Aspen HYSYS LNG Model

Contents

1. Introduction............................................................................1

2. Components............................................................................ 1

3. Process Description..................................................................2

4. Physical Properties...................................................................2

5. Simulation Approach..................................................................3

6. Simulation Results....................................................................4

7. Conclusion...............................................................................................6

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1. Introduction

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) production started in the 1960s; it can be applied as a fuel for motor
vehicles or residential and industrial consumption. This document tries to provide a model for the LNG
process, it intended to:

 Provide an example of how to model the different sections of LNG process

 Supply a starting set of components and physical property parameters for modeling processes of
this type

The model is not intended for equipment design or for specifying other engineering documents without
further review by a process engineer with experience of LNG processes.

The model includes:

 A nominal set of chemical species and property parameters for this process.

 Typical process areas including: Acid gas removal, Natural Gas dehydration, Propane Pre-
Cooling Train, Compressor Train, LNG Section, and the main streams connecting these units and
sections.

 Key process control specifications such as mixed refrigerant flow rate.

2. Components

When Natural Gas is cooled to a temperature of approximately-256℉(-160℃) at atmospheric pressure,

it condenses to a liquid which call LNG, and Natural Gas is composed primarily of methane(typically,
more than 70%), and also contain ethane, propane and heavier hydrocarbons, small quantities of
nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, sulfur compounds and water.

The following components represent the chemical species present in the process:

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Table 1. Component Used in the LNG Model

Name Type Formula

H2O CONV H2O
Nitrogen CONV N2
Helium CONV He
CO2 CONV CO2
Methane CONV CH4
Ethane CONV C2H6
Propane CONV C3H8
i-Butane CONV C4H10
n-Butane CONV C4H10
i-Pentane CONV C5H12
n-Pentane CONV C5H12
n-Hexane CONV C6H14

3. Process Description

This LNG process model includes the following units:

Table 2. General Unit Operations Used in the LNG Process

Unit Purpose

Acid Gas Removal Remove CO2 from Natural Gas

Dehydration Remove H2O from Natural Gas

Propane Pre-Cooling Train Pre-Cooling the Natural Gas and Mixed Refrigerant

Compressor Train Section Increase the pressure of Mixed Refrigerant

LNG Section Convert Natural Gas to LNG product

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4. Physical Properties

Fluid Package used to calculate physical properties in Aspen HYSYS is Peng-Robinson, it is suitable for
preliminary work. HYSYS provide enhanced equations of state( Such as PR and PRSV) for rigorous
treatments of hydrocarbon systems, although Soave-Redlich-Kwong(SRK) equation also provides
comparable results to the PR in many cases, but SRK range of application is significantly limited as
following:

Table 3. Difference in range of application between PR and SRK equation.

Method Temp (℉) Temp (℃) Pressure (Psia) Pressure (kPa)

PR > -456 > -271 < 15,000 < 100,000
SRK > -225 > -143 < 5,000 < 35,000

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5. Simulation Approach

Unit Operations - Major unit operations in this model have been represented by Aspen HYSYS blocks
as shown in Table 4.

Table 4. Aspen HYSYS Unit Operation Blocks Used in the LNG Model

Unit Operation ASPEN-HYSYS "Block" Comments / Specifications

Acid Gas Removal Component Splitter Simplified simulation with CO2 removal process
Dehydration Component Splitter Simplified simulation with H2O removal process
Simplified simulation with Propane Pre-Cooling
Propane Pre-Cooling Train Cooler
Section
Cooler
Compressor Train Section Give detail simulation with compressor Train
Compressor
Separator
Give the detail simulation with Liquefied Natural
LNG Section LNG exchanger
Gas
Valve

Streams - Streams represent the material and energy flows in and out of the process. Streams can be
of three types: Material, Heat, and Work. Feeds to the LNG model are Natural Gas.

The simulation includes an Adjust Block as shown in Tables 5:

Table 5. Adjust Block Used in the LNG Model

Name Adjusted Variable Target Variable

MR Adjust Mass Flow of Stream MR Cool Temperature of Stream MR Return is 225K

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6. Simulation Results

The Aspen HYSYS simulation flowsheet is shown in Figure as following:

Figure 1. LNG Process in Aspen HYSYS

Figure 2. Natural Gas Purification Section in Aspen HYSYS

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Figure 3. Propane Pre-Cooling Train Section in Aspen HYSYS

Figure 4. Compressor Train Section in Aspen HYSYS

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 Figure 5. LNG Section in Aspen HYSYS

Key simulation results are presented in Table 6.

Table 6. Key Simulation Results

Plant capacity (LNG) 386700 kg/hr

Natural Gas feed 343982 kg/hr
Mixed Refrigerant Flow rate 1375073 kg/hr

7. Conclusion

The LNG model provides a useful description of the process. The model can be used as a guide for
understanding the process and the economics, and also as a starting point for more sophisticated models
for plant design and specifying process equipment.