Facing Emerging Risks in Carbon Sequestration Networks. A Comprehensive Source Modelling Approach

Abstract

Tackling risks in emerging infrastructures is a key point in making them acceptable and safer. Carbon Sequestration pipeline networks, as part of the Carbon Capture and Storage chains, are linked to the handling of large amounts of CO2 and may be subjected to failures and ruptures. This results in large pressurized and multiphase releases of CO2 that behaves as a denser-than-air and asphyxiant gas. The lack of a comprehensive modelling approach in this sense makes employed risk safety procedures often unreliable and lacking.In this work, a comprehensive modelling approach, based on self-collected experimental data, is proposed with the aim of filling existing gaps. Results well match experimental data and the modelling procedure allows for the estimation of characteristic parameters linked to heat transfer phenomena and the incidence of geometry and operative conditions on the release evolution.The occurrence of the solid phase and the applicability of the isothermal hypothesis is discussed showing that specific geometric and operative conditions are required.