The TNO multi-energy method combined to mathematical programming and computational fluid dynamics for optimisation of gas detectors

Gas leakage is a matter of concern for several industries such as oil and gas, mining, food, and healthcare. When the industry considers gas detectors, the main questions are: How many gas detectors are required? Where is the best location to install them? To answer these questions Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations and optimisation procedures are employed to calculate the plume location and plume volume to better position the gas detectors. We investigated how the optimisation cell size for the set covering problem can be calculated based on a given explosion overpressure threshold. Resorted by the multi-energy explosion model, we calculate the flammable cloud volume associated with a pre-defined overpressure value. The cloud volume is applied in the solution of the set covering problem and an optimal set for the gas detectors is obtained. The final gas detector network (number and location of the devices) is validated against CFD simulations for small releases. The results provide evidence that the optimal gas detector networks is able to detect gas leaks within a feasible time.     

Experimental and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation of leak shapes and sizes for gas pipeline

In this paper, a parametric study has been carried out to predict the exit velocity of air through the leakage in the pipe with the help of CFD software ANSYS Fluent. The effect of air pressure in the pipe and the shape of leakage have been studied. Further experiments were also carried out to determine the exit velocity for the defined shape of leakage by varying the air pressure in the pipe. Experimentally, the velocity at a distance of 8 cm from the location of a leak in the horizontal plane was obtained with the help of differential pressure transducers. Using the experimental results, the computational results were validated. The results of the parametric simulation study showed that even for a pressure of 2 bars the velocity profile at the leak location indicates the supersonic state where the Mach number is greater than 1. The study is useful because it may be used as a foundation for risk assessment and safety management in the case of flammable gas leaks through gas pipes.