CO2 transportation hazards in CCS and EOR Operations: Preliminary lab - scale experimental investigation of CO2 pressurized releases

An experimental apparatus has been built in order to perform CO2 releases under controlled conditions. It is made of a dedicated 2,25 l tank made of stainless steel in which the CO2 can be introduced at pressures up to 110 bar. A discharge line consisting of a 0.125 in internal diameter pipe carries the CO2 out of the pressurized tank to an atmospheric environment. The discharge line, as well as the tank interior, is monitored by an arrangement of specific high – frequency pressure sensors and thermocouples in order to collect pressure and temperature profiles during the rapid depressurization. The aim of this study is to collect further experimental data concerning the rapid discharge of gaseous CO2 from a high pressure reservoir. This should help to better understand the compressible transient fluid behaviour in the vessel and along the discharge line. This to support hazard investigation and modelling activities applied to accidental releases of CO2 during transportation operations. The implementation of a theoretical discharge model as well as the analysis of the main feature of the jet is delegate to future works. In this preliminary analysis and tuning stage, pressure and temperature profiles during the rapid depressurization from varying initial pressures are collected together with the external surface temperatures in order to investigate the main features of the expansion. This in order to preliminary assess how the system designed behaves during the depressurization.