LIQUEFIN: AN INNOVATIVE PROCESS TO REDUCE LNG COSTS

Pierre-Yves Martin Axens

Jrme Pigourier Axens
Pierre Boutelant Axens

Introduction

The continuous expansion of LNG trade for now more than three decades has been
achieved thanks to the permanent search for cost reduction, mainly using the size
effect .
To pursue this expansion at the same sustained rate of 6 percent per year, some
operators are now seriously considering trains with capacities of 6, 7 or even 8
MTPA. In order to reach such capacities, with always higher efficiency and without
adding complexity in the process, it is necessary to depart from the traditional
scheme.
IFP and Axens have developed the Liquefin process with the aim of producing an
LNG cheaper than with any other process, at good conditions of reliability and safety,
and more friendly to environment.
The process uses simple and reliable technologies, easy to operate and able to cope
with isolated or harsh climate regions. With Liquefin, very high capacities can be
reached with a simple scheme and standard compressors.

Beyond an initial success of curiosity, most of the Majors have now closely reviewed
the process in conjunction with engineering contractors. They have also thoroughly
compared Liquefin with its competitors.
These Majors consider Liquefin as a potential alternative for their future
developments: one Front End Engineering Design is now completed and confirm all
the expectations in term of efficiency and cost attractiveness.

Axens, is a 100 % subsidiary of IFP is in charge of marketing worldwide IFP licenses,

including Liquefin.

Process description
The Liquefin process operates according to the basic flow scheme presented in
Figure 1. The pre-refrigeration of the gas is achieved by using a mixed refrigerant
instead of propane, vaporized at three different pressure to follow closely the LNG
cooling curve (see figure 3). In this process, the pre-refrigeration cycle is operated at
a much lower temperature than in a conventional dual-cycle process: the temperature
is decreased down to a range of -50C to -80C (-60F to -110F). At these
temperatures, the cryogenic mixed refrigerant can be completely condensed, no
phase separation is necessary and moreover the quantity of cryogenic refrigerant is
substantially reduced. The overall required power is decreased, as a good part of the
energy necessary to condense the cryogenic mixed refrigerant is shifted from the
cryogenic cycle to the pre-refrigeration cycle. This shifting of energy leads to a better
repartition of the necessary heat exchange area: the same number of cores in
parallel can be used all along between the ambient and the cryogenic temperature.
A significant advantage of this scheme is the possibility to use directly the full power
provided by the selected drivers whatever they are, without any transfer of power
from one cycle to the other. For example, Liquefin can adapt to a half/half power
balance between the two cycles for two identical gas turbines, but also to a one-
third/two third power balance in case of three identical gas turbines.

Liquefin has all the positive features of the cascade process with a much better
efficiency and a smaller number of rotating equipment. One can summarize the
advantages of Liquefin process as follows:

No integrated cascade: As the light mixed refrigerant of the second cycle is fully
condensed, the two mixed refrigerants can be used in a similar way to the pure
refrigerants used in the cascade process.

A balanced power: the process is easily adjustable to get the same power for
each cycle. With two identical gas turbines, it avoids the difficulty, encountered
with the C3/MR cycle, of having to transmit power somehow from the pre-cooling
cycle to the cryogenic cycle.

A compact heat-exchange line: the Liquefin process has also been defined to
make the best use of plate-fin heat-exchangers. A single heat exchange line is
used to cool gas from ambient temperature down to cryogenic temperatures. The
process has been conceived to make the exchange line simple and compact.

Figure 1 - Liquefin general scheme

Heat Exchange Line

All the heat exchange between the natural gas and the two mixed refrigerants (and between
the two mixed refrigerants) is done in a single exchange line, made of plate-fin heat
exchangers inside a limited number cold boxes (see Figure 2)

From / To Compressors

top view

Cold box about 10 m

Core (PFHE)

40C
front view

Upper core

about 15 m

- 60C

Lower core

-160C

about 25 m

Figure 2 Liquefin typical cold box arrangement

IFP/Axens have qualified Chart, Nordon Cryogenie and Kobe Steel. and have worked
closely with these manufacturers to derive a main heat exchange line with similar
architecture of plate-fin heat exchangers inside the cold boxes. Thus, the cold boxes and
their internals can now be purchased from any of the three vendors without impacting the
plant design or the P&I diagrams

This exchange line is modular: each cold box contains several parallel lines of two cores
in series. The number of cores and cold boxes depends upon the capacity of the unit and
the site conditions.
 With the modular concept, all limitations in size that exist for spiral-wound exchangers are
removed.

The main exchange line arrangement being at the heart of the liquefaction
technology, a significant effort has been made to ensure its optimal operation:
dedicated teams in IFP and Axens have thoroughly studied fluid distribution and
mechanical/thermal stress issues for the cores, the cold boxes and the connecting
manifolds in close co-operation with the three qualified manufacturers. What was
demonstrated confirmed what vendors knew already: PFHE are now extremely
robust and reliable equipment.

