LNG vapor handling configurations and methods
First Claim
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1. An unloading plant for transfer of LNG from an LNG carrier to an LNG storage tank comprising:
- a compressor configured to receive and compress boil-off from the LNG storage tank;
a condenser or absorber configured to receive compressed boil-off from the compressor and a sendout LNG stream from the LNG storage tank to thereby produce a saturated liquid stream that is composed of the sendout LNG stream and compressed boil-off condensed therein;
a pressure reduction device configured to reduce pressure of a portion of the saturated liquid stream; and
an exchanger that is configured to subcool the LNG coming from the LNG carrier using refrigeration content of the portion after the pressure of the portion has been reduced.
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Abstract
LNG from a carrier is unloaded to an LNG storage tank in configurations and methods in which expansion of compressed and condensed boil-off vapors from the LNG storage tank provide refrigeration to subcool the LNG that is being unloaded. Most advantageously, such configuration and methods reduce the amount of boil-off vapors and eliminate the need for a vapor return line and associated compressor.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An unloading plant for transfer of LNG from an LNG carrier to an LNG storage tank comprising:
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a compressor configured to receive and compress boil-off from the LNG storage tank; a condenser or absorber configured to receive compressed boil-off from the compressor and a sendout LNG stream from the LNG storage tank to thereby produce a saturated liquid stream that is composed of the sendout LNG stream and compressed boil-off condensed therein; a pressure reduction device configured to reduce pressure of a portion of the saturated liquid stream; and an exchanger that is configured to subcool the LNG coming from the LNG carrier using refrigeration content of the portion after the pressure of the portion has been reduced. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A plant comprising:
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an LNG source configured to provide an LNG stream to an LNG storage tank that is configured to provide a sendout LNG and an LNG vapor; a compressor configured to compress the LNG vapor; a condenser or absorber fluidly coupled to the LNG storage tank and configured to receive the compressed LNG vapor and to provide a pressurized saturated liquid stream that is composed of the sendout LNG and LNG vapor condensed therein; a pressure reduction device configured to reduce pressure of a portion of the pressurized saturated liquid stream; and a heat exchanger that is configured to subcool the LNG stream using the portion of the depressurized saturated liquid stream from the pressure reduction device. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of transferring an LNG stream from an LNG source comprising:
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compressing boil-off from an LNG storage tank; receiving the compressed boil-off and a sendout LNG stream from the LNG storage tank in a condenser or absorber to form a pressurized saturated liquid stream that is composed of the sendout LNG stream and boil-off condensed therein; depressurizing a portion of the pressurized saturated liquid stream; and cooling the LNG stream using a heat exchanger which receives refrigeration content from the portion of the depressurized saturated liquid stream. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification