Freeport LNG Development LP
Year Submitted: 2010 |
Process: Heat Exchanger |
Industry: Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal |
Wastes Reduced: NOx |
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Location: Quintana TX |
No. of employees: 89 |
Contact: Michael Johns |
Phone: 979-415-8720 |
Description:
Freeport LNG Development, L.P. has developed an innovative warming air tower process for re-gasification of LNG that reduces nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions, saves fuel costs, increases natural gas throughput to the market, and does not impact marine environment.
P2 Application:
Typical LNG re-gasification facilities utilize boil-off gas (a portion of the LNG) to fire heaters to re-gasify the remaining LNG. Although clean burning natural gas is used, the combustion still creates NOx emissions, as well as other products that are precursors to greenhouse gases and other compounds associated with air pollution. Freeport LNG reconfigured a basic technology using a warming tower vaporization system to capture heat from ambient air, rather than from fired heaters, to re-gasify LNG into natural gas, thereby reducing NOx emissions. The design is similar to cooling towers commonly used in many industries. The process extracts large amounts of ambient heat from the air along the Texas Gulf coast during summer and much of the spring and fall. The tower produces enough heat to vaporize 1.55 Bcf/d when the air temperature is above 62°F. Typical NOx emissions for 1.5 Bcf/d of natural gas burned as fuel in conventional heaters ranges from about 70 to 300 tons per year. The air tower supports the same throughput with only about 23 tons per year of NOx - resulting in between 47 and 277 tons less NOx in the atmosphere. Estimates show that this process results in 70% reduction of annual fuel gas consumption compared to a regular gas vaporizing process in Gulf Coast area weather conditions. Freeport saves approximately $27 million in fuel costs using this technology.
- Total Cost Savings: $33,000,000.00
- Comments: Payback period is less than 3 years. Savings from reduced regulatory requirements are about 1.5 to 2.5 million dollars at approximately $40,000 per ton for NOx emission reduction credits.
Details of Reductions
- 7.3 - Select Below: of
Natural Gas
Comments: units = billion cubic feet
Additional Information :
This model can be used by all industries that vaporize fuel gas and operate where heat can be drawn from air, more especially, in warm environments. Freeport LNG partnered with Technip USA to engineer the design of the reverse cooling towers and SPX-Marley, a cooling tower design/constructor. The effective collaboration and unique air tower technology has reduced air pollution and provides a cost-savings while exceeding clean air regulations.
Source: TCEQ