Lower CAPEX:

With Liquefin, the liquefaction plant CAPEX will be reduced for several reasons:

Liquefin is more efficient

Comparing like for like, the process will produce about 15% more LNG with the same
gas turbines than other established liquefaction processes. This efficiency
improvement is related both to the use of mixed refrigerant for the pre-cooling and to
the use of plate-fin heat exchangers.

The low temperature difference all along the cores between hot and cold side
(see Figure 3) brings an improvement of the exergy efficiency and hence of the
power required per ton of LNG (or for the same drivers, the quantity of LNG
produced is bigger).

Enthalpy Curves - Pre-refrigeration Core Enthalpy curves - cryogenic core

60 0
Temperature (C)
Temperature (C)

40 -20
-40
20
-60
0
-80
-20
-100
-40 -120
-60 -140
-80 -160
0 50 100 150 200 250 0 50 100 150

Enthalpy (MW) Enthalpy (MW)

Figure 3 Liquefin main exchange line enthalpy curves

The cryogenic mixed refrigerant enters the cryogenic section in a fully liquid state
so that no energy of this cycle is wasted in condensing the mixed refrigerant. The
quantity of cryogenic refrigerant is much lower than in the C3/MR process
(roughly 1 mole of cryogenic mixed refrigerant for 1 mole of natural gas), thus the
overall efficiency is improved.
 The pressure drop is very low on both hot and cold side of the plate-fin heat
exchangers and this brings an additional efficiency advantage for Liquefin.

As Liquefin is not submitted to the manufacturing limits of main heat exchangers,

the efficiency is as good for very large capacities as it is for smaller ones.

Liquid turbines, which are now proven and widely used in LNG plants, brings a
higher increase of capacity with Liquefin because the total stream of the cryogenic
mixed refrigerant passes through the turbine.

the equipment is less expensive

For the same capacities, compressors from an earlier generation, i.e; less
expensive can be used. On figure 4 are shown the operating area of many
existing propane compressors. The large units now under construction (around
4.5 MTPA) are in the blue circle, very close to the mechanical limits of the wheels.
Liquefin cases at slightly higher capacity (4.8 MTPA) are in the red area, away
from sonic hazard.

Biggest propane Compressors (4.5 MTPA)

(4 5 MTPA)
1.00
1.25
1.20 0.95
0.90
(Mu 1.15
) 1.10 ) 0.85
inlet
num 1.05 0.80
ber 1.00 (
nu
0.95 mb0.75
Mac 0.90 er 0.70
rela
h
0.85 tive0.65
Peri 0.80 ma0.60
phe 0.75 ch
ral 0.55
0.70
0.50
0.65 Tip
0.45
0.60
0.55 0.40
0.50 0.35
0.45 0.30
0.40
0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.10 0.12 0.14 0.16
0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.10 0.12 0.14 0.16
Flow Coefficient ( ? 1) Flow Coefficient ( ? 1)

Liquefin MR1 compressors (4.8MTPA)

Figure 4 - Propane or MR1 compressor: Mach number vs. flow coefficient

A single PFHE exchange line replaces the spiral-wound heat exchangers and its
associated large propane kettle chillers. The spiral wound exchanger alone costs
twice the complete Liquefin exchange line. Thus the saving on this exchange line
is very significant, specially when considering installed cost.

The air-condenser size is reduced, first because of the higher efficiency, and
secondly because of the use of a mixed refrigerant instead of propane (see figure
 5). The mixed refrigerant condenses in a range of temperature instead of a
constant temperature as a pure component. Therefore, the LMDT is increased by
35%. The area of the air (or water) condenser is decreased by 35 % for the
same duty. Or on the reverse, it is possible to decrease the condensing
temperature with the same condensing area, thus increasing the LNG production.
60
Same MR Condensation
55 condensing
temperature
50

Propane
45
Condensation
C40

Larger LMDT (+35%),

35
Air or Water
30

25
Same Condensing Duty
20
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
DUTY

figure 5: Mixed refrigerant 1 condensing vs propane condensing

Due to the compact exchange line, and to reduced air-cooler size, the plot area is
reduced. This means large savings on long runs of pipe work and cryogenic
insulation, and on the civil and metal work.

The multi-sourcing of all equipment including the main heat exchange line is
another factor of cost reduction

there is no hidden cost

Axens has no commercial interest with any vendor, including PFHE vendors, and has
no arrangement with any engineering contractor. The cost of licence fee is clearly
indicated in the budget.

