Step on the gas

This article has described the electrical power system studies that are necessary to ensure the correct and reliable operation of a large LNG plant. The features of typical LNG plants have been described and the required operational constraints on such systems discussed. The software analysis tools used for such system studies and the methodologies adopted to ensure that the proposed design meets the FEED requirements are discussed. The key performance criteria to be checked by load-flow, fault level, motor-starting, transient and dynamic stability and harmonic penetration studies are highlighted, with typical results from actual studies used to illustrate these points. The examples demonstrate that an iterative approach is required, as changes to satisfy one performance criteria may have a detrimental impact on another equally important criteria.