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ps - 4/16/2007 9:19 AM
Applications
The applications of ANG range from
small-scale on-board fuel storage for
natural gas vehicles including
motorbikes, cars, buses, trains and
ships, through to strategic local network
storage. Despite the same operating
principles, the process requirements are
different and need to be understood and
optimised for each application.
ANG local network storage could be
implemented as a new installation as an
alternative to linepack, or retrofitted at
the sites of existing LP gasholders and
pressurised storage vessels by filling
the vessels with activated carbon to
gain from the enhanced storage
capacity.
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Advantages
Compared to other network storage
technologies, the ANG local network
storage offers advantages such as:
Implementation at the point of need
and reduced dependence on the
transmission system.
Flexibility of siting and close to pointof-use location.
Phased investment. Linepack is
normally constructed at the start of
a long-term network uprating plan,
with CAPEX spent at the start of the
investment period. ANG storage,
however, allows CAPEX phasing
with a just-in-time approach to
construction. The modular nature
of the design can allow the
construction of a single vessel or
banks of units.
Lower CAPEX. CAPEX is likely to be
highly competitive with linepack for
commercial-scale installations.
Lower OPEX. Nearly 10 times lower
OPEX than the LP gasholders.
Safer system compared to CNG (7-40
barg vs 200 barg). Even at an
equivalent pressure, ANG is
inherently safer than pressurised
storage due to the nature of adsorbed
storage, despite the higher gas
inventory.
Lower footprint and visual impact than
LP gasholders. 30-fold volumetric
enhancement can be achieved over LP
gasholders at 7 barg storage
pressure. Below ground installation is
ultimately possible.
Gas trading opportunity. When
multiple sources or pricings are
available, local storage gives the
flexibility to take more gas at off-peak
price or from the cheaper source when
it is available. This can be stored for
peak-time use, gaining from the price
differential.
Gas Quality
Guard bed operation and system
integration was developed and
demonstrated in the 3-million
ANGUARD (ANG System with Guard Bed
Device) project led by Advantica with
four other European partners3, and
supported by the European Commission.
The heavier hydrocarbons and
odorants adsorbed on the guard bed
need to be regenerated each cycle into
the gas during discharge to ensure
consistent pipeline gas quality. A simple
optimised heating profile for the guard
bed was established to achieve
consistent desorption of the
components from the guard bed carbon
and a multi-component adsorption model
was developed for complete simulation
of the ANG system. Guard bed carbons
were also developed which optimise the
process and minimise opex.
Conclusions
Process simulation and economic
analysis have shown that ANG can be an
attractive alternative to linepack, LP
gasholders or pressurised storage due
to its simple, modular and relatively lowcost operation.
ANG technology is mature and well
understood. It has been proven in
principle and is ready for demonstration
in actual operation. Advantica is working
with BG to
prove it on a
real network
through a
technical
demonstration
project. A pilot
full-scale ANG
storage vessel
is expected to
be implemented
following the
successful
demonstration
of the
technology.
ANG network storage
results from
SynerGEE Gas on
simplified MGL network.
References
1 LP gasholder: Storage at about
1 barg.
2 Pressurised storage: Any higher storage pressure
than the LP gasholders. CNG is specifically used
for storage at 200 barg.
3 Sucliffe Speakman Carbons, University of Lisbon,
ISQ (Portugal) and IPGsrl (Italy).
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