Pipeline Gas Purging With Separation to Prevent Hazardous Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for removing gas from gas-carrying pipeline sections are inefficient, unsafe, costly, and environmentally harmful, particularly due to the formation of boundary layers and release of harmful gases into the atmosphere.
Innovation Solution
A method involving transferring a first quantity of gas into a reservoir, followed by supplying a purge gas to transfer residual gas through a separation unit, using compressors and separation units like Roots pumps, and optionally using chemical absorption, adsorption, and cryogenic separation processes to separate residual gas from purge gas and store it in a climate-friendly manner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the gas is pumped into other sections of the pipeline until low pressure is reached, then the pipeline is emptied, but boundary layers form in peripheral areas creating safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
A purge gas is introduced into the pipeline before the final evacuation stage to prevent boundary layer formation. This preliminary action ensures that the pipeline atmosphere is maintained safely throughout the emptying process, eliminating the safety risk associated with low-pressure boundary layers.
Solution Approach 2:
An inert purge gas (such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide) is used to displace the process gas from the pipeline. This creates a safe inert atmosphere that prevents oxygen penetration and eliminates fire hazards, while the purge gas is continuously circulated to prevent boundary layer formation in peripheral areas.
2Quantity of substance
If residual gas is vented into the atmosphere, then the pipeline is emptied, but hazardous gases pose health and environmental risks
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of venting the process gas directly into the atmosphere, the system recovers the gas by transferring it to a storage vessel. This allows hazardous gases to be contained and properly disposed of or reused, eliminating health and environmental risks associated with atmospheric release.
Solution Approach 2:
A purge gas acts as an intermediary medium that carries the process gas from the pipeline to the storage vessel. This indirect transfer method ensures that the hazardous process gas is never released into the atmosphere, while the purge gas facilitates complete gas removal from the pipeline.
3Reliability
If a purge gas is supplied to prevent boundary layers, then safety is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The purge gas system serves multiple functions: it prevents boundary layer formation, maintains inert atmosphere, and facilitates gas transfer to storage. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by achieving multiple safety and operational goals with a single integrated approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The purge gas is circulated through the pipeline in a continuous self-sustaining process, where the gas flow itself maintains the safety conditions without requiring additional active control mechanisms. The system uses the purge gas circulation to automatically prevent boundary layers and maintain safe conditions throughout the emptying process.
4Productivity
If gas is transferred rapidly to reduce time, then productivity is improved, but complete gas removal becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic cycles of purge gas introduction and gas transfer to the storage vessel. This periodic action allows rapid overall gas removal while ensuring that each cycle thoroughly evacuates the pipeline, preventing residual gas from accumulating. The cyclic process maintains high productivity while achieving complete gas removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The purge gas flows continuously through the pipeline during the entire gas removal process, ensuring that no dead zones or residual gas pockets remain. This continuous action maintains rapid gas transfer speeds while guaranteeing complete evacuation of the pipeline, as the constant purge gas flow prevents any gas from being trapped.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures rapid, safe, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly gas removal by preventing boundary layer formation and safely handling hazardous gases, with the potential for gas reuse and minimal environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
transferring a first quantity of the gas from the gas-conducting line section into a gas reservoir
Implementation Method 2
transferring a first quantity of the gas from the gas-conducting line section into a gas reservoir
Implementation Method 3
transferred into the gas reservoir via a separation unit for separation from the supplied purge gas
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for discharging a gas from a gas-conducting line section (4), comprising the steps of transferring (100) a first quantity of the gas from the gas-conducting line section (4) into a gas reservoir (8), supplying (200) a purge gas into the gas-conducting line section (4) upon detection of a residual quantity of the gas within the gas-conducting line section (4), and transferring (300) the residual quantity of the gas from the gas-conducting line section (4) into the gas reservoir (8), wherein the residual quantity of the gas from the gas-conducting line section (4) is separated from the supplied purge gas by means of a separation unit (10) during the transfer (300) into the gas reservoir (8).