SLUGGING IN A FLARE HEADER

Dynamic simulation of
Crude Flash Drum when
blocking outlets during operation
Runar Sther (TEX Stavanger)
Leif Ernstsen (AkerSolutions)
1 - Classification: Internal

2013-03-01

Content of Presentation

System description
Simulation tools
The OLGA model
Simulated scenario
Simulation technical challenges
Calculation of forces in pipe bends
Results
OLGA volume errors: How to avoid them How to
filter them off
Concluding remarks

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3D Model of Sture Plant

Flare Header

Flash Drum

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System Sketch

Rupture disc, SP = 7 barg

PSV, SP = 5
barg
Gas outlet

PC

VA20300
SP= 1.5 barg

To compressor

To flare
Un-stabilized oil
cavern

Crude Oil Loading Pumps

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Flash Drum

Flare header

The Crude Oil Flash Drum

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System Description

View showing part of 24 inch

Flare Header with expansion loop

One of the Sture caverns.

Length 314 m, height 33 m, width 19 m.
Capacity ~ 160 000 m3

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Simulation Tools
HYSYS V7.1, Static and Dynamic
- for defining fluid
- for heat exchanger dynamics
Flarenet V7.1
- for examining previous modelling work
PVTsim 17.0.0
- for PVT file generation for OLGA
OLGA 5.3.4.4 with precalculated fluid file
- for dynamic modelling of upset scenario

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OLGA Model Elevations

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Blocked Outlet Scenario

Normal operation

Upset start: Control system error or stop of Flash Drum pump

Flash Drum liquid outlet closes

Flash Drum primary protection (HH liq.) fails

Puts demand on secondary protection (PSV, RD)

Full Flash Drum Compressor trip Gas outlet blocked

PSV opens at 5 barg Fully open at 5.5 barg RD opens at 7 barg

Multiphase liquid and gas flow through Flare Header Slugging

Simulation run for 15 minutes after upset start

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Simulation Technical Challenges

Cavern pump modelled as an OLGA well
OLGA well adjusted to match pump curve with:
RESPRESSURE=24.15 BARA
PRODI=0.000000660 Sm3/s/Pa

Operating
area

Pump located
here

Sketch of cavern elevations

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Pump curve

Simulation Technical Challenges

Separator modelling
Real separator:
Horizontal vessel, rounded ends
T/T length 25 m, diameter 5 m
Inlets in both ends, outlets in the middle

Separator as modelled with OLGA:

Horizontal vessel, flat ends
Inlet and outlet in opposite ends
Main part of normal liquid content excluded to avoid
implications of instantaneous gas/liquid equilibrium
as modelled by OLGA.
Length 13.3 m, diameter 4.09 m
Heat content conserved by adding an artificial oil wall
layer to separator.

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Simulation Technical Challenges

Separator modelling

Real Flash Drum

OLGA separator model

Cross section

Cross section
These gas
volumes are
equal

4.09 m

5m
3.17 m

Horizontal, 26,6 m long

(rounded ends included)

349 m3
liquid

0.13 m
1.7 m3
liquid

Horizontal, 13,3 m long

(rounded ends included)

OLGA separator is modeled with 347 m3 less

liquid content than the real Flash Drum to minimise
OLGA error of instantaneous gas/liquid equilibrium

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Simulation Technical Challenges

Separator modelling
OLGA separator model
Cross section
Wall layers added for heat
conservation
Separator content
1 millimeter wall with very
good heat conduction

4.09
m

1.5 m
1.7 m3
liquid

1m

Horizontal, 13,3 m long

(rounded ends
included)

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Annulus shaped oil layer

with volume 347 m3 added
to conserve heat

1 m insulation layer added to

minimise heat loss to ambient

Simulation Technical Challenges

Separator modelling

Temperature of artificial oil layer

Flash Drum outlet temperature

Flash Drum inlet temperature

Temperature development while filling separator.

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Simulation Technical Challenges

Separator modelling
Liquid level oscillations in full separator Separator bypassed
Artificial bypass heater Realistic temperature development
Separator temperature profile extrapolated

Disturbance during
switch over to
bypass

OLGA-LEAK connection used as bypass

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Continued temperature profile

by artificial bypass heating

Extrapolation of separator outlet temperature after bypassing

Simulation Technical Challenges

OLGA volume errors
Volume error = VOL = | m/ Vsect| / Vsect

where: m = total mass in section

= bulk density in section
Vsect = volume of section
VOL should ideally be zero, but may be > 0 due to discretization

rounding in PVT file, especially when close to bubble point curve

VOL > ~1 Pressure increase Acceleration of fluid

VOL > 0 will not violate mass balance, but result in shift from equlibrium

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Simulation Technical Challenges

OLGA volume errors, contd
Volume errors have occurred in several cases.
They hamper the result picture. The OLGA user will have to
examine, if a peak is real, or is caused by a volume error.
Usage of OLGA Compositional Tracking module will not
require PVT file and presumably avoid many of the volume
errors.
Unfortunately this module has not been available in the
project.

