An optimal design methodology for large-scale gas liquefaction

This paper presents an optimization methodology for thermodynamic design of large scale gas liquefaction systems. Such a methodology enables configuration selection and parametric optimization to be implemented simultaneously. Exergy efficiency and genetic algorithm have been chosen as an evaluation index and an evaluation criterion, respectively. The methodology has been applied to the design of expander cycle based liquefaction processes. Liquefaction processes of hydrogen, methane and nitrogen are selected as case studies and the simulation results show that relatively high exergy efficiencies (52% for hydrogen and 58% for methane and nitrogen) are achievable based on very general consumptions.