Investigation of scaling-down experiments for accidental CO2 leakage dispersion risks in constant-pressure transportation pipelines within the CCUS process

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Within the framework of strategies to prevent global warming, the safety of CO2 transportation pipelines requires thorough hazard analysis. Accidental leakage during long-distance CO2 transport, influenced by the size of the leakage opening, typically occurs under constant pressure conditions in the CCUS process. This paper introduces an innovative scaled experimental apparatus with an elliptical orifice, designed to simulate leakage due to free rupture in pipelines. The goal is to understand the risk characteristics of constant-pressure leakage in transportation pipelines. The results indicate that during leakage, the pressure drop in the source CO2 pipeline is less than 0.3013 MPa/s, which can be considered constant pressure leakage. The Mach disk size dm has a linear relationship with the elliptical leakage orifice ab. The scaled experiments also show that temperatures can drop to as low as −78°C, indicating significant low-temperature risks. This scaling experiment provides a new approach for predicting and mitigating diffusion risks in long-distance pipeline transportation by examining the relationship between pipeline length and orifice diameter. The research data and results contribute to a deeper understanding of the safety aspects of long-distance transportation of CO2 under constant pressure leakage conditions, providing a basis for risk assessment of leakage accidents and environmental protection measures.