The Design and Optimization of Natural Gas Liquefaction Processes: A Review

Lei Gao, Jiaxin Wang, Maxime Binama, Qian Li and Weihua Cai ()
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Lei Gao: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Northeast Electric Power University, Jilin 132012, China
Jiaxin Wang: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Northeast Electric Power University, Jilin 132012, China
Maxime Binama: College of Petroleum Engineering, Liaoning Shihua University, Fushun 113001, China
Qian Li: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Northeast Electric Power University, Jilin 132012, China
Weihua Cai: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Northeast Electric Power University, Jilin 132012, China

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 21, 1-56

Abstract: As the energy crisis intensifies, the global demand for natural gas is growing rapidly. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) technology is among the delivery solutions with flexible and reliable application prospects and is already a significant field of research in energy utilization. The performance of natural gas liquefaction process has a major influence on the production capacity, energy consumption, economics, and safety of the entire supply chain. Many scholars have conducted numerous studies on various LNG processes and designed many classical processes. This paper summarizes and discusses current research status and development level in the design and optimization of natural gas liquefaction processes in recent years, mainly focusing on cascade liquefaction process, expansion liquefaction process, and mixed refrigerant liquefaction process. The advantages and disadvantages of various liquefaction processes are compared and analyzed in terms of liquefaction capacity, energy consumption, economy, safety, and adaptability. In addition, the rapid development of pressurized liquefaction technology in recent years and its application outlooks are also introduced in detail. Finally, the present situation and industrial demand of LNG process are analyzed, and reasonable suggestions and future research prospects are put forward.

Keywords: liquefied natural gas (LNG); floating LNG (FLNG); liquefaction processes; cascade process; expansion process; mixed refrigerant process (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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