In 2000, the US Geological Survey (USGS) acknowledged that almost one-third of the earth’s undiscovered oil and fuel assets had been within the Arctic. These are wild, distant areas the place temperatures repeatedly drop as little as -50°C. The acute ambient circumstances additionally compound a big problem related to LNG manufacturing, movement measurement.

It’s no secret that pure fuel is compressed 600 occasions in quantity to facilitate simpler transport as LNG. Underneath the very best circumstances, measurement is a problem since quantity is a operate of strain and temperature, components that may create havoc in metrology. Panametrics expertise is broadly deployed on liquefaction trains, together with ones situated in excessive circumstances just like the Arctic.

Earlier than pure fuel may be equipped to nationwide distribution networks, it must be liquefied for transport. LNG terminals are confronted with receiving the fuel for processing and transferring the fuel inside their facility, storing, and finally transferring the now liquid product to vessels that can deliver it to market. Pure fuel modifications bodily type inside the infrastructure that handles these operations as temperature and strain circumstances differ. As an example, LNG is saved at pressures very near its boiling level inside cryogenic double-walled tanks.

Inside these tanks, it’s principally steady. Nonetheless, as soon as LNG begins transferring by a pipeline, there’s a danger of it altering to a two-phase movement if there are scorching spots alongside the trail or if the strain drop transforms a number of the liquid into fuel with a a lot increased quantity. Correct measurement is crucial to minimise misplaced and unaccounted-for product. Inside the LNG facility, Panametrics engineers labored with the shopper to determine conditions with the best potential for product loss and the best want for movement measurement. Wants centered across the transport of LNG, backflow of boil-off fuel (BOG), and flare.

The LNG facility was constructed to face up to the cruel setting utilizing a modular design. This strategy saved practically 30% in building prices however created a compact infrastructure devoid of sufficiently lengthy straight runs, a requirement for precisely measuring movement with ultrasonic meters. Getting correct measurements was one of many prime priorities for the shopper to export LNG effectively. The temperamental nature of LNG calls for that or not it’s dealt with at a really low temperature (round -150°C or decrease). Each time LNG strikes from a vessel to the processing facility, some BOG must be flown in the wrong way to keep up the fragile strain equilibrium to stop the speedy launch of LNG vapors, referred to as ‘rollover’. Right here once more, there was a necessity for exact measurement.

The third space requiring cautious measurement is the dealing with of extra fuel. Because of the liquefaction course of, extra fuel (primarily methane) is vented by a flare stack the place, as a security protocol, it’s combusted. Relying on the place it’s launched, the surplus fuel going to the flare can have an enormous movement price vary – from 0.03 m/sec. as much as 100+ m/sec. – and temperature – from -160°C as much as +300°C – making the measurement a giant problem.

With the challenges recognized, Panametrics’ expertise with related LNG tasks took over. The corporate instantly set to work on a technical evaluation that included a overview of isometric engineering drawings and computational fluid dynamics to mannequin the setting mathematically.

This work resulted in a plan that was custom-tailored to the wants of this explicit LNG facility and relied closely on Panametrics’ Sentinel LNG movement meter, the newest addition to its sequence of superior ultrasonic movement meters for LNG measurement. The BOG and flare measurements each used the legacy fuel and flare meters, of which there are a number of thousand in operation worldwide. The plan, and Panametrics’ industry-leading experience in LNG, created a trustful setting with the EPC agency, and the shopper.

Valves, elbows, management valves, and different piping elements restrict the variety of straight runs in an LNG facility and might trigger movement disturbances. The tight configuration of this facility had greater than the standard quantity of those to suit inside the out there footprint.

To handle the woefully inadequate straight runs, which create measurement errors on account of non-fully developed movement profiles, Panametrics chosen our 4-path meter Sentinel LNG movement meter, which reacts to modifications in movement price with unbelievable pace and accuracy. The movement meter extends using ultrasonic expertise into cryogenic purposes for measuring LNG with unbeatable efficiency, reliability, and security and may be calibrated right down to ±0.25% of studying. In all, 26 Sentinel items had been put in.

Panametrics has a confirmed monitor report for BOG measurement in related LNG tasks. For this undertaking, the corporate advisable its XGM868i, which handles low strain and cryogenic circumstances exceptionally nicely utilizing ultrasonic expertise. Selecting this meter ensured towards strain drops and the upkeep of obligatory equilibrium strain.

The cruel setting of the area additionally demanded particular consideration for dealing with flare. To make sure that its product was up for the duty, along with utilizing its XGF868i flare electronics, Panametrics performed in depth testing of our transducers to show them to excessive temperature cycles. Creating synthetic environments utilizing liquid nitrogen and specialised ovens, the corporate examined the items at -190°C after which at +300°C. The transducers carried out at each extremes, enabling certifications for all hazardous space requirements whereas guaranteeing dependable operations.

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