VESSEL DEPRESSURIZATION OF CO2-RICH FLUIDS

FROM EXPERIMENTS TO SIMULATIONS

1Vaillant G., 1Garcia F., 1Teberikler L., 2Fahmi A., 2Drescher M.1Total, 2Equinor

CONTENT

Vessel depressurization of CO2-rich streams: From experiments to simulations – Trondheim, NORWAY – June 19th, 2019 2

INTRODUCTION

Problem statement

Cardice JIP

EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP

Overall description

Instrumentation

Site

VESSFIRE

General description

Experimental vs. simulation results

CONCLUSIONS & CHALLENGES

3

INTRODUCTION

Vessel depressurization of CO2-rich streams: From experiments to simulations – Trondheim, NORWAY – June 19th, 2019

INTRODUCTION – PROBLEM STATEMENT

4

Design cost-efficient facilities for CCUS and operate them safely

Depressurization of vessels containing hydrocarbon fluids:

No solid formation

Available models in process software validated over many decades

For vessels containing pure CO2 or CO2-rich fluids:

Solid CO2 formation More complex models

Only scarce experimental data exist.

Vessel depressurization of CO2-rich streams: From experiments to simulations – Trondheim, NORWAY – June 19th, 2019

Tuning / validation of these complex models require new experimental data

Lack of validated software for blowdown of CO2-rich mixtures

INTRODUCTION – CARDICE JIP

5

Partners

Gassnova

Equinor

Total

Sub-contractors

Ineris (experiments)

Petrell (simulations)

Duration & budget

2017-2019

6 MNOK (50% support from Gassnova)

Vessel depressurization of CO2-rich streams: From experiments to simulations – Trondheim, NORWAY – June 19th, 2019

Main objectives of the CARDICE JIP

CO2 blowdown experiments at pilot scale, for different initial conditions…

… to improve and qualify VessFire as a tool for blowdown of CO2 vessels

6

EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP

Vessel depressurization of CO2-rich streams: From experiments to simulations – Trondheim, NORWAY – June 19th, 2019

EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP – OVERALL DESCRIPTION

7Vessel depressurization of CO2-rich streams: From experiments to simulations – Trondheim, NORWAY – June 19th, 2019

Setup

2m3 spherical HP/LT vessel (re-use)

10cm of rubber foam insulation

Compositions

From pure CH4 to pure CO2

Initial conditions

From 135 down to 10 bara

From 20° down to -40°C

Gas or liquid release

EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP – INSTRUMENTATION

8

Absolute pressure

Inside temperature (6)

Wall temperature (7)

Flux (7)

Clamp-on ultrasonic

sensor – liquid velocity

Wetted ultrasonic sensor – gas velocity

Optic section

Absolute pressure

Temperature

Absolute pressure

Temperature

relative pressure (2)

Temperature (1)

Optic ports

Measurements Estimations

Fluid temperature

Wall temperature

Pressure

Mass

Fluid velocity

Fluid density

Flow rate

(amount of solid)

Vessel depressurization of CO2-rich streams: From experiments to simulations – Trondheim, NORWAY – June 19th, 2019

EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP – SITE

9

Location:

Ineris,

Verneuil-en-Halatte,

FRANCE

Vessel depressurization of CO2-rich streams: From experiments to simulations – Trondheim, NORWAY – June 19th, 2019

10

VESSFIRE

Vessel depressurization of CO2-rich streams: From experiments to simulations – Trondheim, NORWAY – June 19th, 2019

VESSFIRE – GENERAL DESCRIPTION

11

Developed by Petrell (Norway) since 1998

Pseudo 3D tool based on finite-element method and fluid dynamics modelling

Non-equilibrium thermodynamic…

… with vapor, liquid and solid phases, including phase changes

Vessel depressurization of CO2-rich streams: From experiments to simulations – Trondheim, NORWAY – June 19th, 2019

12Vessel depressurization of CO2-rich streams: From experiments to simulations – Trondheim, NORWAY – June 19th, 2019

Pure CH4, gas only

100 bar, 20°C

0

20

40

60

80

100

PRESSURE (bar) vs. Time

EXPERIMENT VESSFIRE

0

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0,5

MASS FLOWRATE (kg/s) vs. Time

VESSFIRE – EXPERIMENTAL VS. SIMULATION RESULTS

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

GAS TEMPERATURE (°C) vs. Time

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

WALL TEMPERATURE (°C) vs. Time

13Vessel depressurization of CO2-rich streams: From experiments to simulations – Trondheim, NORWAY – June 19th, 2019

Pure CO2, G/L

20 bar, -20°C

0

4

8

12

16

20

PRESSURE (bar) vs. Time

EXPERIMENT VESSFIRE

0

0,01

0,02

0,03

0,04MASS FLOWRATE (kg/s) vs. Time

-80

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20PHASE TEMPERATURE (°C) vs. Time

EXPERIMENT_BOTTOM

EXPERIMENT_MIDDLE

VESSFIRE_GAS

VESSFIRE_LIQUID/SOLID

-80

-60

-40

-20

WALL TEMPERATURE (°C) vs. TIME

EXPERIMENT VESSFIRE_MIN

VESSFIRE – EXPERIMENTAL VS. SIMULATION RESULTS

14

CONCLUSIONS & CHALLENGES

Vessel depressurization of CO2-rich streams: From experiments to simulations – Trondheim, NORWAY – June 19th, 2019

CONCLUSIONS & CHALLENGES

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Experiments

~ 1-year of paper work & discussions (instrumentation, sphere modification…)

All tests conducted successfully, with large amounts of solid CO2 produced in some tests

No safety issue

Vessfire PRELIMINARY assessment

Challenges

Vessel depressurization of CO2-rich streams: From experiments to simulations – Trondheim, NORWAY – June 19th, 2019

Fluid state P Qm Tgas Tliq Tw,min

Gas only N/A

Gas & liquid (& solids)

Experiments Vessfire

- Ultrasonic flowmeters

- Mechanical integrity concerns

- Post-processing of data

- Heat transfer between gas and walls

- Simulation speed

- Robustness for liquid release