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Calculation of Forces in Pipe Bends

F = (WG*UG+WLHL*ULHL+WLWT*ULWT+WD*UD) * DAF * (2*(1 cos()))0,5
GAS

OIL

WATER

DROPS

where:
F
=
WG =
WLHL =
WLWT =
WD
=
UG
=
ULHL =
ULWT =
UD
=
DAF =

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Force on pipework [N]

Gas mass flux [kg/(s*m2)]
Oil film mass flux [kg/(s*m2)]
Water film mass flux [kg/(s*m2)]
Droplet mass flux [kg/(s*m2)]
Gas velocity [m/s]
Oil film velocity [m/s]
Water film velocity [m/s]
Droplet velocity [m/s]
Dynamic amplification factor, a constant in the range [12]
Angle of pipe bend []; =0 ~ a straight pipe F = 0

Creation of Slugs

Flash Drum 9 m vertical inlet pipe Severe slugging

Lower pressure / higher temperature at Flash Drum inlet

More gas Promotes slug formation

Slugs travel downstream and grow in length in Flare Header

Long Flare Header, almost horizontal, slightly down-sloped

Good conditions for hydrodynamic slugging

Slugs, liquid mass flow peaks, and force peaks are closely correlated.

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Slugging in Flare Header

Video clip illustrating typical slugging in Flare Header
during upset situation.
Blue filling indicates liquid holdup. Red lines are slugs.
Rupture disc opens at time 860 s.
(Circle to the right is part of the OlgaViewer system)

Click in picture to start video

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Slugging in Flare Header

Video clip illustrating typical slugging in Flare Header
during upset situation.
Blue filling indicates slug length. Red lines are slugs.
Rupture disc opens at time 860 s.
(Circle to the right is part of the OlgaViewer system)

Click in picture to start video - Max slug length is 295 m

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Slug Behavior in Flare Header

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Forces in Flare Header Bend close to

Discharge into Cavern

Same simulation as previous slide

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OLGA Volume Errors

Where do they occur ?
How to Avoid them
How to Filter them off
Stagnant fluid Higher chance of having volume errors
Rough discretization in fluid file, especially at bubble point curve
Higher chance of having volume errors

Compositional Tracking Avoid volume errors caused by PVT file

Automatic filtering of volume errors too complex
Best way of filtering is purely manual examination
Example of such manual filtering shown in following slide:

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OLGA Volume Errors

Example of manual filtering

Force peak here

Is caused by
volume error here
Distance between the two
locations is 127 m.
Volume error takes 1.6 s to
travel this distance.

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Poor pipe supporting of Flare Header

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Transient approach:
(OLGA)
Force ~ 10 ton (v2 ~ 0.2 Mill)

API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 521:

3.10.3 INLET CONTROL DEVICES
opens for dynamic simulations

Steady state approach:

(Flarenet)
Force ~ 70 ton (v2 ~ 1.2 Mill)
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Do you have slugs in

your flare system ?
Relief device

Long pipe

KO DRUM

SEPARATOR
HYDRODYNAMIC SLUGGING
Vertical riser
Multiphase flow

SEVERE SLUGGING

Thanks for
your attention !!

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BACK-UPS

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The OLGA Model Elevations

Sture Model Piping Elevation Profiles - Total Model
40
LPG-leg

Gas cap in Ballast WaterCavern

20
Heaters

Elevation [m]

0
Flash Drum
Gas cap in Unstabilized Oil Cavern
-20

-40
Pumps in Unstabilized Oil Cavern
-60

-80
-200

200

400

600

Elevation=0 corresponds to sea level

Cavern Pump-Flash Drum-Gas line

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800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

Horizontal length [m]

RD-run

PSV-run

Flare Header+cavern gas caps

LPG-leg

2200

2400

The OLGA Model, First Part

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The OLGA Model, Second Part

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Simulation Technical Challenges

LEAK connections used to obtain correct routing of modelled
piping network, see following example:

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Slug Shooting
A special approach tested has been to shoot a single
slug through the rupture disc run + Flare Header:
Loaded slug

Rupture
disc here

Flare Header

Flash Drum
gas outlet

To Cavern

Only shown piping part modelled

34 - Classification: Internal

LEVEL slug feature used

INITIAL CONDITIONS used to load liquid in gas outlet pipe
High upstream pressure will shoot the slug ahead
This approach was left, as the slug deteriorated very fast;
was not deemed realistic.
2011-10-24