keywords liquefied natural gas (LNG); cold energy recovery;