Analysis of domino effect in pipelines

Abstract

Parallel pipelines are frequently installed over long distances, due to the difficulty in creating or maintaining the required corridor. This implies that a release in one pipeline can seriously affect another one. The main risks associated with this domino effect are the erosive action of fluid-sand jets and the thermal action of jet fires. In this paper a survey has been performed on the accidents that have occurred, and the diverse possibilities and the associated domino sequences are analysed. The probability of occurrence of this domino effect is a function of the location of the hole, the direction of the jet, the solid angle that the jet is outlining, the diameter of both pipelines, and the distance between them. A mathematical model has been developed to estimate this probability. The model shows how the probability of domino effect decreases with the distance and diameter of the source pipe, and increases with the diameter of the target pipe. The frequency of the domino effect can be estimated from this probability and from the frequency of the initiating pipe failure plus, in the case of jet fire impingement, the probability of ignition. The frequency of the secondary pipe failure thus calculated, always higher than the individual frequency of this pipe, allows obtaining more realistic risk analysis results. HIGHLIGHTS In parallel pipelines domino effect can have a significant influence.  Domino effect will be originated by jet erosion or jet fire impingement.  The domino effect probability depends on the geometric arrangement of the system.  A mathematical model has been developed to estimate domino effect probability.  This probability allows a more realistic estimation of failure frequencies. ABSTRACTParallel pipelines are frequently installed over long distances, due to the difficulty in creating or maintaining the required corridor. This implies that a release in one pipeline can seriously affect another one. The main risks associated with this domino effect are erosion by fluid-sand jets and the thermal action of jet fires. In this paper a survey has been performed on the accidents that have occurred, and the diverse associated domino sequences are analyzed. The probability of occurrence of domino effect is a function of the location of the hole, the jet direction and solid angle, the diameter of both pipelines and the distance between them. A mathematical model has been developed to estimate this probability. The model shows how the probability of domino effect decreases with the distance and diameter of the source pipe, and increases with the diameter of the target pipe. Its frequency can be estimated from this probability and from the frequency of the initiating pipe failure plus, in the case of jet fire impingement, the probability of ignition. The frequency of the target pipe failure thus calculated, always higher than its individual frequency, allows a more realistic risk analysis.

Main geometrical features of horizontal buoyant jet fire and associated radiative fraction

“…Although there are not many studies covering the projected flame height (H p ), it was reported that a study for the flame height is relatively important for jet flame impingement probability estimation for any plant installation in close vicinity. 28 Moreover, the knowledge of projected flame height enables the estimation of jet flame coverage on the target unit and the related radiative fraction that might be affected by the presence of an obstacle near the jet source. In this study, the projected flame height is increased and then decreases at higher release flowrate, as can be seen in Figure 8.…”

Risk Assessment System for Oil and Gas Pipelines Laid in One Ditch Based on Quantitative Risk Analysis

“…From a risk perspective, the PLOD are subject not only to the failure factors of a single pipeline, but also to the effects of adjacent pipeline failures, which has been proven by numerical simulations and experiments by scholars. Studies show that jet fire and explosion shock waves caused by pipeline failure will affect adjacent pipelines, that is to say, there is a failure correlation between pipelines [25][26][27][28]. Therefore, the potential danger of the pipelines and the routing environment can be upgraded.…”

Integrated assessment of safety distances for rescue work in chemical plant fires involving domino effects

“…In addition, a review of relevant literature indicated that studies on domino effects have focused on identifying the threats as well as individual and social risks–induced by such effects , establishing criteria to assess the possibility of domino effects , adopting active (e.g., sprinklers) or passive (e.g., safety distance, firewalls, and blast walls) strategies to prevent these effects from continuously expanding , and employing these strategies to contain the domino effects induced by liquid petroleum gas and propane storage tank bases or corroded pipelines . In short, these studies have proposed strategies to prevent domino effects originating from atmospheric or pressure storage tanks and pipelines.…”