CO2SAFE-ARREST: A Full-Scale Burst Test Research Program for Carbon Dioxide Pipelines — Part 2: Is the BTCM Out of Touch With Dense-Phase CO2?

Author(s):  
Guillaume Michal ◽  
Bradley Davis ◽  
Erling Østby ◽  
Cheng Lu ◽  
Sigbjørn Røneid

The CO2SAFE-ARREST joint industry project (JIP) aims to (1) investigate the fracture propagation and arrest characteristics of steel pipelines carrying anthropogenic CO2, and (2) to investigate the dispersion of CO2 following its release into the atmosphere. The project is supported by two full-scale burst tests, each based on a layout of eight X65 grade 24″ line pipes filled with a dense-phase CO2-N2 mixture. The tests were conducted over the 2017–2018 period at the DNV GL testing site at Spadeadam, UK. An overview of both the CO2SAFE-ARREST JIP and the first full-scale burst test is provided in a companion paper (IPC2018-78517). The dispersion aspect is covered in another companion paper (IPC2018-78530). This paper presents the material properties, the design layout and the results of the first full-scale burst test. Material characterisation of the pipes available to the project and the motivation leading to the design of the layout are first presented. Six pipes had a nominal wall thickness of 13.5 mm and the remaining two pipes had a nominal wall thickness of 14.5 mm. Laboratory testing was conducted on the material at the end of each pipe section. The testing consisted of Charpy impact and Drop Weight Tear tests, capturing the upper shelf fracture energy, load-displacement curves and an assessment of the fracture surfaces. Charpy and Drop Weight Tear test energies as well as strength data are provided. The layout reflects the research focus of the project with both conventional and less conventional pipe arrangements. The test was primarily designed around 13.5 mm nominal wall thickness pipes with a 1m depth backfill and laid East-West. The design was telescopic and introduced an asymmetry with respect to the mid-point by arranging pipe sections with increasing Charpy toughness on one side and increasing yield strength on the opposite side. The fracture was initiated at half-length, across the girth weld between the ‘west’ and ‘east’ initiation pipes. A running ductile fracture ensued, followed by an arrest in the third pipe on either side of the test section. Experimental data relevant to fracture velocity, decompression wave speed of the CO2-N2 mixture and pressure at the crack tip are presented. The discussion is driven from the perspective of traditional running ductile fracture control technology applied to dense-phase CO2 carrying pipelines. Emphasis is put on the analysis of the fracture velocity and transient pressure data relative to the properties of the material and CO2 mixture. The limitations of the Battelle Two-Curve Method (BTCM) traditionally used in the analysis of running ductile fracture are discussed. The design of this test was different from that used in the three full-scale burst tests conducted as part of the COOLTRANS project. The conclusions drawn here support those from the COOLTRANS project and apply to larger D/t ratios. The first CO2SAFE-ARREST test provides additional evidence that the original Battelle Two-Curve Model is not applicable to dense-phase CO2 carrying pipelines. A shift in prediction tool technology is called for.

1986 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. A. Maxey

Two full-scale ductile fracture propagation experiments on segments of line pipe pressurized with nitrogen gas have been conducted underwater at a depth of 40 ft (12 m) to evaluate the ductile fracture phenomenon in underwater pipelines. The pipes were 22-in. (559-mm) diameter and 42-in. (1067-mm) diameter. Fracture velocities were measured and arrest conditions were observed. The overpressure in the water surrounding the pipe resulting from the release of the compressed nitrogen gas contained in the pipe was measured in both experiments. The overpressure in the water reduces the stress in the pipe wall and thus slows down the fracture. In addition, the water surrounding the pipe appears to be more effective than soil backfill in producing a slower fracture velocity. Both of these effects suggest a greater tendency toward arrest for a pipeline underwater than would be the case for the same pipeline buried in soil onshore. Further verification of this effect is planned and a modified version of the existing model for predicting ductile fracture in buried pipelines will be developed for underwater pipelines.


Author(s):  
Yasuhito Imai ◽  
Masaki Mitsuya ◽  
Masao Toyoda

A full-scale gas burst test was conducted to confirm the behavior of unstable ductile crack propagation and arrest and to confirm the required toughness value to prevent unstable ductile fracture under an ultrahigh pressure of 18 MPa. A full-scale test was conducted at the Spadeadam test site in the UK for unburied pipes. The test pipes used in this test were of API 5L Grade L450 with outer diameter of 610 mm and thickness of 17.5 mm. The toughness of the test pipes increased away from the center, where an explosive charge was placed across the top of the girth weld for crack initiation. The gas used in the test consisted of ∼89% methane and other heavy hydrocarbon gas components, and the test temperature was 0 °C. A gas circulation loop was constructed to ensure that a homogeneous gas mixture and temperature were achieved throughout the test rig. In addition to dynamically measuring the ductile crack velocity and decompression behavior of the rich gas, as has often been done in previous burst tests, the circumferential distribution of the decompression behavior was measured using circumferentially placed pressure transducers. Furthermore, the fracture strain near the propagating crack was measured. The initiated unstable ductile crack was arrested in the third pipe. From the material properties of the test pipes in which the unstable ductile crack was arrested, the required Charpy absorbed energy and DWTT absorbed energy to prevent unstable ductile fracture in unburied pipes were obtained. In addition, the above data can be useful for validating numerical models that evaluate the propagation/arrest of unstable ductile fracture. The required Charpy and DWTT absorbed energy values obtained in this test were compared with those predicted by the Battelle Two-Curve Method (BTCM). As noted in previous studies, it was confirmed that the BTCM underestimates the required Charpy absorbed energy and requires a certain correction factor for precise evaluation, whereas the DWTT absorbed energy predicted by BTCM was consistent with the experimental result.


