1. New analyzers for new businesses
Alice VATIN
Research and Innovation Center in Gas and New Energies
CRIGEN – GDF SUEZ

2. Profound changes in the gas situation in Europe
3 main factors responsible
Declining European gas supplies
Development of renewable gases
Building of the European gas market
2 consequences in the mid-term
Increased diversity of gas supplies (LNG, biomethane…)
New gas exchanges considered
1 solution
Definition of a common gas quality specification at EU level
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3. Common gas quality specification
How ?
Implementation via a European Standard
(PrEN16726 – Gas Infrastructure – Quality of gas – Group H)
What for ?
Enabling the free flow of natural gas in the European Union
Improvement of the security of supply
Improvement of the economic position of gas in Europe
Consequences ?
Increase of gas quality monitoring throughout the networks
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4. Variations in gas composition
In the past (depending on the EU country)
Few entry points + stable gas quality in time
 Low variability in space and time
Only a few measurements needed
In the future
diverse sources + more production/entry points
 Increase of the variability in space and time
More measurements needed, spot analysis only is not suited
Consequences
Need for more tightening of the mesh of analysis for billing or using the gas
Analytical gear has to be adapted to the market new needs
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5. Gas quality monitoring today
Gas Chromatography
Reference method for gas analysis
In the laboratory
On site
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Source : Agilent, ABB, Emerson, MECI

6. Gas quality monitoring tomorrow?
Other techniques with the same aim are emerging gradually
Optical systems
Correlation methods
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Source : AP2E, MECI, Precisive

7. The study carried out By whom? For whom? What for?
CRIGEN, GDF SUEZ operational research and expertise center dedicated to gas, new energies and emerging technologies
For whom?
GDF SUEZ infrastructures operational business units
What for?
To help them better target analysers meeting their needs
To lower OPEX
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8. The approach, step by step
New suppliers and technologies are appearing on the market, offering solutions with potential for gas analysis
First step : benchmark
Identification of analysers of interest
Technical and economical positionning
Second step : evaluation tests on some analysers
Already existing technologies on the market (TRL scale)
Assessment of the analytical performances
Comparison with technologies used on site
Sorting out technologies by businesses
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9. New businesses considered
Short-term
Biomethane injection installations
(anaerobic digestion)
Small scale LNG applications
Industrial processes
Mid-term
H2 injection installations
Biomethane injection
Installations (thermo-chemical
Process)
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10. New businesses : needs and constraints
CONTRAINTS
Low response time
Size limited sites
Low startup time
Limited number of interventions
Gas composition :
Major components for LNG + other specifications for biomethane
Low CAPEX to match investments in a small installation
Robustness
Sampling
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11. Solutions with potential for gas analysis
Why are they interesting ?
Quick response time, essential for regulation loops in processes;
Easy and cheap to install : ATEX, sampling cost, installation time;
Easy and cheap to use, low OPEX : no carrier gas, low maintenance, cheap optical source to remplace;
Allow precise gas quality measurements in small installations where the gas quality is not monitored yet and where it is not viable or feasible to use gas chromatography.
But at the moment
CAPEX sometimes too high due to only a small number of analyzers already sold;
Only few feedback from users available;
No type examination certificate.
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12. Performance tests in the CRIGEN labs
Performance tests include tests on stability, linearity, precision, accuracy, drift over time, interferences, uncertainty measurement…
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13. Example of a correlation method (for Natural Gas)
Principle
Injector coupled with TCD
Thermal conductivity measurement
Support vector regression to obtain the GCV
Source : MECI
Very good repeatability
RSD = 0,04%
Stability of measurement
2 minutes
Monthly drift
< 0,15%
Accuracy
0,40%
Only works for H gas
new algorithm for L gas needed
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14. Example of optical systems (for LNG)
Principle Tunable Filter Spectroscopy
Patented technology
Fabry-Perot interferometer
NIR/IR absorption spectroscopy
Advanced spectral decomposition analysis
Source : PRECIISIVE
T90
3 minutes
Used for LNG composition
Repeatability for C5s too high
Not Type examination certified but MPE of GCV < 0,5%
Indirect measurement of N2
No influence of flow or pressure on the measurement
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15. Example of optical systems (for Biomethane)
Principle : Optical Feedback Cavity Enhanced Absorption Spectroscopy
Patented technology
Multi-pass optical cavity
Optical path up to 10 kms
measurement performed in depression to minimize interference
Source : PROCEAS
Great sensibility and fast response time
No detection of hydrocarbons above C4
No measurement of N2, but of other components in biomethane like H2S and NH3
Robust analyzer
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16. Thank you for your attention
Chapitre sous titre
Thank you for your attention
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17. 20/05/2015