FUEL SUPPLY APPARATUS OF LIQUEFIED GAS CARRIER AND FUEL SUPPLY METHOD THEREOF

• US 20100089072A1
• Filed: 11/18/2007
• Published: 04/15/2010
• 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: Jung, Kyu-dong, Yoon, Ho-byung, Ha, Mun-keun, Lee, Joong-nam, Joh, Ki-hun
• Granted Patent: US 10,450,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/50.300
• 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 fuel supply apparatus of a liquefied gas carrier, comprising:

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 to be used in a propulsion system, to supply fuel to the propulsion system.

2. The fuel supply apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first valve of a first pipe from the cargo tank to the propulsion system;

a second valve of a second pipe which is divided from the first pipe connected to the compressor;

a third valve of a third pipe from the compressor to the compressed gas storage tank; and

a fourth valve of a fourth pipe which is divided from the third pipe and connected to the decompressor.

3. The fuel supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas fuel is at least one of a natural boiled-off gas 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.

4. The fuel supply apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the compressed gas storage tank is disposed in a space between an engine room of the liquefied gas carrier and the cargo tank.

5. The fuel supply apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the compressor is a multistage high-pressure compressor.

6. The fuel supply apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the compressed gas storage tank includes an explosion-proof film disposed at the outside thereof, to prevent an accident by explosion of the high-pressure gas fuel in an emergency.

7. The fuel supply apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the decompressor is a multistage decompressor.

8. A fuel supply method of a liquefied gas carrier, comprising:

compressing gas fuel into a high pressure;

filling the compressed gas storage tank with the compressed high-pressure gas fuel to be stored therein;

drawing the stored high-pressure gas fuel and decompressing the gas fuel into a pressure to be used for a propulsion system when fuel supply is required; and

supplying the decompressed gas fuel to the propulsion system to be used as a fuel.

9. The fuel supply method of claim 8, wherein the gas fuel is at least one of a natural boiled-off gas 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.