A Study on the Performance Evaluation of Turbo Expander Generator

Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) imports natural gas from overseas producers, stores it at production facilities, and then vaporizes and transmits it through a nationwide primary pipeline network spanning approximately 5,000 kilometers to various pressure-regulating stations. At these stations, high-pressure natural gas (60 bar) is reduced to 35-8 bar using pressure-reducing valves before being delivered to end-users. However, the energy released during this pressure reduction process is currently unutilized and wasted. The Turbo Expander Generator represents an innovative energy generation system that harnesses this previously untapped pressure energy from the natural gas pressure reduction process at existing stations to produce electricity. By leveraging the existing infrastructure, this system minimizes the costs and potential public opposition associated with constructing new power plants, thereby proving to be an efficient distributed power source that warrants further expansion. This paper presents the characteristics of the Turbo Expander Generator, outlines the performance evaluation process for ensuring operational safety, and discusses its potential for broader integration into the power grid.