Dynamic behavior of direct spring loaded pressure relief valves in gas service: Model development,measurements and instability mechanisms

A synthesis of previous literature is used to derive a model of an in-service direct-spring pressure relief valve. The model couples low-order rigid body mechanics for the valve to one-dimensional gas dynamics within the pipe. Detailed laboratory experiments are also presented for three different commercially available values, for varying mass flow rates and length of inlet pipe. In each case, violent oscillation is found to occur beyond a critical pipe length, which may be triggered either on valve opening or closing. The test results compare favorably to the simulations using the model. In particular, the model reveals that the mechanism of instability is a Hopf bifurcation (flutter instability) involving the fundamental, quarter-wave pipe mode. Furthermore, the concept of the effective area of the valve as a function of valve lift is shown to be useful in explaining sudden jumps observed in the test data. It is argued that these instabilities are not alleviated by the 3% inlet line loss criterion that has recently been proposed as an industry standard.     

Two leaks detection in viscoelastic pipeline systems by means of transient

This paper presents a technique for detecting and locating leaks in a single viscoelastic pipe, by means of transient analysis. The system studied is a reservoir-pipe-valve structure. The viscoelastic behavior of the pipe wall material is modeled by a generalized KelvinVoigt model. To determine the leak location, the mathematical formulation has been solved by the method of characteristics. The approach by the method of characteristics is often chosen because it is based on the concept of acoustic wave propagation which is the main mechanism of all transient events considered. The presence of the two leaks in a pipe partially reflects pressure waves initiated by the sudden closure of a downstream shut-off valve. These waves affect the shape and the amplitude of the time-history-pressure. The computed results describe the influence of the presence of two leaks on pressure time-history and the effect of leaks locations and sizes on the pressure signal behavior. The effect of the pipe wall viscoelasticity on the two leaks detection and sizing is also discussed. The leaks discharges are determined by resolving two independent equations derived from literatures and based on transient analysis. The friction and leaks depths effects on two leaks locations and sizing are involved.     

输气管道泄漏压力波的频谱特性模拟

为了研究输气管道泄漏压力波的频谱特性,基于大涡模拟对管道泄漏进行了非稳态分析。模拟了不同管道压力、不同泄漏孔径以及不同管道气体流速下的泄漏压力波频谱分布,探讨了不同条件对压力波频谱特性的影响。所得结论对各类管道泄漏压力波的频谱分析具有一定的借鉴作用。     

油水两相流弯管处安全分析

针对油水两相流经过弯管时的流向改变会导致流体速度和压力发生突变,造成发生静电事故和腐蚀事故风险上升 的不利影响,提出了RSM模型和Mixture模型相结合的安全分析方法。该方法对不同入口速度和含水率的油水两相流进行 数值模拟,并用Origin软件拟合了进口最大允许流速与管径及含水率的经验关系。结果表明,在含水率和入口速度一定 时,随着管径的增加,弯管处的最大速度呈现逐渐减小的趋势:当管径和入口速度一定时,随着含水率的增加,弯管处 的最大速度也逐渐减小。最大压力出现在弯管外拱壁处,最小压力出现在弯管内侧拱壁处。在实际生产中,增加弯管下 游直管段内侧壁的壁厚,可有效防止空化腐蚀所造成的危害;通过含水率来确定安全流速,可有效降低静电事故的风险 。     

瓦斯爆炸在角联通风管网中的传播特性研究*

为研究真实通风工况下瓦斯爆炸冲击波在复杂管网内的超压演化规律及高温传播规律,采用数值模拟方法,研究角联通风管网模型中各个监测点在不同通风条件下对瓦斯爆炸冲击波超压及高温的影响规律,研究结果表明:瓦斯爆炸冲击波在角联管网传播过程中产生3个局部高压区域,高温气体主要在左、右通路内传播,斜角联分支内只受到微弱影响;管网入口风流的存在,使得爆炸初期冲击波超压经相同距离传播用时更短,峰值更大,破坏力更强;风流的存在使得管网内高温气体传播状态发生改变,斜角联分支与左通路尾部热量发生积聚,温度峰值更大。     

Benchmarking of two-phase flow through safety relief valves and pipes

This paper compares calculated results for two-phase flows through safety relief valves and pipes using the TPHEM, CCFLOW and RRERSP computer programs. These studies were conducted to locate errors in the programs as well as to further our understanding of how each program worked. For most low-to-moderate viscosity flow examples, and for the frozen flow examples, the program results agreed despite differences in the calculation methods. Current thinking is that the TPHEM computer program gets better results for high viscosity flows through safety relief valves (nozzles) and for pipe down flows. This is because this program successively iterates nozzle flows to achieve results consistent with the choke pressure, temperature and quality and successively iterates pipe flows to achieve results consistent with the pipe length. Safety relief valve flows from the RRERSP computer program are reduced by the inlet pipe non-recoverable pressure loss. This effect is significant for several cases.     

