Methodology for Thermal Analysis in Port Methane Storage

Methane, transported as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) at −163 °C, is becoming the leading fuel in the decarbonization of the maritime sector within the low-carbon fuels. More than 30 years of knowledge has allowed the development of an extensive offshore supply network that includes regasification plants to store and supply it to the grid, both onshore and offshore. This article first reviews the current state of the sector. Then, the operation of a typical onshore regasification plant and the heat transfer through the storage tanks that causes the generation of boil-off gas (BOG) are analyzed by means of two different methodologies. Finally, and based on the results obtained, the different improvements that can be implemented in this type of installation to improve its energy efficiency and insulation are established, such as, for example, an improvement of more than 4 W/m2 by reinforcing the thickness of the materials of the tank dome.