South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries said it has recently completed the single mixed refrigerant (SMR) LNG re-liquefaction testing facility at its headquarters in Ulsan.
The company said it has acquired all the safety approvals from the South Korean Gas Safety Corporation, for its SMR technology that enables 100 percent reliquefaction of gas that evaporates from LNG carrier tanks.
HHI notes that it has developed the SMR technology with LGE (Liquid Gas Equipment), a UK gas processing engineering company.
SMR is scheduled to be installed for the first time on four LNG carriers that Hyundai Heavy Industries is building for Greek and Russian customers under orders placed in 2017.
HHI noted the new technology would lower the LNG boil-off rate (BOR) during operation close to 0.017 percent, three times lower compared to the conventional LNG partial liquefaction systems.
The shipbuilder added that last year it has received 15 liquefied natural gas (LNG) including seven options, accounting for over 40 percent of the total orders for LNG carriers globally.
The SMR re-liquefaction test facility adds to the LNG refueling and LNG regasification demonstration facilities, HHI already operates.