人工煤气管道萘颗粒沉积规律研究

针对萘在人工煤气管道中沉积会造成管道堵塞,影响管道的安全运行的这一问题,以昆明人工煤气管道为例,运用计算流体动力学软件Fluent,选用离散相模型和雷诺应力模型,对水平直管、水平弯管和三通管进行萘颗粒沉积的数值模拟,对于不同的管径、弯曲比、管径比,分别分析萘颗粒直径、入口速度、温度及压力对萘颗粒沉积的影响。研究结果表明:水平直管、水平弯管、三通管中的萘颗粒沉积率与颗粒粒径成正相关关系,而与气流入口速度、压力成负相关关系;萘颗粒在人工煤气管道中的沉积率主要受颗粒直径、气流入口速度的影响;萘颗粒的沉积率随着水平直管的管径增大而增大,随着水平弯管的弯曲比增大而增大,随着三通管的管径比增大而先增大后减小;可通过适当增大管内煤气输送速度、压力,降低温度来降低萘颗粒在人工煤气管道中的沉积速度,进而减少萘颗粒沉积的发生。     

Integrated leakage detection and localization model for gas pipelines based on the acoustic wave method

With the development of natural gas transportation systems, major accidents can result from internal gas leaks in pipelines that transport high-pressure gases. Leaks in pipelines that carry natural gas result in enormous financial loss to the industry and affect public health. Hence, leak detection and localization is a major concern for researchers studying pipeline systems. To ensure the safety and improve the efficiency of pipeline emergency repair, a high-pressure and long-distance circular pipe leakage simulation platform is designed and established by similarity analysis with a field transmission pipeline, and an integrated leakage detection and localization model for gas pipelines is proposed. Given that the spread velocity of acoustic waves in pipelines is related to the properties of the medium, such as pressure, density, specific heat, and so on, this paper proposes a modified acoustic velocity and location formula. An improved wavelet double-threshold de-noising optimization method is also proposed to address the original acoustic wave signal collected by the test platform. Finally, the least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) method is applied to determine the leakage degree and operation condition. Experimental results show that the integrated model can enhance the accuracy and precision of pipeline leakage detection and localization.     

粉尘捕集效率与定风量阀应用研究

分析了造成除尘系统风量阻力不平衡的因素,提出在除尘支管上装设定风量阀来稳定各吸尘点风量,通过实验证明,在除尘管网支管上装设定风量调节阀,可以有效的消除系统阻力不平衡和管网压力波动造成的吸尘点风量偏差问题。     

快速接头内壁冲蚀规律的数值模拟分析*

为进一步改善快速接头受连续相作用易失效、内壁冲蚀磨损严重的问题,采用CFD软件中的Realizable k-ε湍流模型,对不同入口速度下的快速接头冲蚀磨损情况运用数值模拟方法分析,得到快速接头内部的流场分布及其冲蚀磨损情况。结果表明:快速接头的冲蚀主要集中在管径缩小段的大小管道交界处,且在管径突变处流体的压力、速度会发生明显变化。在粒径不变,其余变量恒定的情况下,入口流速越大,最大冲蚀速率随之增大;改变相同粒径颗粒的质量流率,可以看出最大冲蚀速率与质量流率呈正相关关系。模拟得到的不同入口速度、质量流率下在快速接头中的流动冲蚀规律,可对提高接头使用寿命、液冷散热器的平稳运行提供必要的参考。     

中压天然气管道泄漏扩散模拟研究

建立了埋地中压天然气管道发生泄漏时时的数学模型,将土壤视为各向同性的多孔介质,采用FLUENT对天然气在土壤中的扩散规律及浓度分布进行模拟,分析不同时刻地表的危险区域范围,并对比了不同管道压力、泄漏孔径大小、泄漏位置等工况下危险半径随时间的变化。结果表明:管道压力越大,泄漏的体积流量越大,同一时间危险范围越大;相同的泄漏压力下,泄漏孔径对危险半径没有很大影响;不同泄漏孔位置,泄漏初期向上开口时危险半径最大,一段时间后向下开口危险半径最大。     

