Comparative Analyses on Calculation of Contaminated Volume of Multi-Product Pipeline Caused by Stoppage

Due to the failure and maintenance of the equipments, stoppage of the multi-product pipeline is inevitable and it increases the contaminated volume. However, studies on the mechanism of contaminated products generation and its increasing trend are still not satisfactory due to the uncertainty of the main factors that influence the increasing of the contaminated volume. These made the calculation of the contaminated volume caused by stoppage become the technological problem in the batch transportation of multi-product pipeline. It has been a subject that deserves continuing study. In order to calculate the quantity of contaminated volume of multi-product pipeline caused by stoppage accurately, an analytical model is developed in detail theoretically. To avoid the complexity in solving the equation, the model is further simplified. The simulation results are compared with the operational data of Lan-Cheng-Yu multi-product pipeline (LCYPP) and the deviation in calculation was within 0.2. After that, the reasons for the deviation are analyzed qualitatively. The results prove the feasibility and effectiveness of the model. It also provides a good scheme for calculating and analyzing contaminated volume of multi-product pipeline caused by stoppage and establishes the theoretical foundation for the operation and management of multi-product pipeline.Copyright © 2008 by ASME