High-pressure Pipeline Research Articles

Economic analysis of a high-pressure urban pipeline concept (HyLine) for delivering hydrogen to retail fueling stations

Reducing the cost of delivering hydrogen to fueling stations and dispensing it into fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) is one critical element of efforts to increase the cost-competitiveness of FCEVs. Today, hydrogen is primarily delivered to stations by trucks. Pipeline delivery is much rarer: one urban U.S. station has been supplied with 800-psi hydrogen from an industrial hydrogen pipeline since 2011, and a German station on the edge of an industrial park has been supplied with 13,000-psi hydrogen from a pipeline since 2006. This article compares the economics of existing U.S. hydrogen delivery methods with the economics of a high-pressure, scalable, intra-city pipeline system referred to here as the “HyLine” system. In the HyLine system, hydrogen would be produced at urban industrial or commercial sites, compressed to 15,000 psi, stored at centralized facilities, delivered via high-pressure pipeline to retail stations, and dispensed directly into FCEVs. Our analysis of retail fueling station economics in Los Angeles suggests that, as FCEV demand for hydrogen in an area becomes sufficiently dense, pipeline hydrogen delivery gains an economic advantage over truck delivery. The HyLine approach would also enable cheaper dispensed hydrogen compared with lower-pressure pipeline delivery owing to economies of scale associated with integrated compression and storage. In the largest-scale fueling scenario analyzed (a network of 24 stations with capacities of 1500 kg/d each, and hydrogen produced via steam methane reforming), HyLine could potentially achieve a profited hydrogen cost of $5.3/kg, which is approximately equivalent to a gasoline cost of $2.7/gal (assuming FCEVs offer twice the fuel economy of internal combustion engine vehicles and vehicle cost is competitive). It is important to note that significant effort would be required to develop technical knowledge, codes, and standards that would enable a HyLine system to be viable. However, our preliminary analysis suggests that the HyLine approach merits further consideration based on its potential economic advantages. These advantages could also include the value of minimizing retail space used by hydrogen compression and storage sited at fueling stations, which is not reflected in our analysis.

Propagation of shock waves formed by explosion of the air-propylene mixture in a T-pipeline

The paper deals with mathematical modelling of the process of an explosion of a cloud of reactive gases and its impact on the environment. The research may be relevant to ensure fire safety and to prevent explosion hazards at industrial production facilities that use reactive gas mixtures as a working medium and at high-pressure industrial pipelines used for their transportation. The goal of the study is to develop and test a computational technology for numerical modelling of clouds of reactive gas mixture expansions and loads evaluation. To describe the chemical processes in the explosion, a simplified mathematical model is proposed which based on the assumption of frozen chemical reactions. Using the model, a set of User Defined Functions is implemented in ANSYS Fluent and applied for solving a problem of a “propylene-air” cloud explosion inside the T-shape tube with two closed and one open ends.

Designing a Model for Optimization of Maintenance and Inspection Efforts against Third Party Damage to Cross Country Pipelines in India

In India there are nearly 45000km of cross- country pipelines in operation, safety and reliability of this network of pipelines play a major role in the energy distribution security of the country. A cross country pipeline can fail due to various reasons primary among these are corrosion and third-party damage. In a populous country like India third party damage has emerged as a newest threat to the pipelines, as on date nearly 40% of all pipeline failures are due to third party damage. Third-party damage to an underground pipeline is generally defined as a category of damage caused to the pipeline due to the activities of an outside (other than the pipeline owner or its authorized representative) agency, for example an agency building road across the pipeline right of way may cause rupture of the pipeline due to uncontrolled use of earthmoving equipment. Most of the third-party damages are caused due to ignorance or negligence, as the third-party damage is caused by human error, it does not have any trend and random in nature. Unfortunately, majority of third-party damage leads to severe and instantaneous failure of the pipeline leading to release of highly inflammable content that can cause widespread destruction of life and property. To minimize the possibility of third party damage to a reasonably low rate, it is necessary that maintenance and inspection (M&I) practices are properly oriented, this is possible only when the weight of the factors responsible for third party damage is known and M&I programme is designed accordingly. This paper proposes a model for calculating weight of various factors responsible for third party damage and how the model can optimize M&I efforts as well as build best possible defense against third party damage for an underground high-pressure cross-county hydrocarbon pipeline.

