• Kutz, Philipp Werner

Abstract

To reduce the emission of CO2, liquified natural gas (LNG) is used as fuel. As the pipeline network is not developed all around the globe, LNG needs to be transported via ship or truck. Double-walled tanks made of steel with a vacuum insulation are currently used to keep LNG at cryogenic temperatures (-162 °C; 111 K). The double-walled construction makes the tanks heavy and expensive. Furthermore, there are some restriction to carry out in-service inspection using a double-wall design. Main topics: Lightweight design, superior thermal properties of GRP compared to steel Aim of this project is to develop a single-walled tank made of glass-fiber reinforced plastic (GRP) and an insulator, so that the tank pressure will not exceed 5 bar within a certain time, relative, as a result of the rising fluid temperature. First, the thermal and mechanical properties of GRP and the insulator at cryogenic temperatures must be determined. Liquid nitrogen (-196 °C; 77 K) is used for all experiments at cryogenic temperatures for safety reasons. Mechanical properties are analyzed by performing 3-point bending tests on cooled specimen. The tests show, that there are now significant changes on the mechanical properties of GRP, so that this material can be used in a cryogenic environment. To examine the thermal conductivity of GRP, a test rig is designed, in which one side of a GRP-laminate plate is cooled down while the other side is at room temperature at the beginning. Temperature is measured on both sides of the plate as well as inside the laminate. The temperature curves are then implemented in a ANSYS simulation to calculate thermal material properties. The experiments show, that the thermal conductivity of GRP is much lower than the one of steel, but still not low enough to design a single walled tank without an additional insulation. Therefore, a closed GRP pipe with insolation inside is immersed in liquid nitrogen for a defined time. Sensors record the surface temperatures inside and outside the specimen, as well as between insulation and GRP. With the data gained in this experiment, another ANSYS model is done. For correct simulation of the heat transfer between insulation and liquid nitrogen (or LNG later), a fluid simulation is necessary, which simulates the phase change from liquid to gaseous nitrogen. After validation of the model, a parameter study in the material properties of the insulation is performed, until a satisfying setup is achieved.

Topics

• impedance spectroscopy
• surface
• polymer
• phase
• experiment
• simulation
• glass
• glass
• Nitrogen
• steel
• composite
• bending flexural test
• thermal conductivity