Prepared By:

 Shafaat Khan
Chemical Engineering
University of Engineering &
Technology Peshawar, Pakistan
 Cooling of Natural Gas by
Refrigeration Process
Contents
 Natural Gas
 Composition
 Main Uses
 Natural Gas Processing
 Cooling
 Cooling Methods
 Refrigeration
 Parts of MRU
Contents (Cont…..)
 Refrigerant Cycle
 Recommendations
Natural Gas
 Natural gas consisting mainly of
methane.
 Nonrenewable fossil fuel.
 It is found associated with fossil fuels, in
coal beds.
Composition
 Methane70-90%
 Ethane 5-15%
 Propane 5%
 Butane 5%
Main Uses
 Power generation
 Domestic use
 Transportation Fuel
 Fertilizer
 Aviation
 Hydrogen
Natural Gas
Processing
 Dehydration
 Desulphurization
 Cooling
Dehydration
 Removal of water content from natural
gas.
 Because:

i). Water forms hydrates

ii). Water causes corrosion
Desulphurization
 Removal of Sulpher content from natural
gas is called Desulphurization.
 Because

i). Sulpher pollutes the environment.

Cooling
 Lowering the temperature of the raw gas
so condensates can be removed.
 Control the Hydrocarbon Dew Point.
Cooling Methods
 Refrigeration
 Turbo Expander
 JT Valve
Refrigeration
 Mechanical Refrigeration Unit is used for
refrigeration Process
Parts of MRU
 Coalescer Filter Unit
 Gas-Gas Exchanger
 Gas-Liquid Exchanger
 Chiller
 Low Temperature
Separator
 De-Ethanizer
 MEG Injection
Coalescer Filter Unit
 It consist of two sections
i). Coalescer Element
ii). Double Pocket Vane
 It removes initially free liquid contents
www.amistco.com
Gas-Gas Exchanger
 Gas-Gas Exchanger is used to cool the
gas by exchanging heat with the cooled
residue gas.
 MEG is used in this step
 It is a mixture of water(20%) and Mono
Ethylene glycol(80%).
Gas-Liquid Exchanger
 Condensate Enters form Shell side
 Raw Gas from Gas-Gas Exchanger enters
the tube side.
 Raw Gas temperature lowers from 70ºF to
50ºF
 Condensate temperature rises from -15ºF
to 30ºF
Chiller
 Pre cooled gas from gas-gas exchanger
enters the chiller.
 The function of chiller is to further
reduce the temperature of raw gas
before it enters LTS.
 It is just like a heat exchanger and
propane is used as a refrigerant.
Low Temperature
Separator
 High pressure horizontal vessel.
 It consist of deflector plates.
 It separates the liquid from gas on the
basis of gravity and retention time.
De-Ethanizer
 Hydrocarbon Liquids passes through the
liquid gas heat exchanger.
 From gas liquid heat exchanger it enters
the De-Ethanizer and Showered from
top of De-Ethanizer.
Mono ethylene Glycol
Injection
 MEG is injected along with raw gas
before it enters the Gas/Gas exchanger.
 It enters the tube side of the gas/gas
Heat exchanger.
 It prevents Hydrates formation.
 It is 80% MEG and 20% water.
Refrigerant cycle
 It recovers the refrigerant.
Refrigerant
Accumulator
 A horizontal high pressure vessel.
 For maintaining high pressure,
regulators are installed.
 It accumulates the refrigerant.
Dessicator
 It
consist of silica gel, which acts as
moisture absorbent.
 Acts as filter for removal of impurities.
Overhead Heat
Exchanger
 It is a U type Shell and tube Heat
Exchanger.
 It cools the refrigerant prior to the
throttling valve.
Refrigerant Shell Side

De Ethanizer Vapor Tube Side

Expansion Valve
 Refrigerantpasses through it.
 Sudden expansion occurs.
 Due to which pressure drops and
temperature lowers.
Economizer
 Reduces the load on the compressor.
 Make the process economical.
 Consist of the level control valve which
works as an expansion valve.
 Pressure drops and temperature lowers.
Evaporator
 Just like a heat exchanger.
Refrigerant Shell side
Gas Tube side
 After Heat exchange the refrigerant
enters the compressor
Compressor
 Compressor draws the refrigerant
vapors from evaporator.
 Rises the pressure and temperature.
 Sends the compressed refrigerant to the
condenser.
Condenser
 The condenser accepts the high
pressurized refrigerant from the
compressor.
 Exchanges the heat with the
atmosphere.
 Here phase change occurs.
 Refrigerant Liquefies.
 Liquefied Refrigerant back to the
accumulator.
Recommendations
 Refrigerant
Selection
 Magnetic Refrigeration
Factors affecting Refrigerant
 Properties
 Operatingcondition
 System components
 Chemical stability
 Cost
 Environmental Friendly
Properties
 Temperature
 Pressure
 Toxicity
 Heat Capacity
Operating Conditions
 EnvironmentalEffect on the operation
 Temperature Difference
System Components
 Temperature Withstand
 Corrosiveness
Selected
 Ammonia Toxic, High Temp,
Environment
 R-134 Corrosive
 R-122 Selected
Magnetic
refrigeration
 Working principle are based on the
magnetocaloric effect.
 MCE is the lowering of temperature.
 Temperature as low as 0.3K
 MCE is the phenomena in which a material
temperature is changed by exposing it to the
changing magnetic field.
 Paramagnetic salt is used as refrigerant.
 e.g. cerium magnesium nitrate.
 References

 www.processgroup.com.au
 www.britannica.com
 www.wipo.int
 www.naturalgas.org
 www.pfaudler.com
 www.amistco.com