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Procedia Engineering 84 (2014) 412 – 418

“2014 ISSST”, 2014 International Symposium on Safety Science and Technology

Study on explosion suppression technologies for oil and gas pipeline

ZHOU Youjiea, AN Gaojuna, WANG Xudonga, LU Changboa,*, XIONG Chunhuaa, REN
Lianlinga, WANG Gangb, WANG Fengb, SUN Liminc
a
Beijing POL Research Institute, Beijing 102300, China
b
Beijing Martial Delegate Agency, Beijing 100042, China
c
Shenyang Military Region 65435 Unit, Harbin 150049, China

Abstract

Considering potential explosion hazard of oil and gas pipeline, the technological solutions have been proposed, within certain
transportation distance to fill non-metallic explosion suppression material with good chemical stability and high pressure
resistance to prevent flame and explosion wave propagation in pipeline. Detonated in the high voltage ignition and chemical
ignition head two types of gasoline vapor explosion conditions, spherical explosion suppression material filling stop explosion
pressure propagation and realize the explosion suppression function. The results of horizontal shock tube experiment shows that
there are obvious laws of blasting pressure increase drop before and after filling explosion suppression materials. The transport
resistance form 150mm diameter steel pipeline filled with explosion suppression material has also been investigated in different
length and different air velocity conditions. The experimental results show that filling spherical explosion suppression material
have had a limited effect in transportation capacity of pipeline.
© 2014
© 2014 The
The Authors.
Authors. Published
Publishedby
byElsevier
ElsevierLtd.
Ltd.This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
Peer-review under responsibility of scientific committee of Beijing Institute of Technology.
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of scientific committee of Beijing Institute of Technology
Keywords: oil and gas pipeline; explosion suppression technologies; transport resistance

1. Introduction

Gasoline, diesel, kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas and other petroleum products as well as other dangerous
chemicals, transport use explosive safety process, has been one of the major research security technology all over
the world, especially the oil depot, gas station, transport tanker truck tank, and oil and gas transportation pipeline,

* Corresponding author. Tel.: 010-66389879; fax: 010-88902831.

E-mail address: luchangbo@163.com

1877-7058 © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of scientific committee of Beijing Institute of Technology
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2014.10.451
 Zhou Youjie et al. / Procedia Engineering 84 (2014) 412 – 418 413

the oil and gas storage, transport and use explosion suppression technology part of the lack of effective protection
measures, detonated in electrostatic, encountered shooting, collision or other external energy, oil and gas pipeline or
storage oil tank is in great danger, prone to fire and explosion, causing heavy casualties and property losses[1-2].
The various countries are actively exploring oil tank and oil and gas pipeline safety protection technology since the
last century sixty or seventy's, has produced two types of explosion suppression material products, metal[3] and
nonmetal[4]. Metal explosion suppression material used widely at present and it takes metal or organic polymer
material as the substrate[5], and is made into mesh or other shapes after adding functional additives. If filled or
installed in the oil storage device, ground vehicles or armored equipment, aircraft or ship tank, it quickly transfers
heat and builds up flame propagation suppression to prevent explosions and other accidents[6].
Beijing POL Research Institute used polymer materials and additives with high chemical stability and made a
kind of spherical non-metallic explosion suppression materials, based on the concept of honey comb structure and
shortcomings of traditional explosion suppression material. This kind of material with high corrosion resistance of
polyamide resin as matrix, had been molded thin-wall spherical structure by change its antistatic, conductive and
flame retardant function, which has a low volume occupancy rate and excellent mechanical properties. The
technological solutions have been proposed for potential explosion hazard of oil and gas pipeline, namely every
certain transportation distance by filling the good chemical stability and high pressure resistant non-metallic
explosion suppression material to prevent flame and explosion wave propagation in explosion suppression pipeline.
Compared with traditional metal alloys and non-metallic polyurethane explosion suppression material, the explosion
suppression material, with porous and good chemical stability, excellent mechanical strength, filling, flammable
redundancy, thermal and static conductivity. It is more suitable for explosion suppression in the flammable and
explosive liquid (gas) equipment.

