Application of waste heat powered absorption refrigeration system to the LNG recovery process

Abstract

The recovery process of the liquefied natural gas requires low temperature cooling, which is typically provided by the vapor compression refrigeration systems. The usage of an absorption refrigeration system powered by waste heat from the electric power generating gas turbine could provide the necessary cooling at reduced overall energy consumption. In this study, a potential replacement of propane chillers with absorption refrigeration systems was theoretically analyzed. From the analysis, it was found that recovering waste heat from a 9 megawatts (MW) electricity generation process could provide 5.2 MW waste heat produced additional cooling to the LNG plant and save 1.9 MW of electricity consumption. Application of the integrated cooling, heating, and power is an excellent energy saving option for the oil and gas industry. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd and IIR.