High- and Low-Pressure Gas Supply With Liquid-Gas Pre-Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas supply systems for vessels with high-pressure gas-consuming devices, such as ME-GI engines, require expensive compressors that generate vibrations and have high maintenance costs, and the preparation time is delayed due to varying component sizes needing pre-cooling.
Innovation Solution
A gas supply system with a pre-cooling system for the first heat exchanger, bypass circuit, and cooling system for the second pump, allowing simultaneous pre-cooling and operation of components, reducing the time required to reach operating temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If a high-pressure compressor is installed to supply gas to the high-pressure gas-consuming device, then the gas can be compressed to 300 bars for engine propulsion, but the device cost increases, maintenance costs increase, and vibrations are generated within the vessel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical compression system (high-pressure compressor) with a thermal energy system. Liquid gas is pumped to high pressure and then vaporized in a high-pressure evaporator using thermal energy from exhaust gases or external sources, achieving the same high-pressure gas supply without mechanical compressors
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the state parameter of the gas from liquid to vapor phase. By pumping liquid gas to high pressure and then vaporizing it, the system achieves high-pressure gas supply through phase change rather than mechanical compression, fundamentally altering the physical parameter pathway
2Temperature
If pre-cooling is performed on large components such as heat exchangers before operation, then the components reach operating temperature, but the preparation time is delayed due to the large size of the components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary cooling of the heat exchanger using a dedicated pre-cooling circuit that circulates cold liquid gas through the heat exchanger before normal operation begins. This preliminary action prepares the heat exchanger for efficient operation without delaying the overall system startup
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the pre-cooling function from the main gas supply circuit by creating a dedicated pre-cooling circuit. This segmentation allows the heat exchanger to be cooled independently using a portion of the liquid gas, without affecting the main gas supply timeline
3Productivity
If the gas supply system components are made large to handle high flow rates, then the system can supply sufficient gas to the engine, but the pre-cooling time increases due to the larger component size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary cooling to large heat exchanger components before they are needed for high-flow gas supply. By pre-cooling these large components in advance using the dedicated pre-cooling circuit, the system prepares them for immediate high-productivity operation without the delay that would normally result from their large size
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuous useful action by having the pre-cooling circuit operate concurrently with other system preparations. The liquid gas used for pre-cooling is drawn from the same tank that supplies the engine, creating a continuous utilization of the cryogenic resource without interruption to the overall system startup process
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
The system accelerates the start-up time of the gas supply system by efficiently pre-cooling large components, avoiding the need for high-pressure compressors and reducing maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
at least a first pump configured to pump the gas taken in the liquid state from the tank
Implementation Method 2
at least a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger... the liquid gas passes through the first heat exchanger, then the second heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
a second pump arranged between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger
Implementation Method 4
at least one high-pressure evaporator configured to evaporate the gas circulating in the first gas supply circuit
Implementation Method 5
at least one compressor configured to compress gas taken in the vapor state from the tank to an operating pressure of the low-pressure gas-consuming device
Implementation Method 6
a pre-cooling system for the first heat exchanger configured to take gas in the liquid state from the tank... circulating the gas within the pre-cooling line
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a gas supply system (1) for a high-pressure gas-consuming device (4) of a floating structure (20) comprising at least one tank (8), comprising: - at least a first supply circuit (2) for the high-pressure consuming device (4), comprising a first heat exchanger (6), a second heat exchanger (7), a pump (10); characterized in that the supply system (1) comprises a pre-cooling system (17) for the first heat exchanger (6) configured to take gas in the liquid state from the tank (8), the pre-cooling system (17) comprising a pre-cooling line (19) and a valve (21) for regulating the circulation of the gas within the pre-cooling line (19).