Gasconsult files patent application

Gasconsult Ltd has announced that it has filed a patent application for a variant of its proprietary ZR-LNG liquefaction technology, which eliminates the need for a CO₂ removal unit as part of the feed gas pretreatment train.

LNG liquefaction schemes typically incorporate an upstream amine scrubbing system to remove CO₂ to below 50 mol ppm and prevent it solidifying in the main cryogenic heat exchanger. The size, weight and cost of the amine unit are all significant in the context of the overall liquefaction plant. The feasibility of the new Gasconsult scheme, termed ICR (Integrated CO₂ Removal), arises from the ZR-LNG process configuration and the particular temperature and CO2 concentration profiles within the cryogenic exchanger. This facilitates a simple CO₂ removal step within the basic ZR-LNG configuration, eliminating the need for an amine unit. The process is applicable to feed gases containing at least up to 5% CO₂. To accommodate higher CO₂ feeds, the new technology can be combined with a low cost bulk CO₂ pre-removal process, such as a membrane system.

Bill Howe, CEO of Gasconsult, said: "In the current energy price environment the LNG industry needs lower cost solutions. The basic ZR-LNG scheme is low cost and low power demand and our new variants, IPL (Integrated Pressure Liquefaction), IHR (Integrated Heavies Removal) and now ICR all contribute to substantially reducing plant capital and operating costs, both onshore and for FLNG.”

Edited from press release by Callum O'Reilly

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/liquefaction/22092016/gasconsult-files-patent-application-3084/