Consequence of high-pressure CO2 pipeline failure: Full-scale burst test and numerical simulation

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a widely acknowledged technique for mitigating global warming. High-pressure pipelines emerge as the most efficient and economical means to transport Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) from source to storage sites. Given the hazardous nature of CO 2 and the potential for catastrophic consequences in an unplanned release, ensuring safe operation of CO 2 pipelines is paramount. This necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the potential consequences of CO 2 pipeline failures. This paper presents experimental measurements of CO 2 dispersion profiles following a full-scale burst test, simulating a real-world CO 2 pipeline failure scenario. The experimental setup comprised an 82.7 m buried pipeline test section with a diameter of 324 mm, connected at both ends to 60 m reservoirs. The rupture of the pipeline was initiated at the middle of the test section using an explosive charge. Measurements were carried out for the transient downwind CO 2 concentrations and temperatures following the explosive release. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models employing proposed numerical methods were used to simulate the experimental scenario. The performance of these methods was validated through comparisons with experimental measurements. The validated numerical methods were then employed to predict consequence distances for full-scale CO 2 pipeline failures in real-world scenarios. • A full-scale burst test of high-pressure CO 2 pipeline. • Data of transient gas concentration and temperature obtained for model validation. • Validated CFD model for simulation of CO 2 dispersion and low temperature impact. • CFD simulations to evaluate consequences of full-scale CO 2 pipeline failures. • Determination of consequence distances due to full-scale CO 2 pipeline fracture.