2. Test conditions and methods

2.1. Horizontal shock tube experiment

Horizontal shock tube is a typical device to test performance of explosion suppression, according to the
requirements of standard AQ3001-2005[4]. Literatures[5-6] discussed the explosion suppression performance
testing in horizontal shock tubes filled with different explosion suppression material. However, the existing gas and
the test environment used in the testing are not perfect[7], gas and environment cannot meet the requirement of
explosion suppression performance tests. Accordingly, this paper takes a horizontal shock tube as the testing tool
and uses two different flammable gases (gasoline vapor and liquefied petroleum gas) as well as two ignition means
(chemical ignition and high-pressure arc ignition), to carry on comparative studies on explosion suppression
properties of spherical separation explosion suppression materials.
The explosion pressure variation value is measured in different position for No. 93 gasoline vapor and compound
steam (isooctane: heptane =1:9) before and after filling spherical non metal explosion suppression material, using a
one-dimensional shock tube. These values reflect the blocking explosion suppression performance of spherical
explosion suppression material. Test device as shown in Fig. 1, the shock wave length is 3000 mm, diameter is 76
mm, the gasoline vapor concentration is 8% (v/v), chemical ignition energy are 150 joules, high voltage ignition
energy are 40 joules, oil and gas temperature remain 60ć in shock tube. The gasoline vapor, stirring for 300
seconds before ignition to make it uniformly mixed with air.

2.2. The resistance experiment of pipeline

The pipeline with the corresponding model thread is fixed in series, connected to both ends of differential
manometer, air turbine flow meter connected through the flange at one end, the other end is connected with a
pressure gauge and then connected with compressed air bottle. In accordance with the pipeline are not filled with
explosion suppression material, filling the explosion suppression material, pipeline from short to long sequence test.
The pipeline is made of stainless steel, pipeline diameter is 150 mm, Test device as shown in Fig. 2. The air flow
was adjusted to 50m3/h through the valve and the flow regulating valve. The flow meter, pressure meter, pressure
gauge readings remained stable for three minutes before reading. If the value has the fluctuation, every 5 min read
414 Zhou Youjie et al. / Procedia Engineering 84 (2014) 412 – 418

one time, three times of measurement, and then take the average value of three times. Calculation of Friction
Resistance Coefficient.

1—Computer control and processing program; 2—Ignition system; 3—Pressure sensor; 4—Gas-circulating system;
5—Oil and gas generating device; 6—Vacuum pump; 7—Shock tube; 8—Signal receiving and transmitting device

Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of a shock tube apparatus.

compression release valv

flow control valve

flowmeter

flowmeter Pressure gage

compressed
air bottle

check valve

Explosion proof material

Fig. 2. Schematic of pipeline resistance test device.

The pipeline with the corresponding model thread is fixed in series, connected to both ends of differential
manometer; air turbine flow meter is connected through the flange to one end, a pressure gauge with another end
and then connected to compressed air bottle. The pipeline is filled with explosion suppression material, from short to
long. The pipeline is made of stainless steel; with diameter of 150mm, Test device is shown in Fig. 2. The air flow is
50m3/h passes valve and the flow regulating valve. The flow meter, pressure meter, pressure gauge readings
remained stable for three minutes before reading. If the value has the fluctuation, read every 5 min three times of
measurement, and then take the average value of three times finally calculate the Friction Resistance Coefficient.
 Zhou Youjie et al. / Procedia Engineering 84 (2014) 412 – 418 415

Because oil and gas ventilation pipeline is mostly cylindrical in shape, with reference to the method MT/T635-
1996 determination of ventilation resistance coefficient in mine tunnel, the calculation formula of friction resistance
coefficient is
hS 3
D  (1)
PLQ 2
where α is the frictional resistance coefficient, the unit is N·S2/m4; L is the distance between two measuring points,
the unit is m; S is the average value of pipeline’s cross sectional area, the unit is m2; P is the average circumference
of tunnel between two measuring points, the unit is m; Q is the average air volume of two measuring points, the unit
is m3/s.
Therefore, according to formula (1), the numerical value of ventilation frictional resistance coefficient under
standard conditions is
1 .2
Db D (2)
U cp
where αb is the ventilation frictional resistance coefficient under standard conditions, the unit is N·S2ˋm4; Ucp is
3
the average air density between two measuring points, the unit is kg/m .
The calculation formula for air density is
P0  0.3779MPsh
U 3.484u103 (3)
 273.15  t
where ρ is the air density of measuring point, the unit is kg/m3; P0 is the atmospheric pressure of measuring point,
the unit is Pa; φ is relative air humidity; Psh is absolute saturated steam pressure of air, the unit is Pa; t is the air
temperature, the unit is degrees Celsius(ć).

