Forced Dispersion of LNG Vapor with Water Curtain Morshed A. Rana and M. Sam Mannan Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering Texas A & M University, College Station International Symposium October 28, 2009
Introduction LNG is natural gas (NG) converted to liquid state at 111K ( 260F) Liquid vaporizes immediately if released (boiling point 111K) Vapor disperses close to the ground: CH 4 vapor at ambient T & P is lighter than air (by 0.54), hence LNG vapor is heavier than air (by 1.52) LNG vapor is flammable between 5 15% by volume concentration Massive LNG tanks poses fire and explosion hazards vaporization dispersion Effective vapor and fire mitigation techniques are critical ignition 2
Why Water Spray Curtain? A line of spray nozzles which can create a curtain of water droplets in the path of a dispersing cloud /heat Fire fighting: protect firefighters and equipment from radiant heat Absorption & dispersion: control and mitigate toxic and/or flammable vapor cloud from a release Reliable, inexpensive, easy installation (fixed or mobile) Types: Fog, Conical (full, full square, hollow) and Flat fan water droplet sizes and flow patterns Orientation/application method: downward and upward, vertically or inclined Able to show different physical effects suggested as one of the most economic and effective LNG vapor suppressing techniques 3
Parameters of Water Curtain Application Physical Effects Entrain air into the spray & change in gas cloud concentration by mixing Momentum transfer from drops to surrounding air (& turbulence) and mixing of air vapor Change in temperature of the cloud (and air) Heat transfer from drops to cloud (and air) Change in the cloud path/flow direction Impart momentum from the spray to the cloud Rana, M. A. et al. (2008). Process Safety Progress, 27, 4, 345 353. 4
Parameters of Water Curtain Application Spray Characteristics Spray type & drop size: Fog: medium to fine; Cone: medium; Fan: large/coarse Drop size & mechanism: Spray angle (width) & mechanism: Sprays with same drop ranges but different angles (widths) will have different overall effect 5
Effectiveness of Water Curtain to Disperse LNG Vapor Effective LNG vapor control method USCG FMRC Martinsen, W.E., Muhenkamp, S.P. (1977). Hydrocarbon Processing, 260-267. Heskestad, G., Meroney, R.N., Kothari, K.M. (1983). In Proceedings of the American Gas Association, Transmission conference paper, 169-183. 6
Water Curtain Research at MKOPSC Study of water curtain effects on LNG vapor cloud overall study from spill experiments theoretical study of air entrainment and momentum effects LNG spill experiments since 2006 Brayton Fire Training Field LNG Firefighter Training Facility Continuous LNG spill on ground/water from pipe Different commercial upward water curtains to disperse vapor cloud 7
Spray Specifications Types of upward sprays Conical: TF 48 Fan: Hydro momentum rate, [kg m/sec/sec] 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 M = ρ Q v tip FullCone FlatFan 0 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 pressure, [kpa] 8 Rana, M. A. et al. (2009). Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, 22, 707 718.
Experimental Setup LNG Spill Location 2006 2007 2009 2008 Gas detectors & thermocouples different downwind positions and elevations based on CFD simulation & past experience Water curtain away from spill To avoid water spillage into the spill 9
Experimental Procedure & Data Vapor dispersion without water curtain Water curtain activated @ 480s LNG discontinued @ 550s 10 Vapor dispersion with water curtain Rana, M. A. et al. (2009). JLPPI, 22, 707 718. Data at 0.5m elevation Rana, M. A. et al. (2008). Process Safety Progress, 27, 4, 345 353.
Overall Effects of Water Curtains November 2007 Point values of concentrations at different downwind distances & heights: Average concentration (within 1 to 1½ min) without and with the water curtain activation Sunny day: 2.2 m/s (4.9 mph) wind T a (Air)= 22.5 C, T w (Water)=19 C RH=25.5%, Solar Flux = 250 W/m 2 Conical spray LNG spill on concrete (1.52 m 1.52 m 0.31 m ) Spill rate: 3 10 3 m 3 /s (50 gpm) Fan spray Water rate (conical): 15.5 10 3 m 3 /s (245.5 gpm) Water rate (fan): 15.5 10 3 m 3 /s (245.5 gpm) Ground (0.5m) conc. reduction: conical spray: 30.5% fan spray: 70 % 11
