GE unveils LNG In A Box system

GE Oil & Gas introduced the LNG In A Box system, a small-scale, plug-and-play, re-deployable liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueling solution based on proven technology that can help accelerate the use of natural gas as a cost-effective, cleaner transportation fuel.

The world’s first commercial application of the LNG In A Box system will be for LNG fueling stations in Europe to be delivered by Luxembourg-based LNG firm Gasfin through its operating company AIR-LNG, GE announced at the 17^thInternational Conference & Exhibition on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG-17) in Houston.

Each LNG In A Box unit is fully equipped with a gas pre-treatment system, cold box assembly and boil off gas compressor as well as a GE’s turboexpander compressor, high-speed reciprocating compressor, electric motor, driver and control system. LNG In A Box units for Gasfin will be manufactured in the United States and will be shipped to Gasfin’s LNG fueling sites in Europe.

Gasfin signed a memorandum of understanding with GE to install five LNG In A Box units serving “clusters” of LNG fueling stations. The first unit will be installed near the border of Italy and Slovenia, with the potential for an additional 25 units for expansion into Europe and the CIS countries.

In comparison to GE’s Micro LNG plant announced last year (earlier post), this new system offers customers a more standardized, modular fueling solution covering an LNG production range of 10,000 – 50,000 gallons a day (16-18 tons/day). It expands GE’s existing LNG portfolio and is the first available in a 10,000-gallons-a-day capacity that reduces demand-side adoption risk and requires a low CapEx and OpEx commitment.

Small-scale solutions such as the LNG In A Box system may encourage the transition of long-haul trucks from diesel fuel to LNG, GE suggests. In the case of North America, fuel savings may yield a three-year payback based on current fuel prices.

The small-scale solution also is economically suited for customers seeking a 10-50,000-gallons-a-day production capacity. Typical LNG tanks for heavy-duty vehicles hold an average of 70-150 gallons (110-240 kg), so one 10,000-gallon-a-day (17 tons/day) system would be able to fuel up to 100 trucks per day.

Previously introduced GE products include the CNG In A Box system (earlier post), a fully integrated compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling supply system offering cost-effective plug-and-play simplicity for fleet and retail fueling stations that provide CNG fuel; and the Micro LNG plant to power remote industrial locations and for fueling long haul trucks and locomotives running on LNG in the future.

Source: Green Car Congress