2.3. Spherical explosion suppression material

We use the Andebao® spherical non-metallic explosion suppression material that is jointly developed by Oil
Research Institute of General Logistics Department and Beijing Antaiquan Co. Ltd. as the research object, its
ain performance parameters as shown in Table 1.

Table 1. The basic properties of non-metallic explosion suppression material for test.

Conductive
Tensile property Elongation at break Bending property Packed density Replacement
property
˄Mpa˅ ˄%˅ ˄Mpa˅ ˄kg/m3˅ rate˄%˅
˄Ωcm˅

110.86 8.25 187.05 6.953×108 60 ≤5

2.4. The simulation evaluation of explosion suppression performance for shock tube

According to the data in Fig. 3, the value added is calculated for each pressure peak detected by sensor. We use
the explosion pressure as evaluation index, we can finally draw the conclusion that in the chemical ignition case if
the shock tube is filled with spherical explosion suppression material online vapor explosion pressurized average
value will decrease by 82.93% from 73.4Pa to 12.53Pa; In the high voltage ignition case, if shock tube is filled with
spherical explosion suppression material in the compound vapor explosion pressurized average value decreases by
68.08% from 111.17Pa to 35.94Pa.
Fig. 3 also shows that, for gasoline vapor, transmission of explosion pressure in pipeline is eliminated at the
starting point the peak pressure of each sensor location is kept at 0.1 air pressures or so, basically in the state of
normal pressure. For compound vapors, from the beginning of the fourth pressure sensors, namely from the
416 Zhou Youjie et al. / Procedia Engineering 84 (2014) 412 – 418

explosion pressure wave propagation to a distance of 2 meters, explosion pressure reduced to normal pressure at 0.2
air pressure or so steadily This shows that regardless of the gasoline vapor or compound vapors in pipeline, can
achieve the purpose of preventing the pressure wave propagation by filling spherical explosion suppression material
every 2 meters.

0.19

0.18
Explosion pressureˈMpa
0.17

0.16 Explosion pressure curve of blank pipe

0.15 Explosion pressure curve of blank pipe(repeat)

using explosion-proof material(Gasoline vapor)

0.14
using explosion-proof material (Compound vapors)
0.13

0.12

0.11
1 2 3 4 5 6
the number of sensor

Fig. 3. Evaluation data of explosion suppression performance for shock tube.

2.5. The air resistance experiment of pipeline

The length of steel pipeline is fixed with diameter of 150mm. The relationship between pressure drop and air
flow is shown in Fig. 4 with two different explosion suppression materials. The graph shows that the pressure drops
is in accordance with air flow, close to the proportional relationship. The equation of pressure drop and air flow is
obtained by fitting the curve in the graph. The air flow of steel pipeline is fixed. The relationship between pressure
drop and filling length is shown in Fig. 5 with two different explosion suppression materials. The graph shows that
the pressure drop increases with increasing of filling length. The equation of pressure drop and filling length is
obtained by fitting the curve in the graph.

700 EODQNSLSHOLQH 1400 EODQNSLSHOLQH

)LOOHGZLWKDOXPLQXPDOOR\ )LOOHGZLWKDOXPLQXPDOOR\
)LOOHGZLWKDQWDLER 1200
)LOOHGZLWKDQWDLER
600
2
y=-1058+67.01x-0.3512x
GLIIHUHQWLDO(Pa)

3LSHOLQHOHQJWKLVPHWHUV 1000
500
GLIIHUHQWLDO(Pa)

2
y=69.84+2.687x+0.0256x
400 800

600 2
300 y=-437+20.68x+0.0329x
400
200
2
3LSHOLQHOHQJWKLVPHWHUV
y=51.26-0.7554x+0.0689x 200
100
0
0
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
ORZPHWHU(m3/L) ORZPHWHU(m3/L)

(a) pipeline length is 3.6 meters (b) pipeline length is 15.6 meters

Fig. 4. The function relationship between air flow and the pressure drop of pipeline.
 Zhou Youjie et al. / Procedia Engineering 84 (2014) 412 – 418 417

1400

VSKHULFDOQRQPHWDOOLFH[SORVLRQSURRIPDWHULDO
1200
DOXPLQXPDOOR\H[SORVLRQSURRIPDWHULDO

GLIIHUHQWLDOPDQRPHWHU
2
1000 y=-51.17+151.1x-4.387x

800

600
2
y=-109.6+89.95x-2.475x
400

200

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
filling length of the pipeline˄m˅

Fig. 5. The function relationship between in length of the filling explosion suppression and pressure drop at a given constant air flow of 50 m3/L.