Experimental study on distributed optical-fiber cable for high-pressure buried natural gas pipeline leakage monitoring

Abstract At present, fiber-optic cable monitoring technology uses an fiber-optic cable located at 300 mm above a buried natural gas pipeline to collect gas leakage information. However, the change in soil temperature caused by natural gas leakage is not tested and verified. This prevents the installment of an fiber-optic cable for monitoring gas leakage in the field. To improve the sensitivity of fiber-optic cable leakage monitoring and reduce the failure rate, the laying mode of fiber-optic cable should be verified and analyzed. In this study, Peng-Robinson (PR) real gas state equation, a Raman optical time-domain reflectometer (ROTDR), and finite element method (FEM) were combined to simulate the gas leakage of buried pipelines. The trend of soil temperature around the leak hole and laying mode of fiber-optic cable was studied. It can be concluded that the higher the pressure of pipeline and leakage hole, the greater the temperature change at 100 mm directly above the pipeline. On this basis, a field test was carried out to study the leakage of a buried high-pressure natural gas pipeline. The experimental results show that the gas leakage can be detected by an fiber-optic cable located at 100 mm above the pipeline, and it is difficult to detect the change in soil temperature when the fiber-optic cable is located 200 mm or farther. The experimental results are consistent with the simulation results. This indicates that the simulation method is correct and feasible. Thus, the fiber-optic cable needs to be placed 100 mm or closer to the buried pipeline to monitor the temperature change. The result of the test and the simulation result are coincident approximately. The conclusion is: evenly lay 4 optical cables within 100 mm around the pipe, and each cable can monitor the temperature change in the 90° range above the leakage hole. This method can accurately monitor the leakage of the whole pipe section. The study results can guide the laying plan of fiber-optic cables and construction of natural gas pipelines and prevent accidents.

Gas pipeline leakage detection based on sensor fusion under model-based fault detection framework

A model-based approach to detect and locate leakage along a finite length pipeline is proposed. Developing a generalized state space representation of the pipeline system is one of the achievements of this study. The approach relies on nonlinear modeling derived from momentum, continuity equations. Leaks are defined as system states thus, Extended Kalman Filter as a state observer is implemented to start leak detection. Hydraulic pressure measurements in spatial discretization points are required as output parameters in the estimation process. In order to increase system redundancy and leak estimation accuracy, displacement of sensor arrays instead of a single sensor is suggested. Fisher fusion method is implemented to combine noisy measurements and results in noticeable estimation accuracy improvement. Simulation of a realistic high-pressure operational pipeline is done by OLGA multiphase flow simulation software. The convergence of system states and leak estimation precision confirm the proposed method effectiveness.

Effect of linear investment on agricultural uses on the basis of validity of estimated compensation

