Papers and Conference Presentations
The downhole tool industry commonly conducts tests that require pressurization of a vessel. The most common failure mode is through the launching of end caps, plugs, and fittings as opposed to a catastrophic rupture of the vessel body. This type of vessel failure during high-pressure gas testing can produce significant threats to nearby personnel in the form of high-energy projectiles and blast waves that must be blocked or dissipated before reaching personnel. Adequately designing a structure to contain this energy depends on how well a worst case scenario event can be modeled.
Blast waves ensue from a pneumatic pressure test failure. As a vessel fails, the volume of pressurized gas will expand into the surroundings. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of the pressure vessel and its enclosure will provide an accurate assessment of the blast loads in the environment.
As the biofuels industry continues to expand in support of global decarbonization mandates and objectives, facility owners and developers are being challenged to balance production efficiency, operational reliability, and personnel safety.
As high hazard facilities, biofuels sites should focus on developing a fire protections strategy informed by performance-based analysis so strategies implemented meet the unique challenges found at each facility.
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