Studies carried out by third parties (Majors oil & gas companies and their
Contractors) shows that with Liquefin, the cost of the liquefaction unit itself can be
decreased around 15%. (see figure 6). Overall, including utilities, pre-treatment,
storage, etc, the difference is still around 7% for the whole plant. But taking into
account the increased capacity for the same gas turbines, the cost per ton of LNG is
lower by up to about 23 % when compared with competing process.
 100
90
80 Towers, drums, pumps, liquid
turbines, misc.
70
Air coolers
60
Main exchange line
50
Refrigeration compressors and
40 drivers
30
20
10
0
C3/MR Liquefin (capacity
+15%)
figure 6: cost of Liquefin compared to competing process

Towards higher capacities

By the economy of scale, the cost per ton of LNG decreases when the capacity
increases. This has driven the continuous increase of capacity of liquefaction trains
from less of 1 MTPA some 30 years ago to about 4 MTPA nowadays. (see figure 7)

4.5

4
Train capacity MTPA

3.5

2.5

1.5

0.5

0
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Start-up date

figure 7 The continuous increase of train capacity

Some of the present projects are around 4.5 MTPA. Already at that flow, C3/MR
process requires a large amount of flash gas, positive for the efficiency but negative
on an economic standpoint. Liquefin has no bottleneck at this capacity:
 With Liquefin, the exchange line being modular, no technical limitation to the size
of the spiral wound exchanger has to be taken into account: an increased
capacity is reached with more cold boxes in parallel.

A severe limitation is the size of the axial compressor for the second mixed
refrigerant. As Liquefin balances the power between the two cycles, the quantity
of the second mixed refrigerant is decreased by about 30% compared to a C3/MR
for the same capacity. With the same existing axial compressor, it is thus possible
to build a plant with a capacity increased by 30% compared to actual C3/MR
plants, all conditions being equal.

A 6 MTPA train with 2 Frame 7 is feasible with Liquefin, whereas a C3/MR in the
basic version with 2 cycles is limited below 5 MTPA.

A new liquefaction scheme: C3/MR/nitrogen cycle has been put on the market
recently. This means that a third Frame 7 is used in the nitrogen cycle to reach
capacities in the range of 7+ MTPA. Three cycles in series imply added complexity
and a reduced availability compared to the two cycle scheme, although a change of
composition of the mixed refrigerant allows possibly working at reduced capacity
without the nitrogen cycle. Of course, a full shutdown must be done if either the C3 or
MR driver or compressor has a problem.

With the same three Frame 7, the Liquefin scheme will be much simpler, as shown
on figure 8 One Frame 7 drives the pre-refrigeration compressors, and the two others
run in parallel on the liquefaction cycle. This allows reaching very large capacities
( 8+ MTPA), still with existing, proven compressors. The availability is slightly
improved compared to the base scheme, since previously a failure of the single
liquefaction compressor meant a complete shutdown, whereas with this scheme, if
one of the liquefaction compressor is down, it is possible to operate at reduced
capacity (minimum 50%, more by changing the pre-refrigeration temperature and the
mixed refrigerant compositions). Only a failure of the MR1 compressor or driver will
stop completely the unit.
 CW

Dry natural
40C
gas
Frame 7
-20C

Scrubber
CW

CW
Frame 7
CW
Condensates -40C

Main heat exchange

CW
line Frame 7

-150C
LNG

Figure 8: Liquefin scheme with 3 Frame 7

Liquefin is a very flexible process, and offers more than one possibility to reach large
and highly competitive capacities:

Either by using larger gas turbines. The Frame 9 has very recently been qualified
for mechanical drive. With Liquefin, this would allow capacities of 7 to 8 MTPA
with only two main drivers (base scheme of figure 1). Although the volumetric
flow-rates are of course seriously increased, a choice compressors can be found
for this case, because the speed of the Frame 9 is lower than the Frame 7 speed
(3000 rpm instead of 3600).

Or by using very large gas turbines (combined cycle) to produce electricity, and
using large electrical motors (up to 70 MW) in parallel on each cycle. (see figure
9). There is hardly any technical limit on the capacity, as we are in a completely
modular scheme. This scheme has many advantages: available proven
compressors, moderate size equipment, excellent efficiency (very low fuel gas
consumption as combined cycles can reach 50-60% efficiency), and pretty good
availability: no complete shutdown in case of failure of any driver/compressor.
 M MR1 -1
Natural
Gas M MR1 -2

M MR2 -1
LNG

M MR2 - 2

Figure 9: Modular arrangement of Liquefin (4 identical drivers)

Conclusion

In the continuous race for higher capacities and cheaper LNG, Liquefin is a real
breakthrough.
The best present arrangement of proven equipment to produce the maximum
quantity of LNG out of a given set of drivers at the lowest cost in the market.
Liquefin is particularly well adapted to the range of 4 to 8 MTPA per train, with many
open options for designing and erecting a plant fully responding to the clients needs.
With Liquefin, the capacity can be chosen considering mainly the economics and the
marketing possibilities, without being bothered by technical hindrances.