Modeling the vapor source term associated with the spill of LNG into a sump or impoundment area

The recent publication of evaluation protocols for vapor source term models and vapor dispersion models have influenced the modeling approaches that can be used for approval of new and expansion projects at LNG receiving terminals. In the past few years the scientific basis of integral vapor source term models has been questioned with growing concerns regarding their validity. In this paper, the shallow water equations (SWEs) were solved to study the characteristics of the evaporating LNG pool associated with a constant flow rate spill of LNG into a concrete sump. In the early stages of pool spreading, the leading edge thickness profile of the SWE model scales with the square root of the distance from the leading edge as the pool spreads. After the edge of the pool reaches the wall, the reflected wave forms a hydraulic jump that travels back towards the center of the pool at a speed that is considerably slower than the initial spreading of the pool. Once the hydraulic jump reaches the center, the pool assumes a nearly flat free surface for the rest of the spill. The pool spreading and the rate of evaporation from the SWEs were then compared to the solution provided by the integral model, PHAST. The two approaches were found to agree well with one another. The SWE model was also used to demonstrate the influence of an elevated spill source. With an elevated source, the LNG pool spreads faster, significantly increasing the initial rate of vaporization and peak vaporization rate. This increase in the initial rate of vaporization could lead to an increase in the vapor cloud hazard distance. The SWE model was also used to demonstrate the influence of an inclined sump floor in the shape of an inverted cone where the spilling LNG accumulates in the low vertex of the cone. Inclined sump floors can be used to significantly reduce the cumulative evaporation, making them attractive as a possible mitigation approach in cases where a containment sump is located close to a property boundary.     

The effect of turbulence on the rate of evaporation of LNG on water

The present study provides new measurements of the rate of evaporation of cryogenic liquids, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquid nitrogen (LN₂), floating on a water surface with different levels of turbulence intensity. The turbulent water surface is generated with an upward-pointing submerged jet with controlled jet velocity, an approach which has often been used in studies of free-surface turbulence. Direct measurements of the rate of evaporation were carried out for different pool thicknesses and turbulence intensities of the water surface. These tests reveal a strong dependence of the evaporation rate on the turbulence intensity, as well as a dependence on the thickness of the cryogenic liquid layer above the water surface. Models of LNG spills on water currently use a single rate of evaporation; these findings show that this approach is inadequate. Future models should incorporate the water turbulence intensity, and possibly the LNG spill thickness for improved accuracy.     

细水雾对油池火热释放速率影响规律的实验研究

热释放速率是描述火灾现象的重要参数,可以表征火灾发展的强烈程度。利用大尺寸的热释放速率实验测量平台开展细水雾对不同种类油池火灭火效率的实验研究,同时分析细水雾对燃烧产物一氧化碳含量的影响。结果表明,热释放速率曲线能直接反映出细水雾对火源的作用,细水雾作用下三种燃料的热释放速率均被有效抑制,且细水雾的流量越大,对油池火的灭火效果越好。燃烧产物一氧化碳在施加细水雾时出现陡增,表明细水雾隔绝氧气,造成不完全燃烧或者燃烧熄灭。     

西藏高原地区浮力羽流温升特性研究

通过在拉萨对不同尺寸的三种油池火试样分别进行试验,获取了柴油在相当于平原地区64%大气压力和氧浓度条件下不同工况下不同位置处羽流中心线温度的实时变化情况等原始数据,计算了不同尺寸油池火的热释放速率,分析了低氧低压环境下的羽流中心温升特点及原因,并将实验值与经典羽流模型Heskestad模型的计算值进行了比较,分析了传统羽流模型在高原地区的适用性.     

A new categorization of release models using a semi-analytic solution

The spread of cryogenic liquid due to a limited period of release is investigated for the first time to clarify the unclear conventional concept regarding two release types: continuous and instantaneous release. The physical phenomenon is described by equations involving the volume, radius and height of the liquid pool, and there are three governing parameters: the evaporation rate per unit area, a release time, and a spill volume. As a result of the perturbation solutions, the combined model, which consists of the continuous model and the subsequent instantaneous model, is necessary for a large spill source rate, whereas the continuous model is only required for a small spill source rate. This combined release model is more realistic than the instantaneous release model, and it is shown that the combined model and the continuous model are clearly distinguished in the coordinate system of the release time and the spill volume using the analytical feature of the perturbation solution.     

Assessment of the maximum possible liquid superheat during flashing leak flow

During the discharge of flashing liquids through leaks due to abrupt depressurization a transient thermodynamic non-equilibrium in the form of a boiling delay in the superheated liquid flow can occur. As a consequence the actual mass flow quality is smaller than calculated under the assumption of an immediate adjustment of the thermodynamic equilibrium between the phases. For the prediction of the leak mass flow for a given pressure difference the magnitude of this self-adjusting mass flow quality is needed.

Most of the models cited in the literature include only the equilibrium mass quality as limiting quantity and ignore further effects as that of the depressurization velocity or the mean nucleus distance. For the assessment of the maximum possible liquid superheat during flashing only the conduction heat transfer from a stagnant liquid to the bubble surface is used to describe the bubble growth.

