Leakage and diffusion of high-pressure gas pipeline in soil and atmosphere: experimental and numerical study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Personal safety and environmental issues, such as fires and explosions, have climbed to the top of the list of concerns due to the rupture of a high-pressure gas pipeline. Analysis of the diffusion characteristics of methane leaks in soil and air is essential for engineering maintenance and the prevention of secondary mishaps. The primary contribution of this paper is the design and establishment of a full-scale experimental system to simulate small-hole leakage of high-pressure gas pipeline in order to observe the leakage and diffusion behavior of methane in soil and atmosphere under various leakage pore sizes and pressures. The results show that, near the leakage hole, the high-pressure jet dominates the action, whereas near the surface, lateral diffusion and accumulation dominate for an extended period of time. When the diffusion reaches a stable state, the vertical and horizontal diffusion distances are 0.76 m and 1.05 m, respectively, and the maximum temperature difference at the leakage hole is 8.7°C; Under the conditions of leakage holes of 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, and 1.5 mm, the surface leakage radii are 0.4 m, 0.8 m, and 1.4 m, respectively. The leakage aperture is the main factor affecting the diffusion of methane in soil; A small hole leakage rate model for high-pressure gas pipelines was established based on experimental data, with an average error of 9%; The response time and steady time in the process of methane concentration growth have an exponential relationship with horizontal distance from the leakage hole and a power function relationship with vertical distance and leakage rate. The average relative errors of the calculation formula are 16% and 12%, respectively. This work can provide a basis for the hazard assessment of small hole leakage and diffusion in buried gas pipelines, and also provide data support for the theoretical and numerical models of high-pressure gas flow in soil and atmosphere.