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

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 20/05/2015

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 20/05/2015

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 20/05/2015

Gas quality monitoring today Gas Chromatography Reference method for gas analysis In the laboratory On site 20/05/2015 Source : Agilent, ABB, Emerson, MECI

Gas quality monitoring tomorrow? Other techniques with the same aim are emerging gradually Optical systems Correlation methods 20/05/2015 Source : AP2E, MECI, Precisive

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 20/05/2015

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 20/05/2015

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) 20/05/2015

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 20/05/2015

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. 20/05/2015

Performance tests in the CRIGEN labs Performance tests include tests on stability, linearity, precision, accuracy, drift over time, interferences, uncertainty measurement… 20/05/2015

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 20/05/2015

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 20/05/2015

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 20/05/2015

Thank you for your attention Chapitre sous titre Thank you for your attention 20/05/2015

20/05/2015