Techno-Economic Modeling of the High-Efficient Self-Cooling Natural Gas Liquefaction System in Pressure Reduction Stations: a Case Study of Shahid Salimi Power Plant of Neka

Habibiannejad, ُSeyed Hossein; Jahangiri, Ali; Ameri, Mohammad

doi:10.22075/jme.2025.35336.2728

Techno-Economic Modeling of the High-Efficient Self-Cooling Natural Gas Liquefaction System in Pressure Reduction Stations: a Case Study of Shahid Salimi Power Plant of Neka

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

ُSeyed Hossein Habibiannejad

Ali Jahangiri

Mohammad Ameri

Faculty of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

10.22075/jme.2025.35336.2728

Abstract

Today, the demand for natural gas (NG) as a low-emission energy carrier is on the rise. Simultaneously, the share of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a method of gas transportation is also increasing. The high-pressure gas pipelines for urban gas supply, along with pressure reduction stations (PRSs), have expanded significantly in Iran over the past few years. In the PRS, the pressure energy of NG is lost. Therefore, LNG production using the self-cooling method in PRS (LPRS) is one solution to recover this energy and produce LNG simultaneously. This method requires attention due to very low electricity consumption and simplicity compared to other liquefaction methods. Replacing LPRS instead of PRS, in addition to creating a product sales market, can decrease energy waste in PRS. The feasibility of the plant construction requires both technical and economic evaluations. In this research, we have designed an LPRS process specifically for the Neka power plant. After identifying suitable thermodynamic points, an economic evaluation that considered the entire LNG production chain is conducted. In this study, through a parametric analysis, the liquefaction rate has achieved 27.6%. The coefficient of performance, specific power consumption, and exergy efficiency are 0.68, 160.0, and 61.8% at the maximum liquefaction point, respectively. Furthermore, the results of the economic study show that the highest IRR and the lowest break-even point are calculated as 38% and 2.4 years, which are realized at the maximum liquefaction point.

Keywords

Liquified Natural Gas (LNG)

Pressure reduction station (PRS)

Expander

Liquefaction rate (LR)

Economic sensitivity analysis

Internal Rate of Return (IRR)

Subjects

Mechanical Engineering – Energy Systems

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