Samsung Heavy Industries Successfully Demonstrates Independently Developed LNG Re-liquefaction System... "Strengthening Order Competitiveness"

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions... Contributing to Securing Competitive Edge in LNG Carrier Orders, the 'Efficient Solution'

Commemorative photo of Samsung Heavy Industries' successful demonstration of the self-developed liquefied natural gas (LNG) reliquefaction system, X-Reli. X-Reli will be installed on LNG carriers with high added value. (Photo by Samsung Heavy Industries)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Samsung Heavy Industries announced on the 2nd that it has successfully verified the performance of the 'X-Reli' liquefied natural gas (LNG) reliquefaction system at its Geoje Shipyard in Gyeongsangnam-do. The system will be installed on LNG carriers, which have high added value and have recently seen an increase in orders.

X-Reli is a system that reliquefies LNG evaporated gas naturally vaporized in ultra-low temperature cargo tanks at minus 163°C to preserve the cargo volume. It attracted attention for its technology that uses its own evaporated gas as a refrigerant without separate refrigerant charging (injection). It utilizes patented low-pressure cooling process technology under 50 atmospheres. According to Samsung Heavy Industries, a large number of key shipping companies and classification society officials, including Malaysia's state-owned shipping company MISC, Greece's Minerva, ABS, and KR, attended the X-Reli demonstration test.

The X-Reli, Samsung Heavy Industries' LNG demonstration facility. (Photo by Samsung Heavy Industries)

Samsung Heavy Industries stated that it has enhanced customer trust in the product by successfully verifying the performance of the same reliquefaction system to be installed on LNG carriers. As LNG prices have recently surged and shipping companies' interest in LNG cargo preservation technology has increased, demand for X-Reli is also expected to grow.

Furthermore, it is anticipated that X-Reli will contribute to reducing environmental pollution. LNG on LNG carriers is used for engines, generators, etc., but when leftover gas is discharged outside the ship, methane gas can be exposed to the atmosphere. Reliquefying this gas and returning it to the cargo tank helps reduce gas emissions. Lee Dong-yeon, head of the Shipbuilding and Marine Research Institute at Samsung Heavy Industries, said, "X-Reli is an eco-friendly solution that not only secures the economic efficiency of LNG shipping companies but also eliminates the incineration and atmospheric emission of LNG evaporated gas." He added, "We have succeeded in domestic production of key components such as heat exchangers and valves, which will also contribute to the development of the domestic shipbuilding equipment industry."

ABS Headquarters Director Jeon Hyun-bu, who attended the demonstration, said, "Samsung Heavy Industries' independent development and possession of LNG-related technology is expected to contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of Korean shipbuilders," and added, "We will actively cooperate in the development of new technologies."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.