Optimization of the propulsion plant of a Liquefied Natural Gas transport ship

Abstract

Stricter emission regulations and variability of fuel prices pose the focus on the optimization of steam turbine based propulsion plants of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) ships. The efficiency of such a propulsion plant has been improved in this work by studying the introduction of reheating and preheating stages in the onboard regenerative Rankine cycle. A thermodynamic model of the propulsion plant has been developed from the facility diagrams, being validated afterwards with available experimental data from actual ship operation.