About this Research Topic
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) has increased rapidly in the global energy market because of its ease of distribution, high energy density, and clean combustion emissions compared to other fossil fuels. It has been recognized as a bridge for transitioning to a low net carbon energy society before renewable energy and firm dispatchability is available in large-scale.
LNG supply chain includes natural gas liquefaction, LNG storage, LNG shipping, and LNG regasification. Each part of the LNG supply chain has the chance to be enhanced from the perspective of energy and process engineering. Thus, it is advantageous to building a green and sustainable LNG supply chain to achieve a low net carbon energy society.
Natural gas liquefaction processes are intrinsically energy intensive due to the cryogenic working conditions. Energy enhancement of liquefaction processes through process retrofit, global optimization, and introducing novel components is worthy of investigation. The interest in the condensation heat transfer of natural gas and mixed refrigerants in the main cryogenic heat exchanger is also increasing, but it is limited by the lack of numerical and experimental studies. For LNG storage and shipping, accurate prediction of boil-off gas (BOG) generation in LNG tanks is still challenging due to the complex multi-component phase change mechanism. Moreover, potential BOG treatment and re-liquefaction technologies should be developed. As for LNG regasification, the evaporation heat transfer characteristic of LNG in vaporizers should be further explored to improve the terminal efficiency. Finally, systems and processes that can utilize LNG cold energy might be further proposed and investigated with a short payback period.
This Research Topic welcomes the submission of Original Research and Review papers regarding the recent developments of green and sustainable LNG supply chains to achieve a low net carbon energy society. Potential topics such as the following are welcomed but not limited to:
(1) Advanced natural gas liquefaction processes design and optimization, including process configuration retrofitting, adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) optimization algorithms for energy-savings, new mixed refrigerant developments, etc.
(2) Boil-off gas (BOG) treatment and re-liquefaction technologies both for the LNG carrier and receiving terminal.
(3) Greenhouse gas emissions and life cycle impact assessments and mitigation of LNG supply chain emissions.
(4) Numeric modeling of LNG storage tanks to predict the accurate BOG generation, temperature, and pressure profiles inside the tank.
(5) Evaporation heat transfer characteristics of supercritical LNG in vaporizers, i.e., open rack vaporizer (ORV), intermediate fluid vaporizer (IFV), and sub-merged combustion vaporizer (SCV).
(6) Condensation heat transfer characteristics of natural gas and mixed refrigerants in a plate-fine heat exchanger and spiral wood heat exchanger.
(7) Advanced process design and integration for LNG cold energy utilization.
(8) Prescriptive maintenance and self-configuring control of LNG assets using machine learning and big-data.
(9) Component designs, i.e., novel heat exchanger for liquefaction and regasification, cryogenic turbine, and high-efficiency compressor.
(10) Recent progress in floating LNG, LNG carrier, and floating storage regasification unit (FSRU).
(11) Dynamic modeling of the liquefaction process, regasification process, and LNG cold energy utilization system, with advanced control strategies.
(12) Part-load operational performance of natural gas liquefaction processes.
(13) Emerging and novel technologies for small-scale LNG and biomethane liquefaction plants.
LNG supply chain includes natural gas liquefaction, LNG storage, LNG shipping, and LNG regasification. Each part of the LNG supply chain has the chance to be enhanced from the perspective of energy and process engineering. Thus, it is advantageous to building a green and sustainable LNG supply chain to achieve a low net carbon energy society.
Natural gas liquefaction processes are intrinsically energy intensive due to the cryogenic working conditions. Energy enhancement of liquefaction processes through process retrofit, global optimization, and introducing novel components is worthy of investigation. The interest in the condensation heat transfer of natural gas and mixed refrigerants in the main cryogenic heat exchanger is also increasing, but it is limited by the lack of numerical and experimental studies. For LNG storage and shipping, accurate prediction of boil-off gas (BOG) generation in LNG tanks is still challenging due to the complex multi-component phase change mechanism. Moreover, potential BOG treatment and re-liquefaction technologies should be developed. As for LNG regasification, the evaporation heat transfer characteristic of LNG in vaporizers should be further explored to improve the terminal efficiency. Finally, systems and processes that can utilize LNG cold energy might be further proposed and investigated with a short payback period.
This Research Topic welcomes the submission of Original Research and Review papers regarding the recent developments of green and sustainable LNG supply chains to achieve a low net carbon energy society. Potential topics such as the following are welcomed but not limited to:
(1) Advanced natural gas liquefaction processes design and optimization, including process configuration retrofitting, adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) optimization algorithms for energy-savings, new mixed refrigerant developments, etc.
(2) Boil-off gas (BOG) treatment and re-liquefaction technologies both for the LNG carrier and receiving terminal.
(3) Greenhouse gas emissions and life cycle impact assessments and mitigation of LNG supply chain emissions.
(4) Numeric modeling of LNG storage tanks to predict the accurate BOG generation, temperature, and pressure profiles inside the tank.
(5) Evaporation heat transfer characteristics of supercritical LNG in vaporizers, i.e., open rack vaporizer (ORV), intermediate fluid vaporizer (IFV), and sub-merged combustion vaporizer (SCV).
(6) Condensation heat transfer characteristics of natural gas and mixed refrigerants in a plate-fine heat exchanger and spiral wood heat exchanger.
(7) Advanced process design and integration for LNG cold energy utilization.
(8) Prescriptive maintenance and self-configuring control of LNG assets using machine learning and big-data.
(9) Component designs, i.e., novel heat exchanger for liquefaction and regasification, cryogenic turbine, and high-efficiency compressor.
(10) Recent progress in floating LNG, LNG carrier, and floating storage regasification unit (FSRU).
(11) Dynamic modeling of the liquefaction process, regasification process, and LNG cold energy utilization system, with advanced control strategies.
(12) Part-load operational performance of natural gas liquefaction processes.
(13) Emerging and novel technologies for small-scale LNG and biomethane liquefaction plants.
Keywords: LNG, Regasification, LNG cold energy, LNG supply chain, Process design and optimization, Dynamic simulation and control, Energy efficiency
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
