SMART SENSORS FOR LNG
Transcript of SMART SENSORS FOR LNG
CONTENTS
Monitoring in LNG
Production
Transport
Use
Background & State of the Art
Sensing principles
LNG III Activities
Smart sensors for LNG 28 Oktober 20182
MONITORING DURING LNG PRODUCTION, TRANSPORT AND USE
Implementation of monitoring solutions depend on position in LNG chain
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https://www.schott.com/epackaging/english/lft/lng_vessels.htmlhttp://interfaxenergy.com/gasdaily/article/32268/https://www.wartsila.com
Gas:
Pressure
Composition
Methane Number
Liquid:
Density
Temperature/pressure
Flow rate
Energy content
Power plantsTransport
LNG Engines
EXAMPLE LNG PRODUCTION PLANT
Australian Woodside Energy installed more than 200.000 sensors in its Pluto LNG plant
Mainly physical sensors
Temperature
Pressure
Valve integrity
Structural integrity
Vibrations
Foaming detection
Flow
Limited or no use of chemical or composition sensors
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https://www.iothub.com.au/news/woodsides-pluto-big-data-project-uses-200k-sensors-415230https://www.afr.com/business/energy/oil/woodside-petroleum-breathes-new-life-into-pluto-lng-expansion-plans-20170222-guil2xhttps://www.itnews.com.au/news/woodside-deploys-iot-sensors-to-prevent-foaming-418730
COMPOSITION MONITORING
Quality monitoring during production: accurate feed and product analysis
Custody transfer: quality ensurance at transfer points
Power generation: optimizing combustion efficiency and reduce emission levels
Many locations in supply chain require gas composition and calorific value assessment:
Gas pretreatment facilities
Export and import locations
Storage tanks
Vaporization/condensing facilities
Composition fluctuations may have major influence on power generation [fuel cell, gas turbine, LNG engine] occur by:
Blending multiple sources
Removing heavier hydrocarbons
Changing Calorific Value
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https://www.processonline.com.au/content/instrumentation/article/optical-sensor-for-natural-gas-composition-analysis-1105187018
STATE OF THE ART
Wobbe index meter / calorimeter
Combustion of the calorific gasses
Gas chromatography
FTIR / NDIR
Combination of IR-spectroscopy and thermal conductivity
RAMAN Spectroscopy
General draw backs
Large (dm3 - m3)
Expensive (10 - 50 k€ )
Influence on gas flow / not inline
Do not give full composition
High purity carrier gas (He or H2) required [GC]
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www.etgrisorse.comwww.honeywellprocess.comwww.hobré.comwww.asap.nlwww.spectrasensors.com
CH4 C2H6 C3H8 C4H10POSSIBLE SENSOR PRINCIPLES
GC:
Infrared absorption:
Raman scattering:
Chemical interactions:
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time
LNG III – SMART SENSOR DEVELOPMENT
Metrology for LNG III – Metrological support for LNG and LBG as a transport fuel
Goals: development and validation of sensors for deriving chemical parameters, relevant for engine operations
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LNG Tank
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Capacitive sensor – TNO
Tunable filter sensor – VTT
FTIR – Reganosa
Naturgy
Mestrelab
METHANE NUMBER
Requirements set for the accuracy of the measurement of the Methane Number is ± 2 points
Methane number of fuel is measured in calibrated engine [see TUBS/PTB presentation]
Assessment of MN without direct engine experiments:
Direct correlation between MN and FTIR [ Reganosa/Naturgy/Mestrelab approach]
This requires many different LNG mixtures for training the algorithm
Calculate composition from sensor readings and convert data to MN [TNO and VTT approach]
This requires accurate conversion algorithm (e.g. NPL algorithm)
Accuracy required in composition
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Gas Required accuracy
Methane 14.1%
Ethane 1.8%
Propane 0.68%
Butane 0.32%
Pentane 0.14%
Nitrogen 3.5%
TUNABLE FILTER INFRARED SENSOR
Tunable filter technology enables the miniaturization of NIR spectrometers to make them suitable as chemical sensors
IR absorption is measured in 40 cm temperature controlled gas cell
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Spectral Engines
T-control
Sample
cell
Light
source
CAPACITIVE COMPOSITION SENSOR ARRAY
Array of 8-10 chips that measure the change in capacitance
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Chip 1
Chip 2
Chip 3
Capacitance
8-10 coating must be developed for:
methane
ethane
propane
n & iso butane
n & iso pentane
nitrogen
carbon dioxide
water
COATING DEVELOPMENT – LOWER HYDROCARBONS
Development and results for lower hydrocarbons are obtained in previous projects
Huib Blokland presented results of field test using prototype sensor yesterday
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∆CH4: 2 vol% ∆C2H6: 0.5 vol% ∆C3H8: 0.1 vol% ∆CO2: 0.5 vol%
Composition
CH4: 82%C2H6: 3%C3H8: 0.7%CO2: 3%