Purpose. The work takes up topic with the impact of gas pipeline investments in the agricultural space. The reduction in the productivity of agricultural areas is felt by farmers already at the stage of investment construction (loss of benefits, reduction of property value, additional costs for biological reclamation). The purpose of the article is to determine the impact of the high-pressure gas pipeline by open trench method on agricultural land on the basis of estimated compensation. Estimating the value of compensations for field crops and reducing yield and biological reclamation as an issue that raises many doubts. Determining the appropriate compensation for losses incurred in field crops, due to temporary partial occupation of the area is often a matter definitely resolved in civil proceedings by the court.
 Methodology / approach. The research was supposed to answer the question whether the unit cost of biological reclamation after the installation of the high pressure gas pipeline depends on the type of use and the type of crops being cultivated. Assumed, among others that the decrease in the value of benefits (yielding of plants) is higher, the higher the soil quality class and that the decrease in the value of the property depends on the type of soil valuation class. Determination of the gas pipeline impact of the high-pressure line investment is presented on the example of the 34 km section of the gas pipeline, running through the villages of Zawonia and Długołęka communes, ie Budczyce, Byków, Cielętnik, Czeszów, Kamieniec, Krakowiany, Michałowice, Pęciszów, Piecowice, Tarnowiec, Zaprężyn, and Zawonia (areas located in the Lower Silesia Voivodship).
 Results. As a result of the conducted research, it was established on the basis of the estimated compensations that the cost of biological reclamation after building the high pressure gas infrastructure does not depend on the type of use and the type of crops being cultivated. It was also found that the decrease in the value of benefits (yielding of plants) is all the greater, the higher the soil quality class.
 Originality / scientific novelty. The study looked for the answer to the question: Does the unit cost of biological reclamation after the implementation of the high-pressure gas pipeline depend on the type of use and type of crop being cultivated. It was assumed that the decrease in the value of benefits (yielding of plants) is all the greater, the higher the soil quality class and that the decrease in value of benefits (yielding of plants) depends on the type of cultivation per 1 m2. It was also assumed that the decrease in the value of the property depends on the type of soil valuation class. For the purposes of the study, the authors collected data indicating the value of compensation, including to the size of the surface.
 
 Practical value / implications. Determination of the impact of high pressure gas pipeline construction using the open trench method on agricultural land on the basis of compensation paid indicates that the reduction in the value of benefits depends on the type of crops.

Use of Terahertz Waves To Monitor Moisture Content in High-Pressure Natural Gas Pipelines

Pipelines are considered to be the most economical method for large-quantity gas transportation. However, the presence of water in natural gas pipelines causes significant safety and economic issue...

АВТОМАТИЗОВАНЕ ВИРОБНИЦТВО ВІДВОДІВ СКЛОПЛАСТИКОВИХ ТРУБОПРОВОДІВ

A promising direction in the production of high-pressure pipelines is the use of composite materials with special properties. Characteristics of composite products are set by reinforcement schemes and the use of various binders. The stability of the strength characteristics significantly depends on the stability of the process of laying reinforcing fibers. The development of automated technological systems of production, ensuring the stability of the process, is an urgent task. A method of fiberglass pipe bends manufacturing by the method of pre-impregnated tape winding on a folding mandrel. To implement this method the problem of developing technological equipment, equipment and methods of adjustment are solved. The proposed solution provides the formation of a branch from the inner surface. The kinematic scheme of the equipment realizes the rotation of the tape stacker around the axis of the cross-section of the mandrel and the longitudinal-angular displacement of the mandrel relative to the stacker, which provides the possibility of cylindrical and spiral stacking of the tape. The installation of tap winding, which is a three-axis CNC machine that implements the proposed scheme, is described. The rotation of the coils with tape around the mandrel is provided with a hollow rotary axis – stacker. Moving the mandrel relative to the stacker is provided by its installation on a movable platform. Following the proposed method of manufacturing bends, the outer surface of the collapsible mandrel ensures the formation of the inner surface of the branch, including the connecting-butt surfaces. Rules for the choice of the surface of the connector mandrel, ensuring its extraction from the manufactured branch is formulated. A method for programming winding operations has been developed. A method for determining the parameters of the control system of the CNC system is given, which specifies the structure of laying the tape and the wall thickness of the outlet. A procedure is described for setting up a tap manufacturing operation consisting in changing the relative position of the installation elements and the mandrel fixing devices. The use of traditional for CNC systems approaches to adjust the coordinate systems ensures the accuracy of the initial position is not worse than 0.1 mm.

