Design and Testing of a Flow Facility for Pipeline Leak Prediction, Detection, and Investigation
Date
2024-04-26
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Abstract
Flow facilities for pipeline leak research have existed for many decades to develop and improve leak detection systems. Most of these are single phase and operate at a rather low Reynolds number (< 10% of typical operational Reynolds number). With the aging of infrastructure and emerging fuels on the horizon, these facilities play a crucial role in advancing the energy transition. Existing experiments are performed with a simulated leak from a hole drilled in the pipe wall with flow rate controlled by a valve. Although adequate for certain research objectives, the boundary conditions of a real-world pipeline failure are not properly replicated using this approach and as a result some of the critical mechanical signatures of an actual leak or rupture event are missed. The current research aims to address this deficiency. A customized flow facility with flexible operating pressure and temperature has been designed for leak investigation of both gaseous and liquid transport. The pump and blower can deliver up to 50% (liquid) and 20% (gas) of a typical operational Reynolds number (Re) in a 3-inch nominal diameter test section. The system was designed with the ability to perform flowing burst tests, controlled by increasing the average pressure of the flow loop while maintaining a constant Reynolds number. Burst pressure evaluation of a pipe was used to determine the required defect profile to ensure that the burst event was within the desired pressure range. Pipe sections with common threat mechanisms including pitting corrosion, axial and circumferential cracking, or combinations with denting can be examined. The flow facility enables naturally evolving leak processes to be investigated in detail, starting with the precursors before a leak to the early stages of a leak. The data collected in the facility will be instrumental in the development of real-time monitoring technology for safe pipeline transport.
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Keywords
Pipeline integrity, Flow facility, Leak detection, Leak prediction, Leak investigation, Real-time condition monitoring
Citation
Ng, M. A. N. (2024). Design and testing of a flow facility for pipeline leak prediction, detection, and investigation (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.