Analysis of the effect of pipe rupture on adjacent pipes using CFD

Abstract

Although pipeline is an important asset in the transport of fluids, there are many aged pipelines without proper maintenance or replacement. In particular, underground pipelines cause various accidents every year as they are invisible and difficult to manage. Methodologies have been studied to safely manage such pipelines, but few methodologies have analyzed the effect of accident on adjacent pipe. In this study, the behavior of the fluid emitted in the event of a pipe rupture and its effect on adjacent pipe are analyzed using CFD. The simulation is conducted on the above-ground pipeline where air exists between the pipe, and the maximum impact force applied to adjacent pipe is calculated given the transport fluid, operating pressure, and distance between pipelines. In the case of underground pipeline, the soil-induced effect is qualitatively reflected in the simulation results.