Study on leakage and diffusion characteristics of Hydrogen-blended natural gas in utility tunnels and ventilation strategies

Abstract

Natural gas transportation, storage and distribution systems are relatively well-developed.Hydrogen-blended natural gas (H2-NG) can utilize the existing infrastructure, reducing the cost of renewal and reconstruction and enabling wide-range hydrogen transportation.However, incorporating hydrogen into natural gas modifies its characteristics, leading to leakage and diffusion behaviors that differ from those of pure natural gas. To examine these characteristics of H2-NG, this paper numerically simulates the leakage process in a utility tunnel and investigates the influences of leak apertures, hydrogen blending ratios(HBRs), pipeline operating pressure, and ventilation conditions on the gas distribution in the tunnel. The results show that an increase in leak aperture and pipeline pressure leads to higher gas concentration, a larger diffusion radius in the tunnel, and earlier alarm time. The amount of leakage is positively correlated with the HBR; increasing HBR increases the amount of leakage and the risk of explosion in the utility tunnel. Ventilation significantly impacts the gas concentration within the tunnel. With smaller leak apertures and pipeline pressures, 6-12 times per hour mechanical ventilation can reduce the gas concentration in the utility tunnel to a safe range. A ventilation strategy of at least 15 times per hour should be adopted for larger leak sizes and pipeline pressures. The results of this study provide theoretical guidance for managing the leakage process of H2-NG in underground comprehensive utility tunnels.

Cited as: Zhu, C., Zhu, S., Duan, P., Li, L., Gong, L. Study on leakage and diffusion characteristics of Hydrogen-blended natural gas in utility tunnels and ventilation strategies. Computational Energy Science, 2024, 1(2): 102-116. https://doi.org/10.46690/compes.2024.02.04

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