Leak detection of hydrogen–natural gas mixtures in pipes using the characteristics method of specified time intervals

This paper presents a technique for detection and location of leaks in a single pipe, by means of transient analysis, of hydrogen–natural gas mixtures flows. The method uses transient pressure waves initiated by the sudden closure of a downstream shut-off valve. The presence of a leak in a pipe partially reflects these pressure waves and allows for the location of the leak. Pressure waves are governed by two coupled non-linear, hyperbolic partial differential equations with pressure dependent coefficients. The fluid pressure and velocity are considered as two principal dependent variables. To determine the leak location, the mathematical formulation has been solved by the characteristics method of specified time intervals. The computed results describe the influence of the leak on pressure time-history and the effect of hydrogen mass fraction in the mixture on the leak discharge behaviour. It was found that transient pressure is much important in the case of hydrogen than that in the case of natural gas.     

Interaction of flame instabilities and pressure behavior of hydrogen-propane explosion

The flame destabilization mechanism of hydrogen-propane-air mixture is firstly revealed. The effects of unstable flame formation on pressure rise rate and burning rate are quantified. Finally, the theoretical prediction of explosion pressure behavior is performed by considering diffusive-thermal and hydrodynamic instability. The results demonstrated that before the explosion pressure starts to climbe, as the propane fraction increases, the effective Lewis number of lean and stoichiometric mixture undergoes the transition from Le_eff < 1.0 to Le_eff > 1.0, the stabilizing effect of diffusive-thermal instability continues to reduce for the rich mixture. After the explosion pressure starts to climbe, the hydrogen-propane flame becomes more unstable, which is mainly attributed to enhancing hydrodynamic instability. The maximum rate of pressure rise and burning rate should be augmented by unstable flame formation, the flame instabilities must be considered in the explosion pressure evaluation.     

大尺寸通风管网中障碍物对瓦斯爆炸冲击波传播特性影响的数值模拟

为了研究大尺寸通风管网中的瓦斯爆炸传播规律,采用数值模拟方法,针对具有不同障碍物数量的大尺寸通风管网模型,利用Fluent分析管网中各个监测点的超压变化曲线以及障碍物附近的速度矢量图,分析爆炸冲击波传播规律。研究结果表明:初期瓦斯爆炸后,障碍物的存在改变了通风管网内未燃瓦斯的积聚区域;高温和高压发生耦合作用,在氧气相对充足的进气管道中形成二次爆炸;障碍物与火焰波以及管网自身结构变化等多种因素形成复合作用,改变了通风管网内瓦斯爆炸冲击波的传播路径和叠加区域的位置;无障碍物时高压区域出现在进气管道中,有障碍物时高压区域出现在中部直管与斜管的交汇处附近,且数值相对较大。     

Steady-state critical two-phase flashing flow with possible multiple choking phenomenon: Part 1: Physical modelling and numerical procedure

In this paper, the modelling of pure fluid steady-state adiabatic flashing flow through a pipe involving an abrupt enlargement is presented. The thermal non-equilibrium two-phase flow model DEM has been adjusted for subcooled inlet conditions close to saturation and/or for inlet two-phase mixture state. The multichoking flow phenomenon occurs when two basic criteria are simultaneously fulfilled. A general procedure taking into account this possible occurrence is developed on the basis of two iterative algorithms. The first algorithm is applied to the mass flow rate upstream from the enlargement and the second algorithm is based on the length of the pipe downstream from the enlargement. The proposed methodology involves the improved physical one-dimensional two-phase flow model DEM and the global non-equilibrium model through the abrupt enlargement.     

