Assessment of the Range of Danger Zones Determined in a Function of LNG Chemical Composition

Abstract

Nowadays, when we try to automatize all activities, there is a growing demand for energy in all forms. Increasingly we reach for new energy sources that can be problematic to store or to transport, owing to their toxicity or explosive propensity. The article examines the issues of determining danger zones occurring as a result of liquefied natural gas (LNG) release. The range of danger zones caused through LNG release depends on a multitude of factors. The basic parameter that needs to be considered is a type of the released substance as well as the manner of its release. The range of a danger zone is determined by, inter alia, the concentration of a released substance and the atmospheric conditions existing at the time when depressurization occurs. The article analyses the problem of the range of danger zones in a function of wind speed and surface roughness with a defined value of Pasquill stability for various LNG types, starting with pure methane, and ending with the so-called LNG-heavy. The difficulty of the task becomes more complicated when the analysed surface over which a depressurization incident takes place involves water. The problem deepens even further when the analysed substance possesses explosive properties. Then, apart from regular substance concentration, upper and lower flammability limit ought to be considered. Calculations were conducted with DNV-Phast software, version 7.11.