Bioenergy and full carbon dioxide sinking in sugarcane-biorefinery with post-combustion capture and storage: Techno-economic feasibility

Sugarcane plantations promote impressive drainage of atmospheric carbon dioxide reaching 781 t/h for a 1000 t/h sugarcane-biorefinery. For first-generation bioethanol sugarcane-biorefineries, only 10% of sugarcane carbon dioxide equivalent leaves as hydrous-ethanol, while 90% return to atmosphere through bagasse-fired power cogeneration in steam-Rankine cycles. Thus, a sugarcane-biorefinery exports two bioenergy flows – electricity and hydrous-ethanol – and its impressive Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage potential is wasted. Capture of fermentation carbon dioxide merely means 5% of Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage efficiency. This work assesses a new sugarcane-biorefinery concept dramatically raising the Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage efficiency. With fermentation carbon dioxide already captured, it is advocated to implement 90% post-combustion capture of flue-gas carbon dioxide. Then, captured carbon dioxide is compressed and traded as Enhanced Oil Recovery agent transported to deep-water offshore oil fields via high-pressure pipelines counting on topographic gravitational effects to lower compression power. Aggregating pipeline/compression investment to the biorefinery, it is shown that such new Plantation-Biorefinery-Post-Combustion-Pipeline-Oil-Recovery enterprise is technically feasible for 5.22 MtCO2/y of Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage capacity and is economically feasible under certain conditions: (i) idle pipeline capacity rental to fossil carbon emitters at 10–20 USD/tCO2; (ii) recovered oil revenues traded at 1–2 bbl/tCO2 and 50–80 USD/bbl; (iii) carbon-taxation at 40–80 USD/tCO2; and (iv) carbon Cap-and-Trade at 30–70 USD/tCO2. Under such conditions the Plantation-Biorefinery-Post-Combustion-Pipeline-Oil-Recovery can attain 7 MMMUSD net value and 6 years payback-time.

Full-scale experimental investigation on the shock-wave characteristics of high-pressure natural gas pipeline physical explosions

In this study, a series of full-scale high-pressure natural gas pipeline physical explosion experiments were performed, in which the overpressure of the shock waves was measured and analyzed. The concept of “physical explosion linear energy (PEXLE)” was proposed and a “PEXLE model” was established to evaluate shock waves in a cylindrical pipeline with high length–diameter ratio. Equations were fitted to describe the characteristics of peak overpressure, positive pressure duration and specific impulse. Results showed that peak overpressure of shock waves is not influenced by the length of pipeline. With the increase of the propagation distance, specific impulse first increases and then decreases. This indicates that the position of the maximum value of overpressure does not correspond with that of the specific impulse.

An improved analytical approach for simulating the lateral kinematic distress of deepwater offshore pipelines

Offshore pipelines are critical infrastructures and any possible damage may have devastating financial and environmental consequences. Earthquake-related geohazards (such as strong ground motion, active seismic faults, submarine landslides and debris flows) consist crucial threats that an offshore pipeline has to overcome. The main aim of the current study is to examine analytically a seabed-laid offshore pipeline subjected to a lateral kinematic distress due to a submarine landslide or a debris flow. Extra emphasis is given on the impact of pipe-soil interaction on the pipe response, by the realistic representation of the soil resistance via a tri-linear model. Firstly, the proposed analytical model is validated with a numerical model utilizing the finite-element method. Subsequently, various combinations of soil parameters and loading conditions that affect the examined problem are investigated with realistic input data taken from the offshore section of the high-pressure natural-gas pipeline TAP (Trans Adriatic Pipeline) in the Adriatic Sea. Finally, useful conclusions are drawn regarding the applicability and the efficiency of the proposed approach.

Axial Thrust Balancing in High-Temperature Cylinders of Steam Turbines during Transients in Combined-Cycle Units

