Fuel supply apparatus of liquefied gas carrier and fuel supply method thereof

• US 10,450,045 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2007
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Heavy Industries Company Limited (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Heavy Industries Company Limited (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Lee, Joong-nam, Joh, Ki-hun, Yoon, Ho-byung, Ha, Mun-keun, Jung, Kyu-dong
• Primary Examiner(s): Alosh, Tareq
• Application Number:
  US12/519,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20100089072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,326 Days
• Field of Search: 62 502, 62 503, 62 87, 62402
• CPC Class Codes: B63J 2099/003 of cargo oil or fuel, or of boil-off gases, e.g. for propulsive purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B63J 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/052 large (>1000 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/013 Two or more vessels
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0142 bundled in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0338 Pressure regulators
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/035 Propane butane, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0153 Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0161 cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/033 Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0164 with specified compressor type, e.g. piston or impulsive type
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/042 Reducing risk of explosion
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/037 with pressurising
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/066 for feeding engines for propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/07 Generating electrical power as side effect
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0105 Ships
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 3/025 Bulk storage in barges or on ships constructive aspects B63B25/16
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 70/50 Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to the propulsion system

Abstract

A fuel supply apparatus of a liquefied gas carrier includes: a compressor for compressing gas fuel into a high pressure; a compressed gas storage tank being filled with the compressed high-pressure gas fuel, for storing the gas fuel; and a decompressor for decompressing the high-pressure gas fuel drawn from the compressed gas storage tank into a pressure suitable to be used in a propulsion system, to supply fuel to the propulsion system. The gas fuel is at least one of a natural boiled-off gas which is naturally evaporated in the cargo tank, a forced boiled-off gas which is artificially evaporated, and a gas additionally supplied for the use of fuel. Further, the compressor is a multistage high-pressure compressor and the decompressor is a multistage decompressor.

Claims

1. A method of operating and fueling a liquefied gas carrier having a fuel supply apparatus which includes a cargo tank, a compressor for compressing gas fuel comprising a natural boiled-off gas naturally evaporated in the cargo tank into a high pressure to store the gas fuel, a compressed gas storage tank being filled with the compressed high-pressure gas fuel compressed by the compressor, a decompressor adapted to decompress the high-pressure gas fuel drawn from the compressed gas storage tank into a pressure to be used in the propulsion system when the propulsion system is re-operated, to supply fuel to the propulsion system, a first pipe extending from the cargo tank for connecting the cargo tank to the propulsion system, a first valve which selectively opens or closes the first pipe and is located in the first pipe, a second pipe which branches off from the first pipe upstream of the first valve and is connected to the compressor, a second valve located in the second pipe upstream of the compressor, a third pipe extending from the compressor to the compressed gas storage tank, a third valve which selectively opens or closes the third pipe and is located in the third pipe downstream of the compressor, a fourth pipe which branches off from the third pipe between the third valve and the compressed gas storage tank and is connected to the decompressor, and a fourth valve located in the fourth pipe upstream of the decompressor, the first pipe downstream of the first valve being connected to the fourth pipe downstream of the decompressor, the method comprising:

mooring or anchoring the liquefied gas carrier such that the propulsion system does not require gas fuel; and

operating the liquefied gas carrier such that the liquefied gas carrier is no longer moored or anchored,

wherein, only during the mooring or anchoring of the liquefied gas carrier such that the propulsion system does not require gas fuel, further comprising;

closing the first valve to stop supply of the gas fuel into the propulsion system and opening the second valve to introduce the natural boiled-off gas into the compressor,

compressing the natural boiled-off gas into high pressure in the compressor,

opening the third valve and closing the fourth valve to fill the compressed high pressure natural boiled-off gas into the compressed gas storage tank, and

storing the compressed high pressure natural boiled-off gas in the compressed gas storage tank,

wherein, during the operating of the liquefied gas carrier such that the liquefied gas carrier is no longer moored or anchored, further comprising;

closing the third valve and opening the fourth valve to introduce the compressed high-pressure natural boiled-off gas in the compressed gas storage tank into the decompressor,

decompressing the compressed high-pressure natural boiled-off gas introduced from the compressed gas storage tank through the decompressor, and

supplying the decompressed natural boiled-off gas decompressed by the decompressor to the propulsion system, and

wherein the opening of the third valve and closing of the fourth valve to fill the compressed high pressure natural boiled-off gas into the compressed gas storage tank occurs when the propulsion does not require fuel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gas fuel further comprises at least one of a forced boiled-off gas which is artificially evaporated and a gas additionally supplied for the use of fuel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing of the compressed high pressure natural boiled-off gas is in the compressed gas storage tank disposed in a space between an engine room of the liquefied gas carrier and the cargo tank.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the compressing of the natural boiled-off gas into high pressure is in a multistage high-pressure compressor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the decompressing of the compressed high-pressure natural boiled-off gas is in a multistage decompressor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing of the compressed high pressure natural boiled-off gas in the compressed gas storage tank and the supplying of the decompressed natural boiled-off gas decompressed by the decompressor to the propulsion system prevents a need to burn the natural boiled-off gas for regulation of pressure inside the cargo tank.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising fueling the propulsion system with the decompressed natural boiled-off gas.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising compressing the natural boiled-off gas into a fuel condition pressure of 6.5 bar in the compressor.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising fueling a boiler with the decompressed natural boiled-off gas.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising fueling a dual fuel engine with the decompressed natural boiled-off gas.