Author(s):  
S. Xu ◽  
R. Bouchard ◽  
W. R. Tyson

This paper reports results of tests on flow and ductile fracture of a very high toughness steel with Charpy V-notch absorbed energy (CVN energy) at room temperature of 471 J. The microstructure of the steel is bainite/ferrite and its strength is equivalent to X80 grade. The flow stress was determined using tensile tests at temperatures between 150°C and −147°C and strain rates of 0.00075, 0.02 and 1 s−1, and was fitted to a proposed constitutive equation. Charpy tests were carried out at an initial impact velocity of 5.1 ms−1 using drop-weight machines (maximum capacity of 842 J and 4029 J). The samples were not broken during the test, i.e. they passed through the anvils after significant bending deformation with only limited crack growth. Most of the absorbed energy was due to deformation. There was little effect of excess energy on absorbed energy up to 80% of machine capacity (i.e. the validity limit of ASTM E 23). As an alternative to the CVN energy, the crack tip opening angle (CTOA) measured using the drop-weight tear test (DWTT) has been proposed as a material parameter to characterize crack propagation resistance. Preliminary work on evaluating CTOA using the two-specimen CTOA test method is presented. The initiation energy is eliminated by using statically precracked test specimens. Account is taken of the geometry change of the specimens (e.g. thickening under the hammer) on the rotation factor and of the effect of strain rate on flow stress.


Author(s):  
Pavel Zˇidli´k ◽  
Petr Ferfecki ◽  
Bohumi´r Strnadel

Drop weight tear test (DWTT) is one of the standard methods for evaluation of the ductility of large-dimensional structural components, such as pipelines used for gas and/or oil transportation. In general, the pipelines are even used in places with temperatures close to −40 °C, and in such environments, it is necessary to guarantee the resistance of the material used for pipeline against the initiation of unstable fracture. Currently, the percentage portion of the ductile fracture of the DWTT specimen is determined by an expert evaluator. The objective of this paper is to introduce new procedures working on the principle of deterministic, statistical and fractal description of the fracture surface. For the proposed computational procedures, the fracture surface of the test specimen is scanned at the macroscopic level using the 3D-Cam scanner. The newly investigated procedures show highly sensitive to the determination of the percentage portion of the ductile fracture on the tested DWTT specimens. The developed procedures to assess the fracture surfaces of the DWTT specimens contributes to making the results of this test more correct, objective and also increases the reliability and safety of the manufactured pipelines.


2002 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 203-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeong-Pyo Kim ◽  
Jong-Hyeon Baek ◽  
U-Sik Kim ◽  
Yeong-Tae Go
Keyword(s):  

2015 ◽  
Vol 130 ◽  
pp. 911-917 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z.Q. Lei ◽  
J. Chen ◽  
F.X. Wang ◽  
W.B. Xuan ◽  
T. Wang ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Julian Barnett ◽  
Richard Wilkinson ◽  
Alan Kirkham ◽  
Keith Armstrong

National Grid, in the United Kingdom (UK), has extensive experience in the management and execution of under pressure operations on its natural gas pipelines. These under pressure operations include welding, ‘hot tap’ and ‘stopple’ operations, and the installation of sleeve repairs. National Grid Carbon is pursuing plans to develop a pipeline network in the Humber and North Yorkshire areas of the UK to transport dense phase Carbon Dioxide (CO2) from major industrial emitters in the area to saline aquifers off the Yorkshire coast. One of the issues that needed to be resolved is the requirement to modify and/or repair dense phase CO2 pipeline system. Existing under pressure experience and procedures for natural gas systems have been proven to be applicable for gaseous phase CO2 pipelines; however, dense phase CO2 pipeline systems require further consideration due to their higher pressures and different phase behaviour. Consequently, there is a need to develop procedures and define requirements for dense phase CO2 pipelines. This development required an experimental programme of under pressure welding trials using a flow loop to simulate real dense phase CO2 pipeline operating conditions. This paper describes the experiments which involved: • Heat decay trials which demonstrated that the practical limitation for under pressure welding on dense phase CO2 systems will be maintaining a sufficient level of heat to achieve the cooling time from 250 °C to 150 °C (T250–150) above the generally accepted 40 second limit. • A successful welding qualification trial with a welded full encirclement split sleeve arrangement. The work found that for the same pipe wall thickness, flow velocity and pressure, dense phase CO2 has the fastest cooling time when compared with gaseous phase CO2 and natural gas. The major practical conclusion of the study is that for dense phase CO2 pipelines with a wall thickness of 19.0 mm or above, safe and practical under pressure welding is possible in accordance with the existing National Grid specification (i.e. T/SP/P/9) up to a flow velocity of around 0.9 m/s. The paper also outlines the work conducted into the use of the Manual Phased Array (MPA) inspection technique on under pressure welding applications. Finally, the paper identifies and considers the additional development work needed to ensure that a comprehensive suite of under pressure operations and procedures are available for the pipeline operator.


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