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Australian Energy Producers Journal Australian Energy Producers Journal Society
Journal of Australian Energy Producers
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Cryogenic expansion joint for LNG service

Minyuan Lu A B , Cameron Wheeler A and Stephanie Weir A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Clough Ltd, 34 Parliament Place, West Perth, WA 6005, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: Aaron.Ryder@clough.com.au

The APPEA Journal 57(1) 211-217 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ16186
Accepted: 17 March 2017   Published: 29 May 2017

Abstract

Pipelines transporting cryogenic liquids, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), are typically constructed with metal components with a relatively high thermal expansion coefficient. Pipelines contract in length due to the large temperature differential that occurs. To accommodate this thermal contraction, LNG plants, offloading jetties, and other facilities typically utilise expansion loops and/or conventional in-line expansion joints (e.g. bellows). However, expansion loops require a large amount of space and support platforms, which can be costly and/or disruptive to an LNG facility construction. Additionally, conventional bellows-type expansion joints offer very little torsional strength, which may lead to catastrophic failure in the joint. Engineers at Clough Limited have patented two unique embodiments of a cryogenic expansion joint:

  • a sliding concentric pipe-in-pipe cryogenic expansion joint; and

  • a torsional cryogenic expansion joint.

Both designs utilise inherent material properties to seal sequential pipeline segments together at cryogenic conditions. The pipe-in-pipe expansion joint provides large axial and unlimited torsional movement. The torsional expansion joint provides unlimited radial and some axial movement. These embodiments eliminate the large conventional expansion loops and reduce project capital expenditure.

Keyword: pipeline.

Minyuan Lu is the Clough Limited Process Engineering Discipline Manager, responsible for the management of 25 process engineers. Minyuan has more than 20 years’ experience in the oil and gas and LNG industries. Minyuan has worked on major LNG projects in Australia and overseas. With strong research and development capabilities, Minyuan is focussed on innovation and intellectual property development at Clough Limited.

Cameron Wheeler is a process engineer at Clough Ltd. He has worked actively on various LNG projects and has built strong capability in LNG facility engineering.

Stephanie Weir is a process engineer at Clough Ltd. She has worked actively on various projects and has strong engineering as well as research and development capabilities.


References

Lu, M., Watters, T., Weir, S., and Wheeler, C. (2016). Cryogenic expansion joint. United States patent 503854228.