The World of Energy

Chapter 30 LNG Technology - Processes

30.10. APCI LNG Liquefaction Processes

Ch. 30 - 124
 APCI Propane Precooled Mixed Refrigerant Process

To Furnace Expander
Scrub
Acid LNG
Column C1
Amine Gas G to Storage
Unit Mercury
Removal Generator
Unit

Sour
Feed HHP HP MP LP
Gas Dehydration
C3 Unit C3 C3 C3

HP Fuel Gas NGL Reinjection

C3 HP Fuel
C2 Gas
M End
Flash Gas
Main
Hydrocarbon Compressor
Cryogenic
Condensate to
Exchanger
Fractionation Storage
LP C3
C3 Compressor
MP C3
GT M MR Compressor
HP C3

HHP C3

GT M

HHP C3
HP C3

LP C3 MP C3
N2 C1 C2 C3 Multicomponent Refrigerant
Propane Precooling System
Refrigerant
Make-up
Ch. 30 - 125
8 Mtpa LNG train with 3 GE F-7

8 Mtpa C3-MR train is feasible and economic

2 possibilities for compressors

2 LP MR - propane compressors in parallel

and a HP MR compressor
Proven equipment , flexible

2 MR compressors in parallel and a 2

casing propane compressor
Less costly

Ch. 30 - 126
Capacity Increase of C3-MR LNG Train

Strategy
Target : 30% capacity increase
No modifications to kettles, drums,
columns, C3 condensers
Modification of internals
Modification of compressors

Ch. 30 - 127
Propane Precooling Capacity Increase
Compressor line up before modification 67 M
HP MR HHP C3

CW

5B M
5B 5B CW

CW CW
LP
MR

LLP C3 LP C3 MP C3 HP C3

Ch. 30 - 128
Propane Precooling capacity increase

HP MRNew
M
HHP C3
5B 5B G/B
CW 5B
5D 5D

5B 5B
5D 5D CW

CW CW
LP
MR

LLP C3 LP C3 MP C3 HP C3

Compressor line up after modification : 93 MW

8 Mtpa LNG train with 3 GE F-7

Ch. 30 - 129
 AP-XTM Process
LNG

Nitrogen
Expander

Feed
C3 Pre-Cooling

Mixed
Refrigerant
Liquefaction

Ch. 30 - 130
 AP-XTM Process
De-Bottlenecks C3-MR LNG
-150 C

Propane volumetric flow per unit

LNG reduced by more than 20%

Feed -115 C

MR volumetric flow per unit

LNG reduced by 40%

Ch. 30 - 131
 TM
AP-X Process
Flexible
LNG

60-70%
Capacity in
C3MR mode

Nitrogen
Expander

Feed
C3 Pre-Cooling

Ch. 30 - 132
Why an expander cycle for LNG subcooling?

LNG

Efficient at providing
cold refrigeration

Proven

Reliable and operable

Ch. 30 - 133
Why Nitrogen?
LNG

Available and Inert

High Pressure
High Pressure =
Low Losses
High Pressure =
Compact
Equipment

Ch. 30 - 134
Why Nitrogen?

Ch. 30 - 135
AP-XTM Process Driver Configuration

Frame 7, Frame 9 and electric motor drive

options

Choice depends on owner preference,

desired capacity, and design basis

Many combinations

Ch. 30 - 136
APCI AP-X LNG Process

Ch. 30 - 137
 The C3MR LNG Process
LNG

MRV
Feed
C3 Precooling

MR Liquefaction

Ch. 30 - 138
 TM
AP-X Process
LNG
-150 C
De-Bottlenecks C3-MR
Propane volumetric
flow per unit LNG
reduced by more
than 20%

-120 C

Feed

MR volumetric flow per

unit LNG reduced by 40%
Ch. 30 - 139
LNG, Mixed Fluid Cascade Process (Linde)

NG

Precooling Sea water

-50C

Liquefaction Sea water

-80C

Subcooling Sea water

-160C
LNG

Ch. 30 - 140
APCI Process Trains
DAS ISLAND 3

OMAN 3
QATAR 14

ALGERIA 12

BRUNEI 5
LIBYA 4

BADAK 8

NIGERIA 6 MALAYSIA 8
ARUN 6

EGYPT 1
WOODSIDE 3
TANGGUH 2

Ch. 30 - 141
Market Share of LNG Processes Worldwide

TEAL 0,6%
Simple Cascade
(Technip) 0,6%

MCR (APCI) 0,8%

Simple Cascade
(Phillipps) 1,1%

PRICO 2,2%

Optimised
Cascade
(Conoco/Phillips)
6,7%

C3/MCR (APCI)
C3/MCR 79,8%
(APCI/SHELL) 8,2%

Ch. 30 - 142
APCI C3/MR LNG Liquefaction Process

Ch. 30 - 143
APCI Main Cryogenic Exchanger
(Shell & Tubes, Spiral Wound)

Ch. 30 - 144
LNG Heat Exchanger .

A Closer Look

Ch. 30 - 145
The APCI LNG Main Heat Exchanger

Ch. 30 - 146
 The APCI LNG Main Heat Exchanger
The Main Cryogenic Heat
Exchanger, or MCHE, is the heart
of the LNG process.
Each MCHE consists of several
spiral-wound tube bundles housed
within an aluminum or stainless
steel pressure shell designed to
retain refrigerants in the event of
a shutdown.
For LNG service the heat
exchangers may consist of one-,
two-, or three-tube bundles, each
made up of several tube circuits.
With this type of exchanger, the
tube circuit areas can be matched
to the process requirements. The
result is a very efficient and
compact design

Attributes of MCR Cryogenic Heat Exchangers

Manufacturing at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, convenient to eastern United States ports.
At Wilkes-Barre, tube bundles, separators, distributors, piping, and other components are
fabricated and positioned within the heat exchanger shell.
Final assembly of the large MCHEs at a manufacturing annex at the Port of Bucks County,
also in Pennsylvania, to eliminate welding after the exchanger arrives on-site.
The typical exchanger may be as large as 16.5 feet (5.0 meters) in diameter and 180 feet
(55 meters) high and weigh 500 tons (455 metric tonnes).
The large size of the individual heat exchanger tube bundles facilitates the design of large
process trains.
In addition to providing economies of scale, this leads to simple piping and control systems
and, consequently, to reductions in installation, operation, and maintenance costs.

Ch. 30 - 147
LNG Specific Power Reduction Trend

Ch. 30 - 148
Capital Cost Comparison*

TM
C3MR AP-X
Capacity, mta 8 8
No. of Trains 2 1

Capital Cost Millions US$

Plant Facilities 1,272 1,131
Marine Facilities 24 24
Temporary Infrastructure 52 52
Total 1,348 1,207
US $/tpa 169 151
*Courtesy of Merlin Associates

Ch. 30 - 149
8 Mta Capacity LNG Train
Dual MR version
Coil Wound MCHE of LNG Train Size Growth
a size currently 8

manufactured 7

Avoids parallel 6

Train Size, MTA

compression 5
equipment
Uses proven 4

technology and 3

components 2

MCR Cryogenic 0
Heat Exchanger
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
LNG N2 Economizer
SubCooler Boxes Date of Commissioning

Compander System

35m
35m

Ch. 30 - 150