Machines. Technologies. Materials.
Vol. 19 (2025), Issue 12, pg(s) 472-475

TECHNOLOGIES

Thermoeconomic Analysis of an Organic Rankine Cycle for LNG Cold Energy Utilization

  • 1 Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka, Croatia

Abstract

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) has become a crucial source of energy supply security amid growing geopolitical tensions in recent years. During LNG regasification, a substantial amount of cold energy is released, and typically wasted into seawater. The cold-energy potential of LNG during regasification and warming from −161 °C to +15 °C at 80 bar is 750 kJ/kg, while the associated exergy potential is 400 kJ/kg. This paper investigates the potential for converting LNG cold energy into electricity through a cryogenic binary cycle. The results indicate that integrating an ORC system into the LNG regasification process can yield substantial energy and economic benefits while reducing the thermal waste at regasification terminals. The recoverable power per 1 kg/s of LNG is 90 kW/(kg/s) for a single-pressure ORC configuration using ammonia as the working fluid. The levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is 45 €/MWh while specific installation costs (SIC) are 2225 €/kW for a brownfield retrofit project on an existing regasification unit. This research confirms that the application of innovative cryogenic cycles enables a more sustainable and efficient use of the LNG supply chain, contributing to the decarbonization of the energy sector.

Keywords

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