深水测试地面流程节流油嘴段温压场研究*

为对深水高压气井测试地面流程中的节流油嘴段的温压场及水合物生成情况进行研究,采用数值模拟的方式对整个节流管路进行气体流动特性分析。并利用P-T图回归公式法,得出不同温压场条件下的水合物生成情况,进行水合物生成范围对比。结果表明:针阀出口后端气体速度随着管路入口压力和针阀直径的增大而增大,随管路出口压力的增大而减小,而气体温度随管路入口压力、管路出口压力、针阀直径的变化趋势与之相反。管路入口压力的递增、管路出口压力的递减以及针阀直径的递增,都会导致针阀突变径处的速度场、温压场波动更加剧烈,并使得水合物生成范围扩大。     

球阀处硫颗粒运移沉降规律数值模拟研究

元素硫在集输管道中沉积会引起堵塞和腐蚀问题,球阀处是集输管道中较易出现大量硫沉积的部位之一。为此,采用数值模拟的方法研究高含硫天然气中析出的硫颗粒在球阀处的运移沉降规律,选用雷诺应力模型模拟球阀处的流场,选用Lagrange颗粒轨道模型追踪硫颗粒在球阀处的运动轨迹,探讨影响硫颗粒在球阀处沉积的因素。结果表明:气流进入球阀内将会出现压力损失和流动分离,气流进口速度和球阀开度会对流场产生影响;硫颗粒在球阀处的沉积率随气流流速和颗粒直径的增大而增大,随球阀开度的增大而减小;重力和离心力是造成硫颗粒在球阀处出现大量沉积的重要原因。     

弯管与盲通管冲蚀磨损对比分析研究

为了研究石油管道流向急剧改变处的冲蚀磨损问题,采用DPM模型,通过改变入口流速、颗粒质量流速、颗粒直径,对90°弯管与盲通管的流场分布及冲蚀情况进行数值模拟。结果表明:弯管与盲通管最大冲蚀速率随入口流速的增大呈指数增长,随颗粒质量流速的增大呈线性增长;在50~100 μm粒径范围内,最大冲蚀速率随粒径的增加逐渐减小,在100~300 μm粒径范围内,随粒径的增加而增大;在入口流速、颗粒质量流速、颗粒直径相同的条件下,弯管最大冲蚀速率明显高于盲通管最大冲蚀速率,盲通管的耐蚀性更强;由于流体在盲通管产生涡旋现象,增加了颗粒能量的耗散,从而减小了进入下游管线颗粒的速率,使得颗粒更易积存于盲通段形成堆积层,减小了下游管段冲蚀速率。     

Experimental study on unconfined methane explosion: Explosion characteristics and overpressure prediction method

Explosion accidents have become the main threat for the high-efficiency use of cleaner gas energy sources, such as natural gas. During an explosion, obstacle causing flame acceleration is the main reason for the increase of the explosion overpressure, which still remains to be fully understood. In this research, field experiments were conducted in a 1 m³ cubic frame apparatus to investigate the effect of built-in obstacles on unconfined methane explosion. Cage-like obstacles were constructed using square steel rods with different cross section size. The results demonstrated that the flame could get accelerated due to the hydrodynamic instability and obstacle-induced turbulence, which enhanced the explosion overpressure. In the near field, the overpressure wave travelled slower and the maximum overpressure could almost keep constant. Reducing the cross section size, or increasing the obstacle height or the obstacle number per layer could determine the rise of the maximum overpressure, the maximum pressure rising rate and the overpressure impulse. For uniformly constructed obstacles, self-similar theory was chosen to measure the influence of the hydrodynamic instability, and a parameter β was adopted to measure the flame acceleration caused by obstacle-induced turbulence, the value of which was 2 in this research. Based on the acoustic theory, an overpressure prediction model was proposed and the predicted results agreed with the measured values better than previous models, such as TNT equivalency model and TNO multi-energy model.     

Numerical investigation of flow erosion and flow induced displacement of gas well relief line

High-pressure particle-laden gas flow should be discharged through relief line of gas well timely to ensure safe test and exploitation. Erosion and vibration usually take place on the bend in relief lines, bringing a potential safety hazard to field operation. The majority of this paper investigates the factors affecting the erosion of bend and displacement of relief line in the downstream of bend using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methodology. A three-dimensional elbow pipe is selected as computational domain in this investigation. The kinematics and trajectory of discrete solid particles and liquid droplets are described by discrete phase model (DPM) while the hydrodynamic characteristics of continuous phase are obtained based on Reynolds-Averaged-Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. An empirical erosion model is employed to predict the erosion rate of bend, and a fluid–structure interaction (FSI) model is adopted to calculate the displacement of relief line. The effects of types of multiphase flow (such as gas–solid two-phase flow and gas–liquid–solid three-phase flow), inlet flow rate and pipe diameter on erosion and displacement are discussed. The results show that large displacement and severe erosion present with large inlet flow rate in minor diameter pipe. The increase in liquid droplet content has less effect on flow erosion than that by the same increase in sand particle content.