COATING DEVELOPMENT – HIGHER HYDROCARBONS
Porous particles in polymer coating are very suitable for absorbing larger hydrocarbons
13 additives screened for response to propane, n-butane and n-pentane: 5 gave sufficient response
New polymer introduced to immobilize additives on electrodes: faster response & more stable signal
Most new coatings respond similar to iso & n-alkanes,
Array of 10 coatings is defined for the composition analysis of LNG:
CH4, C2H6, C3H8, n-C4H10, n-C5H12, N2, CO2, H2O [requirement for iso and n will be tested]28 Oktober 2018Smart sensors for LNG
N2CH4
C3H8C4H10 C5H12
N2CH4
C3H8C4H10 C5H12
5 vol% C3H8
4 vol% n-C4H10
1 vol% n-C5H12
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COMPARISON SENSITIVITY
Comparing sensitivity of two solutions:
Capacitive sensing of higher hydrocarbons shows much higher sensitivity than lower hydrocarbons or carbon dioxide
Infrared sensing of higher hydrocarbons is only slightly more sensitive than lower hydrocarbons; nitrogen cannot be detected
Sensitivity of FTIR can be enhanced by increasing path length, and can be sensitive to 10 -100 ppm
Sensitivity of capacitive sensor can only be increased using more selective coatings and can be sensitive to 100-1000 ppm
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Component Capacitive Infrared
Methane 1 1
Ethane 20 0.5
Propane 136 1.5
N-butane 250 1.9
N-pentane 1150 2.5
Carbon dioxide 12 3
Nitrogen 0.5 -
Relative sensitivity
PRELIMINARY SENSITIVITY CAPACITIVE SENSOR
Field tests of first demonstrator have shown sensitivities and accuracies very compatible with requirements for MN accuracy of ± 2
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Gas Required accuracy
Experimental accuracy
Methane 14.1% 0.6%
Ethane 1.8% 0.3%
Propane 0.68% 0.04%
Butane 0.32% -
Pentane 0.14% -
Nitrogen 3.5% 0.6%
CO2 ? 0.3%
HARDWARE
New design hardware for the read-out of 10 signals (= 5 chips)
5 chips instead of 4
Repositioning of pressure and temperature sensor
Adapted data processing algorithms
First batch is manufactured
Adaptation of gas exposure system to 8 gasses simultaneously
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TNO ENGINE TESTSDUAL-FUEL COMBUSTION ON 6 CYLINDER TRUCK ENGINE
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Objectives
Validation of the gas composition sensor in an environment that is typical for present and future heavy-duty gas engines:
• Sensor accuracy for pressure variations;
• Sensor accuracy for concentration variations
Outlook towards the meaning and value of MN for advanced dual-fuel combustion concept RCCI
Potential assessment of sensor signals for control purposes in dual-fuel applications.
Engine test fuels
4 different natural gas compositions;
i. Pure methane (G20), MN = 100;
ii. Dutch natural gas, MNcalculated1 ≈ 85;
iii. Equivalent natural gas mixture for Dutch natural gas composed of reference gases (determined based on input from PTB RCM work in this WP)
iv. Tailored gas mixture, MNcalculated = 70;
Diesel fuel type: EN590;
FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES – FIBER OPTIC CHEMICAL SENSING
Coated Fiber Bragg Grating sensor sensors have specific benefits w.r.t. electronic solutions:
Suitable for sensing in remote inaccessible locations (> 10 km)
Small size of fiber (< 500 µm thick)
Possibility of multipoint or distribution in single optical fiber
Insensitive for electromagnetic radiation
Applicable at high temperatures and pressures
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λ1λ0
FIBER OPTIC SENSING
Glass fibers are coated with porous ceramic particles, polymers, or mixtures
Makes glass fibers suitable for hydrocarbon sensing
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Porous ceramic particles
grown onto glass fiberCoated fiber exposed to ethane,
propane and butane at 25 °C and 1 bar
ZSM-5 coated fiber exposed to
propane at 260 °C and 200 bar
FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES - INTEGRATE IR AND COATINGS
Amplifying the Infrared response using coatings that concentrate the gases
Coating of porous ceramic particles is deposited on IR transparent substrate
Suitable for low concentrations of methane in exhaust gas (Methane Slip)
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IR source
IR detectorAIR in AIR out
Benzene, 10 ppm, 50 mm gas cell
Benzene, 25 ppb, 400 nm coating: amplification of > 106 times
Porous coating on
transparent substrate
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Bronkhorst High Tech – integration of device
Alliander - field test in gas grid
Enexis - field test in gas grid
Venne Electronics – development electronics
NXP / EKL– chip design and supply
Xensor Integration – chip packaging
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Huib BloklandProject manager
+31 (0)6513 502 84
www.tno.nl
Dr. Arjen BoersmaSenior scientist
+31 (0)88 866 57 13
www.tno.nl