Experimental and Numerical Study of Orifice Coefficient of Cargo Tank Design of LNG Vessels

Liquid cargo storage tanks of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers are designed by strict standards to maintain the cryogenic state (−163 °C). For most LNG cargo storage tanks, it is mandatory to install a system that can safely store leaked fluid for 15 days in the case of leakage of liquid cargo due to crack of the insulation system. To ensure safety, it is necessary to predict the amount of LNG spilling from the cracks in the insulation panels. Although international regulations are provided, they rely on a conservative and consistent coefficient. In this study, experimental and numerical methods were applied to examine the design factor used to predict the flow rate in the tank design process. To check the amount of leakage that occurs under pressure conditions of LNG tanks, an experiment was conducted using crack specimens and pressure containers filled with water. In order to simulate the leakage of LNG, the amount of leakage was predicted using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method. The distribution of leakage quantity was investigated according to the shape of the crack through the pressure vessel experiment and the analysis. Through CFD analysis, the leakage rate of LNG was calculated for each operating pressure condition through the crack. Finally, the results of this study examined the need to identify and reconsider the coefficients due to international guidelines and other factors in calculating orifice coefficients applied to the design of LNG tanks.