ANSYS structural and fluid flow analysis in a LPG transporting corroded pipeline

Abstract

Oil and Gas Industries most challenging issue is corrosion over pipelines. Due to this corrosion, flammable liquids, gas would leak results in massive damage and fatalities due to explosion. This leakages starts when the initial corrosions cracks occurs over the surface of pipeline. Due to internal fluid pressures, this minor corrosion rupture would develop and pin hole leak would be initiated. Through this pin hole flammable fluid would start to leak and unconfined vapor cloud (UVC) would be developed outside pipeline ambient area. If this pin hole leak not maintained and controlled immediately as a chronic effect it may end up either as deformation of pipeline or complete puncture of pipeline results in massive release of flammable liquid in the atmosphere which may leads to ONSITE and OFFSITE Fire emergency. As an active monitoring technique, through simulation software the fluid flow dynamics inside the corroded pipeline would be analyzed. Along with this fluid flow analysis near the corroded area, pipeline structural behavior also to be analyzed. The minimum pipeline thickness (t min) has calculated in which the bursting and deformation thickness has identified. By doing this analysis, the fluid flow behaviors near the corroded area of the pipeline and the structural response of the pipeline can be studied. This data would be helpful for safe designing of pipeline to transport flammable fluids like Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Petrol.