Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is an essential component of the global energy infrastructure, stored at cryogenic temperatures to facilitate efficient transportation and storage. LNG tank design and material selection are critical to ensure their safety, durability, and performance. In addition to exploring tank design and materials, it’s essential to understand the various applications of LNG tanks to fully appreciate their role in the energy sector.
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LNG tanks are designed to hold natural gas in liquid form at temperatures around -162°C (-260°F). They must accommodate extreme cold, pressure variations, and potential thermal stresses. Here’s a detailed look at the primary tank types and critical design considerations:
Tank Types:
Single Containment Tanks: These tanks feature a single layer of steel with an outer concrete structure. Due to lower safety margins, they are typically used for smaller storage capacities and are less common for large-scale applications.
Double Containment Tanks: These tanks have an inner steel tank and an outer concrete or steel containment layer. They offer additional safety by managing potential leaks and providing an extra layer of protection.
Full Containment Tanks: These tanks, featuring an inner LNG container and a secondary containment system, are designed to handle any potential leaks, making them the standard for large-scale LNG storage.
Design Considerations:
Thermal Insulation: Advanced insulation materials like perlite, vacuum, or polyurethane foam prevent heat ingress and maintain the LNG at cryogenic temperatures.
Pressure Control Systems: Relief valves and monitoring systems are essential for managing internal pressures and ensuring safe operation.
Seismic and Structural Integrity: Tanks must withstand seismic activity and other structural stresses, so they often incorporate reinforced concrete and detailed structural analyses.
Choosing suitable materials is crucial for the performance and longevity of LNG tanks. Here’s a look at the commonly used materials:
Inner Tank Materials:
9% Nickel Steel (ASTM A553): Ideal for the inner bottom plate and inner shell or wall plates, this material provides high toughness and resistance to brittle fracture at cryogenic temperatures.
Low-Temperature Carbon Steel: This is sometimes used with 9% nickel steel for components where extreme cryogenic properties are not as critical.
Outer Tank Materials:
Concrete: Used for the outer containment layer in double and full containment tanks, providing robust structural support and additional thermal insulation.
Steel: Sometimes used in the outer tank for high-stress areas, often coated or treated to resist corrosion.
Tank Roof Materials:
ASTM A516 Grade 70: This carbon steel is suitable for the tank roof plate, offering strength and toughness at lower temperatures.
Insulation Materials:
Perlite: Effective for insulating against cryogenic temperatures.
Glass Fiber and Aerogel: Advanced materials offering excellent thermal insulation but at higher costs.
LNG tanks play a critical role in various applications across the energy sector. Here’s how they are utilized:
LNG Import and Export Terminals:
Import Terminals: LNG tanks at import terminals receive LNG from ships and store it before it is regasified and distributed into the local gas network.
Export Terminals: LNG tanks store liquefied natural gas at export terminals before it is loaded onto ships for international transport.
LNG Storage and Distribution:
Utility Companies: Utilities store and distribute natural gas for residential and commercial use in LNG tanks, ensuring a steady supply even during peak demand periods.
Industrial Applications: Industries use LNG tanks to store and supply natural gas for processes that require a consistent and reliable fuel source.
LNG as a Fuel:
Marine Transportation: LNG tanks are used in ships designed to run on LNG, reducing emissions compared to traditional marine fuels.
Heavy-Duty Vehicles: LNG tanks are used in trucks and buses that operate on liquefied natural gas, offering a cleaner alternative to diesel fuel.
Emergency Backup and Peak Shaving:
Backup Power: LNG tanks provide backup power solutions for areas with unreliable electricity supply, ensuring that natural gas is available for power generation during outages.
Peak Shaving: LNG storage helps manage peak demand by storing excess gas during low-demand periods and releasing it during high-demand periods.
LNG Production Facilities:
Liquefaction Plants: LNG tanks store the liquefied product at production facilities, where natural gas is cooled and condensed into a liquid form for efficient storage and transport.
To ensure the safety and efficiency of LNG tanks, consider the following:
Thermal Stress Management: Proper insulation and expansion joints are necessary to manage thermal stresses caused by extreme temperature variations.
Safety Features: To address potential risks associated with LNG storage, incorporate leak detection systems, fire protection, and emergency shutdown systems.
Regulatory Compliance: Adhere to industry standards and regulations from organizations such as the American Petroleum Institute (API), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Cryogenic tanks are an essential part for many industries, as they are a key element to store certain gases crucial for diverse processes. In light of such importance, we take a look at the different possibilities in the current cryogenic tanks market and provide 4 key questions to answer before acquiring a cryogenic container.
Cryogenic tanks are a type of industrial storage tank ideal for situations where large quantities of gas need to be stored in liquid form.
They are the right solution to store substances such as Liquid Oxygen, Liquid Nitrogen, Argon, C02, LNG, LPG, Liquid Hydrogen, etc, all of which must be stored at very low temperatures in order to maintain their properties. Thus, it’s common to hear of a cryogenic oxygen tank, a LNG cryogenic tank, and so forth.
As more and more industries require the gases mentioned above, demand for cryogenic tanks keeps growing and is projected to grow at a higher rate than 5% CAGR between and .
The main characteristics of an adequate cryogenic storage tank include:
Related content: Cryogenic dewar: tips for a safe, optimized storage
The structure for cryogenic tanks is made of three parts:
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While cryogenic tanks have this basic structure in common, it’s possible to distinguish between two types of cryogenic container:
When choosing cryogenic tanks, companies must consider what substances they need to store, and communicate it to the tanks manufacturer.
Different substances will require a different tank shape and design, so that it perfectly adapts to the cryogenic liquid it will need to store.
Some common substances that require a cryogenic container include:
Different companies will be in need of different tank sizes, depending on their substance demand and use, among other factors. At Cryospain we are specialized in tanks for large quantities >500 m3
Stainless steel and carbon steel are the main two materials for building cryogenic tanks. At the same time, different insulating materials can be used: from cellular glass, to rockwool and expanded perlite. Thus, each project must be studied separately, in order to ensure the right materials are used.
Other criteria to pick the right cryogenic tanks can include:
Keep reading: Everything you need to know when choosing cryogenic tanks for gas storage
At Cryospain we develop custom flat-bottom cryogenic tanks, as well as large vacuum-insulated cryogenic pressure vessels, all according to our clients’ needs as well as international and local regulations.
We are in charge of designing these cryogenic tanks from the first sketches through to construction and commissioning, coordinating our design, engineering and production teams.
In order to take into account our clients’ needs and to guarantee a smooth implementation, we provide a careful design process through computer-aided systems, which provide virtual simulations of the future cryogenic tanks.
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