The combination of the continuously growing demand of energy in the world, the depletion of oil and its sharp price increase, as well as the urgent need for cleaner and more efficient fuels have boosted the global trade of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Nowadays, there is an increasing interest on the design philosophy of the LNG receiving terminals, due to the fact that the existing technologies either use seawater as heating source or burn part of the fuel for regasifying LNG, thus destroying the cryogenic energy of LNG and causing air pollution or harm to marine life. This investigation addresses the task of developing novel systems able to simultaneously regasify LNG and generate electric power in the most efficient and environmentally friendly way.    Existing and proposed technologies for integrated LNG regasification and power generation were identified and simple, efficient, safe and compact alternatives were selected for further analysis. A baseline scenario for integrated LNG regasification and power generation was established and simulated, consisting of a cascaded Brayton configuration with a typical small gas turbine as topping cycle and a simple closed Brayton cycle as bottoming cycle. Various novel configurations were created, modeled and compared to the baseline scenario in terms of LNG regasification rate, efficiency and power output. The novel configurations include closed Rankine and Brayton cycles for the bottoming cycle, systems for power augmentation in the gas turbine and combinations of options. A study case with a simple and compact design was selected, preliminarily designed and analyzed according to characteristics and costs provided by suppliers. The performance, costs and design challenges of the study case were then compared to the baseline case. The results show that the study case causes lower investment costs and a smaller footprint of the plant, at the same time offering a simple design solution though with substantially lower efficiencies.

A motivação para este trabalho originou-se da atual tendência do Gás Natural Liquefeito (GNL) se tornar uma importante opção para a diversificação da matriz energética brasileira. Atualmente, os terminais de gás natural liquefeito (GNL) são na maioria estruturas onshore, a construção destes terminais é custosa e muitos investimentos são necessários para atender as legislações ambientais e de segurança. Além disso, um acidente em uma destas instalações poderá produzir um grande impacto em áreas adjacentes. Sob esta perspectiva, surge uma nova proposta: uma unidade flutuante de armazenagem e regaseificação de gás natural liquefeito (FSRU - Floating Storage and Regasification Unit), o qual é uma unidade offshore e que pode trabalhar a quilômetros de distância da costa. O objetivo desta pesquisa é desenvolver uma metodologia de análise de Confiabilidade com o uso de Redes Bayesianas (RB) e aplicá-la na análise do sistema de Regaseificação do FSRU. O uso de RB, entre outras vantagens, permite a representação de incertezas no modelo e de dependências condicionais o que não é possível com as técnicas tradicionais, como por exemplo, as árvores de falhas e de eventos. Como resultado do trabalho, além da apresentação da metodologia a ser desenvolvida, serão identificados os pontos críticos do sistema contribuindo para o desenvolvimento de um plano de manutenção que assegure uma boa operabilidade do sistema com níveis razoáveis de dependabilidade. / The motivation for this research is the propensity of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) becomes an important source of energy. Nowadays, LNG Import Terminals are mostly onshore; the construction of these terminals is costly and many adaptations are necessary to abide by environmental and safety laws. Moreover, an accident in one of these plants might produce considerable impact in neighboring areas. Under this perspective, a new option arises: a vessel known as FSRU (Floating Storage and Regasification Unit), which is an offshore unit, that can work miles away from de coast. The goal is to develop a Bayesian Network Reliability Modeling, which will show a preview of FSRUs Regasification System behavior. Using BN is possible to represent uncertain knowledge and local conditional dependencies. The results intend to clarify the critical equipment of the system and might improve the development of an effective maintenance plan, which can provide good operability with reasonable dependability levels.

A motivação para este trabalho originou-se da atual tendência do Gás Natural Liquefeito (GNL) se tornar uma importante opção para a diversificação da matriz energética brasileira. Atualmente, os terminais de gás natural liquefeito (GNL) são na maioria estruturas onshore, a construção destes terminais é custosa e muitos investimentos são necessários para atender as legislações ambientais e de segurança. Além disso, um acidente em uma destas instalações poderá produzir um grande impacto em áreas adjacentes. Sob esta perspectiva, surge uma nova proposta: uma unidade flutuante de armazenagem e regaseificação de gás natural liquefeito (FSRU - Floating Storage and Regasification Unit), o qual é uma unidade offshore e que pode trabalhar a quilômetros de distância da costa. O objetivo desta pesquisa é desenvolver uma metodologia de análise de Confiabilidade com o uso de Redes Bayesianas (RB) e aplicá-la na análise do sistema de Regaseificação do FSRU. O uso de RB, entre outras vantagens, permite a representação de incertezas no modelo e de dependências condicionais o que não é possível com as técnicas tradicionais, como por exemplo, as árvores de falhas e de eventos. Como resultado do trabalho, além da apresentação da metodologia a ser desenvolvida, serão identificados os pontos críticos do sistema contribuindo para o desenvolvimento de um plano de manutenção que assegure uma boa operabilidade do sistema com níveis razoáveis de dependabilidade. / The motivation for this research is the propensity of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) becomes an important source of energy. Nowadays, LNG Import Terminals are mostly onshore; the construction of these terminals is costly and many adaptations are necessary to abide by environmental and safety laws. Moreover, an accident in one of these plants might produce considerable impact in neighboring areas. Under this perspective, a new option arises: a vessel known as FSRU (Floating Storage and Regasification Unit), which is an offshore unit, that can work miles away from de coast. The goal is to develop a Bayesian Network Reliability Modeling, which will show a preview of FSRUs Regasification System behavior. Using BN is possible to represent uncertain knowledge and local conditional dependencies. The results intend to clarify the critical equipment of the system and might improve the development of an effective maintenance plan, which can provide good operability with reasonable dependability levels.

This master thesis deals with issue of natural gas liquefaction, its transport, storing and regasification. Part of this work was designing off a small liquefaction cycle and regasification unit.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) cold utilization in small scale regasification stations is a novel topic in the industry, while such systems have been proven feasible in large scale LNG facilities. Cold recovery and utilization in LNG regasification facilities would increase the thermodynamic efficiency and reduce cold pollution. The aim of the study is to analyze the possibility to apply industry-proven thermodynamic cycles in small scale satellite regasification stations for electricity production, taking the characteristics of a real-world regasification station project in Druskininkai, Lithuania for which useful cold utilization is not currently planned. Direct Expansion (DE) and Rankine (ORC) Cycles are analyzed together with cascading using Aspen Hysys software to find the optimal solution considering thermal and exergy efficiency as well as the payback period. Thermoeconomically feasible retrofit solutions of approximately 13% thermal efficiency and approximately 17% exergy efficiency showing payback periods of 5 to 10 years and 3.3 to 6 thousand euro additional capital expenditure (CAPEX) per net kW of power production are found. Increase in complexity of thermodynamic cycles is directly proportional to both increased thermodynamic efficiencies and capital costs and the study proves that there is a limit at which increase in thermodynamic efficiency of a cycle by cascading becomes economically infeasible. Future work is suggested to improve the accuracy of the results by rigorous design to evaluate pressure drops as well as improvements in economic analysis by utilizing the discounted cash flow methodology. Sensitivity analysis of LNG physical and chemical conditions as well as ambient air could be performed whereas changes in working fluid and better engineering of the part related to intial heat exchange could improve thermodynamic efficiencies. Alternative solutions with a higher temperature heat source are also suggested.

LNG, natural gas, Brayton cycle, Rankine cycle