Numéro : 2399 - Year : 2002
Improvement of the LNG carrier design
Jacques DHELLEMMES, GAZTRANSPORT & TECHNIGAZ
Sound competition, vessel's size and technical innovations are the key factors that have been identified to reduce cost of shipping, while maintaining safety and reliability at the unprecedented level set by the LNG shipping community.
The paper focuses on technical improvements achievable in the very near future, such as:
i) G.TT develops ship projects with capacities well in excess of 200,000m3, thanks to the membrane unique feature of being adaptable to any hull shape.
ii) Hull bodylines: A new shape of tank (bi-oblique tank) has been developed allowing an increase of about 20% in the capacity of tank N° 1 compared to existing geometry. G. T T has developed with the assistance of Marin (Wageningen) a new set of hull body lines fully adapted to the bi-oblique tank. In this study, special care has been given to the performances of the ship.
iii) Containment system: G. T T is actively engaged in different ways to improve the Containment System. G. T T has launched a new containment system which reduces building costs while increasing the overall efficiency (insulation thickness, weight) of a new and improved generation of LNG Carriers
iiii) New propulsion: historically LNG Carriers have been powered with steam turbines in spite of their low efficiency, weight and higher space occupancy when compared to other available systems, such as medium speed diesel engines or gas turbines. Those have both demonstrated their inherent capacities to comply with the requirements of LNG Carriers.
Improvements in these fields would impact positively on the cargo carrying capabilities of LNG Carriers. Economic assessment, taking into account all parameters such as gain in capacity, investment and operating costs, should then offer a better solution for tomorrow's LNG transportation.
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