The effect of magnitude and direction of the axial thrust during steam turbine transients on the starting technology is investigated. The behavior of the axial thrust during start-up of a steam turbine with a combined high/intermediate pressure cylinder operating in a single-bypass or two-bypass thermal cycle is presented. At different stages of start-up, varying steam pressure at the turbine inlet and in its flow path can result in a change in the temperature of thrust bearing pads and the magnitude and direction of the axial thrust acting on them. During start-ups with a two-bypass thermal scheme for steam admission to the turbine and its rotor acceleration, connection of the steam turbine generator to a grid and its initial loading are performed with steam supply through intermediate pressure-control valves. In this case, the high-pressure cylinder (HPC) is under “negative pressure” or “countercurrent” conditions passing steam from the exhaust via the bypasses of the check valves in the “cold” reheat steam lines and removing this steam to the condenser via the drains of high-pressure crossover pipelines and from the high-pressure cylinder casing. Connection of the turbine HPC for normal steam supply and change-over to the once-through scheme of steam admission to the turbine are carried out after connection of the turbine generator to the grid and initial loading of the turbine by partial opening of the HP control valve and full opening of the intermediate pressure (IP) control valves. At the same time, the valves of quick-acting pressure-reducing and cooling units (QAPRCU) BROU-1 and BROU-2 are closed to maintain the specified high and intermediate pressure of steam upstream from them. These process operations change the axial thrust acting on the thrust bearing pads with a corresponding change in the pad temperature. The effect of variable axial thrust on the steam turbine maneuverability is examined. Methods are proposed for balancing the axial thrust during start-ups of steam turbines in combined-cycle units having different thermal schemes.

Life cycle estimation of high pressure pipeline based on in-line inspection data

Life cycle estimation of high pressure pipeline based on in-line inspection data

Investigation of the consequence of high-pressure CO2 pipeline failure through experimental and numerical studies

Transportation of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) via high-pressure pipelines from source to storage site forms an important link in the Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) chain. To ensure the safety of the operation, it is necessary to develop a comprehensive understanding of the consequences of possible pipeline failure. CO2 is a hazardous substance and an accidental release may lead to catastrophic damage. This paper describes an experimental investigation of the dispersion of CO2 in the atmosphere in a full-scale burst test of a pipeline containing high-pressure dense phase CO2. The experiment was carried out to simulate a CO2 pipeline failure in the real world. The test rig consisted of a buried 85 m long, 610 mm diameter pipeline test section connected at either end to 116 m long reservoirs. An explosive charge detonated at test section half-length initiated a rupture in the pipe wall top surface, releasing the high-pressure contents. The atmospheric dispersion of the CO2 following the explosive release was measured. The paper also describes Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations of the dispersion of CO2 following the release. The CFD models were validated against the experimental data. The models were then extended to estimate the consequence distances related to CO2 dispersion following failure of longer pipelines of various diameters under different wind speeds and directions. Comparison of the results with prior studies was carried out.

Evaluation of the Construction and Investment Process of a High-Pressure Gas Pipeline with Use of the Trenchless Method and Open Excavation Method. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

The study presents the application of multi-criteria analysis, i.e., the Analytic HierarchyProcess (AHP), for the evaluation of investments related to the realisation of a high-pressure gaspipeline. The authors evaluated the realisation of the gas pipeline with the use of alternativemethods: the trenchless Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) method and the open excavationmethod, based on the example of the construction of a high-pressure gas pipeline DN1000. Sectionslocated in naturally valuable areas on the route of the pipeline Wierzchowice-Kiełczów (Poland)were analysed, on the section from the valve station in Czeszów to the Kiełczów node. The researchconsidered the following criteria: technical costs, economic costs, social costs, and environmentalcosts. The sum of these partial estimations is the “total cost” of the investment. Research revealedthat the technical costs of the open excavation method are in all cases higher than the technologicalcosts of the trenchless method during the realisation of a gas pipeline (in the AHP analysis, theyreceive an average score of −4 or −3, compared to a score of −2 for the HDD method). On the otherhand, the economic costs are comparable, with a slight advantage for the HDD method. The overallscore for the open excavation method obtained with use of the AHP multi-criteria evaluation is, fordifferent variants, approximately −19, while the evaluation of the realisation of a gas pipeline withuse of the Horizontal Directional Drilling method gives a score from −15 to −10, depending on thesection.

