Method and apparatus for reducing C2 and C3 at LNG receiving terminals
A liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal is provided, including an extraction column adapted and configured to separate a C 1 component from other components in a LNG stream into a C 1 rich stream, one of a gas condenser and a heat exchanger adapted and configured to condense the C 1 rich stream into a liquid, and a pump adapted and configured to increase a pressure of the liquid C 1 rich stream.
1. A liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal, comprising:
an extraction column adapted and configured to separate a C 1 component from other components in a LNG stream into a C 1 rich stream;
a gas condenser adapted and configured to condense the C 1 rich stream into a liquid,
wherein the gas condenser uses less than about 50% of the LNG stream as a coolant; and
a pump adapted and configured to increase a pressure of the liquid C 1 rich stream.
2. The LNG receiving terminal of claim 1 , wherein the terminal includes one of a gas direct-contact condenser and a gas indirect-contact condenser.
3. The LNG receiving terminal of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the LNG stream used as the coolant in the gas condenser versus the LNG stream processed by the extraction column is selected based on a composition of the LNG stream and a quality specification for a processed sendout gas stream.
4. The LNG receiving terminal of claim 2 , wherein the terminal includes the gas indirect-contact condenser, and wherein the gas indirect-contact condenser uses liquid nitrogen as a coolant.
5. The LNG receiving terminal of claim 1 , wherein the terminal includes the heat exchanger.
6. The LNG receiving terminal of claim 5 , wherein the heat exchanger uses the LNG stream as a coolant.
7. The LNG receiving terminal of claim 5 , wherein the heat exchanger uses liquid nitrogen as a coolant.
8. The LNG receiving terminal of claim 1 , wherein the C 1 rich stream includes less C 2 than the LNG stream.
9. The LNG receiving terminal of claim 8 , wherein the C 1 rich stream includes less than about 6 mole % C 2 .
10. The LNG receiving terminal of claim 1 , wherein the C 1 rich stream includes less C 3 + than the LNG stream.
11. The LNG receiving terminal of claim 10 , wherein the C 1 rich stream includes less than about 3 mole % C 3 +.
12. The LNG receiving terminal of claim 1 , further comprising:
a vaporizer adapted and configured to vaporize the liquid C 1 rich stream into a processed C 1 stream,
wherein the pump pumps the liquid C 1 rich stream to the vaporizer.
13. The LNG receiving terminal of claim 1 , wherein an operating pressure of the extraction column is in the range of about 20 barg to about 50 barg.
14. The LNG receiving terminal of claim 1 , wherein the terminal is free of sendout gas pressurizing compressors.
15. A method of separating components in a liquefied natural gas (LNG) stream at a receiving terminal, comprising:
separating a C 1 component from other components in the LNG stream into a C 1 rich stream;
condensing the C 1 rich stream into a liquid C 1 rich stream,
wherein condensing the C 1 rich stream comprises mixing the C 1 rich stream with the LNG stream; and
pumping the liquid C 1 rich stream to increase a pressure of the liquid C 1 rich stream.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
altering an amount of the LNG stream mixed with the C 1 rich stream to achieve a quality specification for the liquid C 1 rich stream.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein condensing the C 1 rich stream comprises passing the C 1 rich stream through a heat exchanger.
18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising vaporizing the liquid C 1 rich stream into a processed C 1 stream.
19. A liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal, comprising:
means for separating a C 1 component from other components in a LNG stream into a C 1 rich stream;
means for condensing the C 1 rich stream into a liquid C 1 rich stream,
wherein the means for condensing includes means for mixing the C 1 rich stream with the LNG stream;
and
means for increasing a pressure of the liquid C 1 rich stream.
20. The LNG receiving terminal of claim 19 , further comprising:
means for altering an amount of the LNG stream mixed with the C 1 rich stream to achieve a quality specification for the liquid C 1 rich stream.
21. The LNG receiving terminal of claim 19 , wherein the means for condensing includes means for exchanging heat with a coolant without mixing the coolant with the C 1 rich stream.