The sub-model for the bubble growth due to expansion and mass transfer necessary for the global prediction of the transient thermodynamic non-equilibrium in flashing liquids was validated using bubble radii measured by Hooper et al. [Bubble growth and pressure relationship in the flashing of superheated water. Technical publication 6904, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Toronto, 1969] for the case of a sudden depressurization of initially saturated water. On this basis the calculated time-dependent temperature field, the actual mass quality, the mean liquid temperature and, in comparison to the corresponding values based on the assumption of immediate thermodynamic equilibrium, the maximum possible liquid superheat are predicted.     

喷雾碰壁液膜蒸发三维数值模拟

针对喷雾过程喷注碰壁形成的液膜蒸发现象进行研究,通过理论分析和实验为数据建立了相应的数值计算模型。在典型浴盆型燃烧室内,采用一个四孔喷嘴进行高压喷雾,给定初始涡流比和燃烧室壁四温度,对包含液膜蒸发的喷雾过程进行详细的三维数值模拟,获得了液滴轨迹图以及空气运动速度的空间分布和时间进程,为研究空气运动和壁温等参数对喷雾过程和液膜蒸发过程的影响以及它们之间的相互耦合作用打下了坚实的基础。     

石油储罐油气蒸发损耗的成因、危害及对策

油气蒸发威胁安全,蒸发的油蒸气易引发爆炸,从而导致油罐爆炸着火.油蒸气是气相烃类,属有毒物品,漂浮地面易致人窒息.油蒸气还易形成光化学烟雾的二次污染物.由于油蒸气的蒸发损耗,全世界每年散失于大气中的油气约为1×108 吨,折合人民币2400亿元.因其所蒸发的都是油料中的最轻组分且油气蒸发还严重影响成品油质量.笔者分析了油气蒸发损耗的危害、产生原因及各种影响因素,并提出了降低油气蒸发损耗的对策.     

喷雾过程液滴蒸发计算研究

对喷雾中流滴的蒸发过程进行详细地理论研究,同时建立相应的数学模型,以一种曲型的模型燃烧室结构作为工程计算背景,对包含蒸发的喷雾过程进行三维数值模拟,获得了喷雾液体蒸汽浓度场场强云图和等势线图。     

液化石油气站储罐区火灾爆炸危险性分析与安全措施

选择具体的液化石油气储配站,分析了该站的危险特性、危险产生的途径及可能造成的后果。在没有任何防护措施的情况下,采用蒸气云爆炸和沸腾液体扩展蒸气云爆炸模型,对该站一个50m3储罐发生泄漏造成的火灾爆炸事故后果进行预测,得出火灾爆炸后的安全距离为大于211．0m。在储配站不能满足此安全距离的基础之上,从防止产生爆炸性气体环境、消除点火源和抑制事故扩大三方面来提出有效的安全措施,降低事故发生的概率及事故造成的损失。其中,站址选在全年最小频率风向的上风侧且周围空旷的地区,罐上设置液位计、压力表、温度计及可燃气体报警器可防止产生爆炸性气体环境;罐及管道设静电接地,法兰用铜线跨接,站内设警示标志可消除点火源;生产区与辅助区间设置隔离墙,罐区周围设置砖混围堤,罐上设安全阀可抑制火灾爆炸事故扩大。     

油池边沿高度对池火燃烧特性影响的实验研究

研究了油池边沿高度(h)对池火燃烧特性的影响,开展了内径(d)为10 cm的不同h和不同油盘材料(石英、不锈钢、铝和铜)的正庚烷池火实验。结果表明,正庚烷池火的燃烧速率、火焰高度和脉动频率均随着边沿高度的增大而减小,且随着油盘材料的热导率增大,边沿高度的影响逐渐减弱。基于量纲分析分别修正了火焰高度和脉动频率模型,结果能够较好地符合实验值。     

The characterization of heat transfer fluid P-NF aerosol combustion: Ignitable region and flame development

Heat transfer fluids tend to form aerosols due to the operating conditions at high pressure when accidental leaking occurs in pipelines or storage vessels, which may cause serious fires and explosions. Due to the physical property complexity of aerosols, it is difficult to define a standard term of “flammability limits” as is possible for gases. The study discussed in this paper primarily focuses on the characterization of ignition conditions and flame development of heat transfer fluid aerosols. The flammable region of a widely-used commercial heat transfer fluid, Paratherm NF (P-NF), was analyzed by electro-spray generation with a laser diffraction particle analysis method. The aerosol ignition behavior depends on the droplet size and concentration of the aerosol. From the adjustment of differently applied electro-spray voltages (7–10 kV) and various liquid feeding rates, a flammable condition distribution was obtained by comparison of droplet size and concentration. An appropriate amount (0.3–1.2 ppm) of smaller droplets (80–110 μm) existing in a given space could result in successful flame formation, while larger droplets (up to 190 μm) have a relatively narrowed range of flammable conditions (0.7–0.9 ppm). It is possible to generate a more useful reference for industry and lab scale consideration when handling liquids. This paper provides initial flammability criteria for analyzing P-NF aerosol fire hazards in terms of droplet size and volumetric concentration, discusses the observation of aerosol combustion processes, and summarizes an ignition delay phenomenon. All of the fundamental study results are to be applied to practical cases with fire hazards analysis, pressurized liquid handling, and mitigation system design once there is a better understanding of aerosols formed by high-flash point materials.