Atmospheric Dispersion of CO2 Following the Full-Scale Burst Test of a High-Pressure CO2 Pipeline

Atmospheric Dispersion of CO2 Following the Full-Scale Burst Test of a High-Pressure CO2 Pipeline

Comments on CTOA transferability in “Crack tip opening angle during unstable ductile crack propagation of a high-pressure gas pipeline” [204 (2018) 434–453

When axial fast ductile fracture occurs in high-pressure gas pipes, the plane of the crack opening does not necessarily remain parallel to the pipe axis. There is in general a tilt angle between the opening flanks and the pipe axis. The present discussion shows that taking into account the presence of a tilt angle results in larger estimates of surface CTOA than those reported in a recent paper (Shibanuma et al., 2018). Considering the effect of tilt angle, the data reported in Shibanuma et al. (2018) support the transferability of CTOA from DWTT-type specimens to full-scale pipe.

An experimental study on the flow characteristics during the leakage of high pressure CO2 pipelines

High pressure pipeline transportation is dominant mode for economically transporting large amounts of CO2. However, potential leakage is one of the main risks associated with pressurized CO2 pipeline transportation. Thus, to investigate the leakage behavior of high pressure CO2 and to de-risk such transportations, a new laboratory scale experimental setup (total length of 14.85 m and the inner diameter of 15 mm) was constructed. Leakage experiments for pure CO2 and CO2 mixtures containing various N2 concentrations were carried out for different initial phase states (supercritical, liquid and gaseous respectively). The pressure and temperature characteristics and phase transitions of high pressure CO2 were then studied following pipeline leakage through small diameter nozzles. The results show that a minimum temperature occurs during the leakage process of various initial phase states; while the temperature characteristics of supercritical and gaseous CO2 leakage were rather different from that of liquid CO2 leakage. Impacts of impurity (N2), initial inner pressure and nozzle sizes on the leakage behavior were investigated, and two minimum temperature lines, based on N2 concentrations and initial inner pressures were obtained, respectively. These findings will ascertain that the pipeline is operated above the ductile-brittle transition temperature.

Decompression of hydrogen—natural gas mixtures in high-pressure pipelines: CFD modelling using different equations of state

When designing high-pressure gas pipelines, it must be ensured that a running fracture is arrested within the shortest possible length. The semi-empirical Battelle Two-Curve Model (BTCM) proposed in the early 1970s is still widely used in the industry to estimate the required toughness of the pipe wall material. The BTCM method requires accurate prediction of the gas decompression wave speed. In this paper, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model is proposed to predict the decompression wave speed of high-pressure Hydrogen-Natural Gas (H2NG) mixtures in pipelines. The CFD model is validated against experimental data. Three Equations of State (EOS): the Peng-Robinson (PR) EOS, the AGA8 EOS and the GERG-2008 EOS, are incorporated into the CFD code to estimate the physical properties of the mixtures. The ability of the three EOS to predict the decompression wave speed is evaluated by comparing the predicted results against experimental data. Also, the influence of H2 fraction in the H2NG mixture on the decompression wave speed is investigated.

Analysis of crater formation in buried NG pipelines: A survey based on past accidents and evaluation of domino effect

The formation of a crater by the abrupt and catastrophic rupture of a high-pressure pipeline can be highly relevant, especially when the crater uncovers other pipelines, which could undergo a domino effect with a significant increase of the consequences on people or on the environment. However, this scenario has been only partially studied in the literature. To assess the influence of the pipeline parameters on the dimensions of the resulting crater, a statistical analysis of accidental ruptures of buried natural gas pipelines that have involved the formation of a crater was carried out. Mathematical expressions are proposed to describe the proportionality relationships found, which can be very useful to support adequate separation distances in the design and construction of parallel corridors of pipelines after appropriate escalating effects are considered. Finally, detailed event trees were developed to calculate the probability of occurrence of the final outcomes, as well as the identified domino sequences, based on a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the data. The study of these accident scenarios, based on actual cases, represents a useful and needed advance in risk analysis of natural gas transportation through pipelines.