Turbine usability and power generation potential for natural gas expansion process in pressure reduction stations

Due to the increasing energy demand in the world, alternative energy production methods are being developed. One of these methods is the generation of electrical energy by using the pressure energy generated by reducing the pressure of the natural gas in natural gas pressure reduction stations. In this study, the electricity generation potential of the natural gas, whose pressure is reduced at a natural gas pressure reduction and measurement station located in Erzin district of Hatay province, was studied. Within the scope of this study, a design was made for the case of using an expansion turbine instead of the expansion valve which is used currently as a pressure reducing element in the facility, and for this design, the electricity generation potential was investigated by providing one-year real operating data from the facility. For the designed system, the existing station was optimized based on the natural gas input parameters to the facility. The results were analyzed by making energy and exergy based analyzes. In addition, the environmental analysis of the designed system was carried out, considering the reduction of the total amount of carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere, by means of the energy savings provided by the electrical energy that can be produced with this system. Furthermore, the economic analysis of the system was made by examining the results obtained and considering the installation and operating costs of the designed system. EBSILON® Professional software was used for the design and optimization of the expansion turbine system throughout the study.