Nitrogen Generation System for Methanol Ships
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of methanol as a fuel for ship engines often requires gaseous nitrogen for leak testing and other applications, but existing systems are inefficient and have a large footprint due to the need for booster compressors and heat exchangers.
Innovation Solution
A system for generating and storing nitrogen from air without the use of booster compressors or heat exchangers, which includes a compression system, a nitrogen separation unit, and a storage unit, capable of producing a nitrogen stream with at least 95% volume percent nitrogen at a pressure of 10-16 barg.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If booster compressors and heat exchangers are used between the nitrogen separation unit and storage unit, then the nitrogen can be stored at the required pressure, but the equipment footprint increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the booster compressor and heat exchanger components from the traditional nitrogen generation system architecture. By extracting these intermediate components, the system achieves direct pressure transfer from the separation unit to the storage unit, reducing equipment footprint while maintaining the required storage pressure through optimized direct coupling design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of pressure generation and nitrogen storage into a more integrated system configuration. The compression system and storage unit are directly coupled, eliminating the need for separate booster compressors and heat exchangers, thereby reducing the overall equipment footprint while maintaining operational effectiveness.
2Stress or pressure
If booster compressors and heat exchangers are used between the nitrogen separation unit and storage unit, then the nitrogen can be stored at the required pressure, but the number of components increases leading to higher maintenance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the booster compressor and heat exchanger components from the traditional nitrogen generation system architecture. By extracting these intermediate components, the system achieves direct pressure transfer from the separation unit to the storage unit, reducing equipment footprint while maintaining the required storage pressure through optimized direct coupling design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to be self-sufficient by eliminating the need for external booster compressors and heat exchangers. The compression system directly feeds the storage unit, creating a self-contained nitrogen generation and storage system that reduces maintenance requirements and improves reliability.
3Stress or pressure
If booster compressors and heat exchangers are used between the nitrogen separation unit and storage unit, then the nitrogen can be stored at the required pressure, but the capital costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the booster compressor and heat exchanger components from the traditional nitrogen generation system architecture. By extracting these intermediate components, the system achieves direct pressure transfer from the separation unit to the storage unit, reducing equipment footprint while maintaining the required storage pressure through optimized direct coupling design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of pressure generation and nitrogen storage into a more integrated system configuration. The compression system and storage unit are directly coupled, eliminating the need for separate booster compressors and heat exchangers, thereby reducing the overall equipment footprint while maintaining operational effectiveness.
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
This solution reduces the equipment needed, resulting in a smaller footprint and improved reliability, while also reducing maintenance and energy costs, facilitating the use of methanol as a green energy source.
Implementation Method 1
a compression system configured to compress air to a pre-selected feed pressure and provide a compressed air flow at the pre-selected feed pressure
Implementation Method 2
The nitrogen separation unit can be configured to separate nitrogen (N2) and oxygen (O2) from the compressed air flow fed to the nitrogen separation unit via the compression system
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for nitrogen generation for methanol powered maritime vehicles can include a compression system for compressing air and feeding compressed air to a separation unit for separation of nitrogen and oxygen from the compressed air. The nitrogen can be output from the separation unit for storage at an elevated pre-selected pressure suitable for feeding to a methanol engine of a maritime vehicle (e.g. a ship) for use in purging, leak testing, inerting, or other uses. Embodiments can be configured so there is no heat exchanger or booster compressor positioned between the separation unit and the nitrogen storage unit.