Compared with the commercial aluminum alloy explosion suppression material, the pressure with spherical non-
metallic explosion suppression material makes pressure drop quickly obviously. With pipeline length of 3.6 meters
and air flow rate of 50m3/L, the produced pressure drop by filling aluminum alloy explosion suppression material is
691Pa. The produced pressure drop by filling spherical non-metallic explosion suppression material is 182Pa. The
latter was 74% lower than the former. While the pipeline length is 15.6 meters and the air flow rate is 50m3/L, the
produced pressure drop by filling aluminium alloy explosion suppression material is 1238Pa. The produced pressure
drop by filling spherical non-metallic explosion suppression material is 436Pa. The latter was 65% lower than the
former. When the pipeline length is 2 meters and the air flow rate is 50m3/L, the produced pressure drop by filling
spherical non-metallic explosion suppression material is 60Pa (0.0006 atmospheric pressure).

2.6. Calculation of friction resistance coefficient for pipeline

According to the computational formula, friction resistance coefficients of two differential explosion suppression
materials are obtained under the conditions of 50m3/L air flow. The results are shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Friction resistance coefficients filled with explosion suppression material.

Pressure drop, (Pa) friction resistance coefficient

The length of pipeline
spherical non-metallic aluminum alloy spherical non-metallic aluminum alloy
1.8 43.6 265 1.45 8.83
3.6 191 347 3.18 5.78
6.6 356 760 3.24 6.91
9.6 541 1032 3.38 6.45
15.6 688 1228 2.65 4.72
average 2.78 6.54
remarks The average of pressure drop is 17Pa; The friction resistance coefficient is 0.06×17=1.08.

From Table 2, we can see that the friction resistance coefficient of blank pipeline is 1.08 and friction resistance of
pipeline is increased with explosion suppression material. The friction resistance coefficient filling with spherical
non-metallic explosion suppression material in pipeline is 2.78. Compared with the friction resistance coefficient of
blank pipeline, the numerical value increases by 1.6 times. The friction resistance coefficient filling with aluminum
alloy explosion suppression material in pipeline is 6.53. Compared with the friction resistance coefficient of blank
pipeline, the numerical value increases 5.1 times. In a word, the numerical value of former is obviously less than
418 Zhou Youjie et al. / Procedia Engineering 84 (2014) 412 – 418

that of the latter’s.

3. Conclusions

This paper proposes a technical solution to the oil and gas pipeline for explosion suppression. Taking horizontal
shock tube as the main equipment, using chemical ignition and high voltage ignition to evaluate the flame
propagation characteristics of spherical non-metallic materials and aluminium alloy reticular materials, the pipes
ventilative resistance is tested using drag experimental platform designed by our own.
(1) Filling spherical explosion suppression material per 2 meters in the oil and gas pipeline, spherical non-
metallic explosion suppression materials can consume more impact energy in the process of flame combustion or
combustion to blasting, so that the flame propagation’s pressure wave and velocity decline rapidly and have more
excellent explosion suppressing performance and higher chemical stability than those of the metal alloy materials.
(2)The pipes ventilative resistance experiment results show that the pressure of drop pipes increases with
increasing of air flow and filling length. The 150mm diameter steel pipeline resistance of air filled spherical
explosion suppression material is almost negligible. The functional relationships of pressure drop and air flow and
filling length are obtained by fitting the curve (the spherical non-metallic explosion suppression materials is y=-
109.6+89.95x-2.475x2, the spherical aluminum alloy explosion suppression materials is y=-51.17+89.95x-2.475x2).
(3)Compared with commercially available aluminium alloy explosion suppression material, the pressure drop that
filling spherical non-metallic explosion suppression material decrease a half, when the air flow is 50m3/h through
pipeline, within the length of the pipeline invesgated. The resistance(pressure drop) of air filled spherical explosion
suppression material is less than 50Pa, the friction coefficient (2.8) is far less than the friction coefficient (6.5) of
aluminum alloy explosion suppression material under the same conditions in the effective explosion suppression
pipe length.

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