(72b) Optimized Vaporization Process with Unfavorable Design Conditions

There are several types of vaporization schemes which have been commercially developed, such as open rack vaporizer, fired heater with shell and tube vaporizer, submerged combustion vaporizer, intermediate fluid vaporizer, ambient air vaporizer, etc. Selection of right vaporizer system is the most important process in LNG Terminal design as the regasifying costs contribute major portion of an LNG terminal operation..

High reliability with low operational costs of the regasifying system is a key parameter for a successful operation of an LNG receiving terminal. Incheon LNG terminal, is one of the biggest LNG terminals in the World, has successfully optimized vaporization facility with unfavorable weather conditions. The terminal's vaporization involves ORV, SCV and Seawater heaters.

Seawater temperature conditions at Incheon terminal is often below the ORV's design temperature in winter. Reversely, the gas demand has shown extremely high in the winter. The operation flexibilities and production capacity extremely reduces under this unfavorable conditions.

Optimized vaporization has been achieved by combination design of SCV and ORV with seawater heaters, which enables to use seawater as a heating medium even though it is below design temperature. Heat can be recovered from lower seawater temperature with some limited send-out capacity.

This paper reviews ORV performance and optimum heat recovery temperature under harsh seawater temperature. This paper discusses practical optimization of vaporization with the unfavorable seawater conditions in winter. Economic comparison between conventional vaporization and optimized vaporization, which are under operation, is also discussed