Prediction of solid formation conditions in mixed refrigerants with iso-pentane and methane at high pressures and cryogenic temperatures

High boiling-point components in mixed refrigerants can improve the performance of natural gas and hydrogen liquefaction facilities. However, such heavy compounds can freeze out from the refrigerant mixture, posing blockage and plant shutdown risks for cryogenic heat exchangers. To improve the predi...

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Main Authors: Sadaghiani, M.S., Siahvashi, A., Norris, B.W.E., Al Ghafri, S.Z.S., Arami-Niya, Arash, May, E.F.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2022
Online Access:http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT180100572
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/88277
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author Sadaghiani, M.S.
Siahvashi, A.
Norris, B.W.E.
Al Ghafri, S.Z.S.
Arami-Niya, Arash
May, E.F.
author_facet Sadaghiani, M.S.
Siahvashi, A.
Norris, B.W.E.
Al Ghafri, S.Z.S.
Arami-Niya, Arash
May, E.F.
author_sort Sadaghiani, M.S.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description High boiling-point components in mixed refrigerants can improve the performance of natural gas and hydrogen liquefaction facilities. However, such heavy compounds can freeze out from the refrigerant mixture, posing blockage and plant shutdown risks for cryogenic heat exchangers. To improve the predictions of these conditions, freezing and melting temperatures of pure iso-pentane and (methane + iso-pentane) binary systems were measured at temperatures down to 87.5 K and pressures up to 13 MPa. The iso-pentane melting data are compared with predictions of a thermodynamic model embedded in the ThermoFAST software package. Adjusting the model's fusion molar volume change parameter to force agreement with the measurements reduced the deviations of the experimental data from the model by over 90% relative to the default parameter value. The measured melting data for binary mixtures were used to confirm solubility predictions for iso-pentane in mixed refrigerants. Adding 20 mol% iso-pentane to a methane-rich refrigerant increases the available duty for cooling natural gas or hydrogen from (313–123) K by a factor of three. This improvement outweighs the risk of freeze-out in this refrigerant with the melting temperature being 98 K, which is 15 K lower than the minimum temperature needed for LNG production.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-882772024-05-24T09:13:10Z Prediction of solid formation conditions in mixed refrigerants with iso-pentane and methane at high pressures and cryogenic temperatures Sadaghiani, M.S. Siahvashi, A. Norris, B.W.E. Al Ghafri, S.Z.S. Arami-Niya, Arash May, E.F. High boiling-point components in mixed refrigerants can improve the performance of natural gas and hydrogen liquefaction facilities. However, such heavy compounds can freeze out from the refrigerant mixture, posing blockage and plant shutdown risks for cryogenic heat exchangers. To improve the predictions of these conditions, freezing and melting temperatures of pure iso-pentane and (methane + iso-pentane) binary systems were measured at temperatures down to 87.5 K and pressures up to 13 MPa. The iso-pentane melting data are compared with predictions of a thermodynamic model embedded in the ThermoFAST software package. Adjusting the model's fusion molar volume change parameter to force agreement with the measurements reduced the deviations of the experimental data from the model by over 90% relative to the default parameter value. The measured melting data for binary mixtures were used to confirm solubility predictions for iso-pentane in mixed refrigerants. Adding 20 mol% iso-pentane to a methane-rich refrigerant increases the available duty for cooling natural gas or hydrogen from (313–123) K by a factor of three. This improvement outweighs the risk of freeze-out in this refrigerant with the melting temperature being 98 K, which is 15 K lower than the minimum temperature needed for LNG production. 2022 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/88277 10.1016/j.energy.2022.123789 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT180100572 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ fulltext
spellingShingle Sadaghiani, M.S.
Siahvashi, A.
Norris, B.W.E.
Al Ghafri, S.Z.S.
Arami-Niya, Arash
May, E.F.
Prediction of solid formation conditions in mixed refrigerants with iso-pentane and methane at high pressures and cryogenic temperatures
title Prediction of solid formation conditions in mixed refrigerants with iso-pentane and methane at high pressures and cryogenic temperatures
title_full Prediction of solid formation conditions in mixed refrigerants with iso-pentane and methane at high pressures and cryogenic temperatures
title_fullStr Prediction of solid formation conditions in mixed refrigerants with iso-pentane and methane at high pressures and cryogenic temperatures
title_full_unstemmed Prediction of solid formation conditions in mixed refrigerants with iso-pentane and methane at high pressures and cryogenic temperatures
title_short Prediction of solid formation conditions in mixed refrigerants with iso-pentane and methane at high pressures and cryogenic temperatures
title_sort prediction of solid formation conditions in mixed refrigerants with iso-pentane and methane at high pressures and cryogenic temperatures
url http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT180100572
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/88277