Chilled CNG Transport System for Continuous Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for transporting natural gas face challenges such as high costs due to the need for specialized equipment and processes like liquefaction and regasification, as well as interruptions in gas flow during transportation, especially when using pipelines or compressed natural gas (CNG).
Innovation Solution
A system that compresses and chills natural gas to a temperature of 0° C. or lower and a pressure of 8,274 kPa (1,200 psi) using a liquid displacement system to maintain the gas in a gaseous state, allowing for continuous and uninterrupted transportation via a CNG carrier, with facilities for decompression and heating at the offloading site to prepare the gas for pipeline injection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If natural gas is liquefied for transportation, then the gas can be transported in liquid state, but the gas must be cooled to -160°C and maintained at that temperature, requiring specialized materials and equipment which increases transportation cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from LNG's -160°C to a higher temperature range (above -160°C), and changes the pressure parameter to maintain gas in a dense liquid-like state without full liquefaction. This allows transportation with reduced equipment complexity while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses conventional, readily available materials and equipment for compression and cooling rather than specialized cryogenic equipment required for LNG, reducing the complexity and cost of transportation infrastructure.
2Productivity
If compressed natural gas is transported and transferred between storage containment systems, then the gas can be moved between locations, but compression, chilling, and/or heating equipment is required at each location which increases cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs compression and cooling of natural gas at the source location before transportation begins. This preliminary action ensures the gas remains in a stable, compressed state during transfer between storage containment systems, eliminating the need for repeated compression, chilling, and heating equipment at each intermediate location.
3Productivity
If pipeline is built to transport gas directly, then the gas can be transported to desired location, but environmental, geopolitical or economic constraints may make building pipeline impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses compressed natural gas in a gaseous state transported through flexible containment systems, allowing the gas to be moved to locations where pipeline construction is not feasible due to environmental, geopolitical, or economic constraints, thereby increasing adaptability while maintaining direct transportation capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient, cost-effective, and continuous transportation of natural gas without the need for frequent chilling and compression, reducing equipment costs and maintaining a constant flowrate from supply to delivery, thus overcoming the limitations of existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
compress the natural gas to a temperature of 0° C. or lower and a pressure of at least 8,274 kPa (1,200 psi)
Implementation Method 2
compress the natural gas to a temperature of 0° C. or lower and a pressure of at least 8,274 kPa (1,200 psi)
Data Source
AI summary
A system for transporting natural gas. The system may include a loading facility, a first storage system, a second storage system, and a CNG carrier. The loading facility may be operable to receive, compress, and chill natural gas while maintaining the natural gas in a gaseous state, and further operable to transfer the chilled CNG at a constant flowrate. The first storage system may be operable to receive chilled CNG from the loading facility at the constant flowrate, store the chilled CNG, and transfer the chilled CNG. The second storage system may be operable to receive and store the chilled CNG. The CNG carrier may be operable to receive chilled CNG from the first storage system, transport the chilled CNG, and transfer the chilled CNG to the second storage system. The system may be sized such that the constant flowrate of the chilled CNG is maintained without interruption.