Metrology for LNG custody transfer and transport fuel applications

¹ VSL, Thijsseweg 11, 2629 JA Delft, the Netherlands
² RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Brinellgatan 4, 504 62 Boräs, Sweden
³ FORCE technology, Park Allé 345, 2605 Brøndby, Denmark
⁴ CESAME exadébit, 43 Route de l’aerodrome, 86036 Poitiers, France
⁵ RUB Ruht-Universität Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
⁶ INRiM, Strada delle Cacce 91, 10135 Torino, Italy
⁷ NPL, Hampton Road, Teddington Middlesex TW11 0LW, United Kingdom
⁸ TU Braunschweig, Hermann-Blenk Straβe 42, 38108 Braunschweig, Germany
⁹ PTB, Bundesallee 100, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany
¹⁰ Justervesenet, Fetveien 99, 2007 Kjeller, Norway

^* Corresponding author: gnieuwenkamp@vsl.nl

Abstract

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a strategic and, in case of long distances, more economical alternative for pipeline natural gas. LNG is seen as the only alternative for diesel fuel for heavy duty transport (trucks, ships), with a better CO₂ footprint and less noise produced by the engine. To enable the large scale roll-out of LNG as a transport fuel, a well established metrological infrastructure for LNG has to be realized. Within the framework of the EMRP Joint research Project ENG60 “Metrology for LNG” (LNG II), a number of metrological challenges are faced. The goals are to provide traceable mass and volume flow calibrations up to 400m³ LNG/h, to improve and validate sampling techniques for composition measurements, to improve the measurement of the LNG density and to prepare and validate an algorithm for the determination of the methane number. This paper gives an overview of the objectives that have been achieved and it provides an outlook to future activities that will be performed within a.o. the EMPIR 16ENG09 LNG III project.