丙烷预冷系统对FLNG晃动条件的适应性实验研究

Experimental study on the applicability of propane pre-cooling systems to FLNG shaking conditions

通过建立一套带有液位扰动系统的丙烷预冷液化天然气实验装置,研究丙烷预冷系统对浮式液化天然气装置(FLNG)晃动条件的适用性。实验中通过对丙烷分离器不同液位进行液位扰动来模拟晃动条件,分析丙烷预冷系统换热器在晃动条件下的温度特性。结果表明:丙烷分离器液位较低时,液位扰动对换热器的温度影响较大;随着液位的升高,液位扰动对换热器的温度影响不断减小;当液位达到一定高度后,液位扰动对换热器温度影响很小。丙烷预冷系统适用于FLNG,但在FLNG上使用须提高丙烷分离器的液位高度或分离器的位置,以降低晃动时液位波动对换热器的影响,因此,在设计时须加强安全设计和危险评估。

A set of experimental apparatus for propane pre-cooling process analysis was constructed, which was equipped with a liquid level disturbing mechanism, to simulate the FLNG shaking conditions. In the experiment the liquid levels in the propane separator were disturbed to simulate float shaking conditions, in order to analyze the heat exchanger＇s temperature characteristics under the shaking conditions. Experiments results showed that the liquid level disturbance would greatly impact the heat exchanger temperature when the level was very low. But the higher the level, the less the impact. When the level reached certain height, there would be little effect. Propane pre-cooling systems are applicable on FLNG, but the liquid level or the position of separator used in FLNG has to be raised in order to reduce the impact on the heat exchanger during shaking. So the safety issue and risk assessment should be seriously considered in the design process.