The Impact of Contaminants
LNG liquefaction performance depends on refrigerant purity, consistency, and supply reliability. Diversified CPC works directly with LNG operators and engineering teams to help evaluate hydrocarbon refrigerant options that support energy efficiency, process stability, and long-term operational performance.
Why Does Purity Matter?
Contaminants negatively impact safety, productivity, and efficiency. Refrigerant contaminants can lead to gas leaks, equipment failure, and wasteful power consumption.
| Contaminant |
Impact |
| Moisture Content |
- Causes piping corrosion and possible lube oil breakdown in compressors.
- Freezes and expands, causing pipes to rupture.
- Generates ice shards that pass through the system, damaging pumps and seals.
|
| Mercury |
- Causes metal to be brittle by forming aluminum amalgam, leading to stress fractures.
|
Ethane
(High-pressure gas) |
- Increases horsepower by placing unnecessary demand on the compressor drive and discharge coolers.
- Limits natural gas flow rate to offset the additional load.
- Causes a high-pressure trip at the HHP stage.
|
| Butanes and Heavier |
- Requires higher refrigerant circulation to meet the targeted cooling temperature.
|
| CO2 |
- Causes corrosion and freeze-ups in the presence of moisture.
|
Other impurities
(neopentane, etc.) |
- Causes freeze-ups in the Mixed Refrigerants (MR) loop.
|
Refrigerant Selection Support
Selecting the right hydrocarbon refrigerant for LNG liquefaction impacts efficiency, throughput, and system reliability. Our technical teams collaborate with customers to review purity grades, product specifications, and operational requirements to ensure alignment with liquefaction system demands.
Operational and Supply Expertise
Reliable LNG operations require more than product quality alone. Diversified CPC combines high-purity hydrocarbon refrigerants with dependable supply capabilities and technical insight to help support consistent LNG processing and long-term facility performance.
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