Overall Effects of Water Curtains Point values of concentrations at different downwind distances & heights: Average concentration (within 1 to 1½ min) without and with the water curtain activation Sunny day: 5.1 m/s (11.4 mph) wind T a (Air)= 28.3 C, T w (Water)=26.5 C RH=38%, Solar Flux = 590.7 W/m 2 LNG spill on water (1.52 m 1.52 m 0.31 m ) Spill rate: 3.15 10 3 m 3 /s (50 gpm) Water rate (conical): 36.5 10 3 m 3 /s (578.2 gpm) Water rate (fan): 11.4 10 3 m 3 /s (180.6 gpm) Ground (0.5m) conc. reduction: conical spray: 83 % fan spray: 86 % CH 4 conc., % (v/v) CH 4 conc., % (v/v) 25.0 22.5 20.0 17.5 15.0 12.5 10.0 7.5 5.0 2.5 0.0 27.5 25.0 22.5 20.0 17.5 15.0 12.5 10.0 7.5 5.0 2.5 0.0 LNG Spill edge Full Cone (FC) water curtain No Spray z=0.5m No Spray z=1.2m No Spray z=2.1m 1.0 0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0 9.5 10.0 10.5 11.0 11.5 12.0 12.5 13.0 13.5 14.0 14.5 15.0 LNG Spill edge March 2009 downwind distance, m Flat Fan (FF) water curtain No Spray z=0.5m No Spray z=1.2m No Spray z=2.1m FC Spray z=0.5m FC Spray z=1.2m FC Spray z=2.1m 1.0 0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0 9.5 10.0 10.5 11.0 11.5 12.0 12.5 13.0 13.5 14.0 14.5 15.0 downwind distance, m Conical spray FF Spray z=0.5m FF Spray z=1.2m FF Spray z=2.1m Fan spray 12
Water Spray Mechanisms Change in Spray Temperature 2007 tests T w =19.64 (±0.51) C 2009 tests T w = 28 (±0.5) C Change in temperature, deg C 10.0 9.5 9.0 8.5 8.0 7.5 7.0 6.5 6.0 5.5 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 Full Cone Test 1: Avg 6.6 C Full Cone Test 2: Avg 8.0 C Flat Fan Test 1: Avg 5.5 C Flat Fan Test 2: Avg 5.7 C Change in temperature, deg C 6.0 5.5 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 Test 1: Conical Average: 4.5 C Test 2: Fan Average: 2.5 C 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 Relative test time, sec 240 270 300 330 360 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 Relative test time, sec 210 240 270 300 13
Water Spray Mechanisms Heat from the spray p q c T T water water reading Experiment Water Curtain [# of nozzle] Water flow rate/nozzle 10 3 [m 3 /s] Droplet size (SMD) [mm] Change in spray temperature, T w [ C] Heat transfer by spray, q avg [J/gm] 2007 2009 Full Cone [7] Flat Fan [1] Full Cone [8] Flat Fan [1] 2.2 ±0.70 6.61 ± 2.2 27.67 1.35 ±0.05 2.2 ±0.14 8.03 ± 0.65 33.61 15.1 ±0.46 5.47 ± 0.98 22.90 1.55 ±0.05 15.5 ±2.30 5.68 ± 0.50 23.78 4.6 ±0.70 0.935 ±0.045 4.50 ± 0.4 18.84 11.4 ±0.50 1.94 ±0.05 2.50 ± 0.27 10.47 Simple calculation by ADL, 1974 (gross heat balance of water): To change T from 111K 165K of LNG vapor (from 104 15X104 gpm spill) Heat input needed from a spray curtain: 380 386 J/gm spray at 1300 1500 gpm 14
Water Spray Mechanisms Air Entrainment into the Upward Sprays Model*: dud g 3 1 3 a ud u 2 2 2 a B d d dz ud 4 w ud 3 1 3 dua 1 ua das 3 ud u 2 2 2 a QwB d d dz 2 A dz 8 u u s d a 3 Entrained air velocity into the spray, u a (m/s) 13.0 12.0 11.0 10.0 9.0 8.0 7.0 6.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00 Conical:2007 Tests Conical:2009 Tests Fan:2007 Tests Fan:2009 Tests Air entrainment rate inside the spray, Q a (m 3 /s) 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00 Conical:2007 Tests Q Conocal:2009 Tests Q Fan:2009 Tests Q Fan:2009 Tests Q Vertical distance from the nozzle (upward), z (m) Vertical distance from the nozzle (upward), z (m) Air velocity * Similar model by Heskestad et al. (1977, 1981) for downward conical spray Volumetric air rate 15
Water Spray Mechanisms Momentum (Force) Applied by the Sprays (inside the spray, along the axis) 175 Rate of momentum imparted, kgm/s/s 150 125 100 75 50 25 Conical:2007 Mom Conical:2009 Mom Fan:2007 Mom Fan:2009 Mom 0 0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00 2.25 2.50 Vertical distance from the nozzle, (m) 16
Overall Results Concentration contour (from 2009 expt. data): distance and height Conical spray Fan spray conc. CH4 conc. Range 4 20 % v/v conc. CH4 conc. Range 4 25 % v/v 17
Conclusions Effectiveness of water curtain on LNG vapor Underlying physical phenomena of different water sprays Effect of several parameters during LNG vapor water spray interaction Dominant mechanism Water curtains are able to control a drifting LNG vapor cloud and change the concentration along the cloud height Water curtain mechanisms vary depending on drop size, drop velocity, spray angle, flow direction Cloud dilution varies because of the roles the different mechanisms play Theoretically, heat transfer is considered the most important mechanism for LNG vapor characteristics. In reality, it is unrealistic to get significant heat from commercially available spray in outdoor situations. Over all UPWARD CONICAL SPRAYS with medium drop sizes, which provide higher air entrainment and dilution with some heat and momentum were MORE EFFECTIVE 18
Acknowledgements BP Global Gas SPU Brayton Fire Training School Kirk Richardson & his LNG team All members of MKOPSC 19
THANK YOU! Forced Dispersion of LNG Vapor with Water Curtain Morshed A. Rana & M. Sam Mannan