Centrifuge model test on performance of thermosyphon cooled sandbags stabilizing warm oil pipeline buried in permafrost

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1226.2021.20075.

Abstract

Abstract:

The thaw settlement of pipeline foundation soils in response to the operation of the first China-Russia Crude Oil Pipeline along the eastern flank of the northern Da Xing'anling Mountains in Northeast China was simulated in a physical model test (with a similitude ratio of 1/73) in a geotechnical centrifuge. Two pipes of a supported and an unsupported section were evaluated over a testing period for simulating 20 years of actual pipeline operation with seasonal cyclically changing oil and ambient temperatures. The results show that pipe settlement of the supported pipe was 45% of settlement of the unsupported pipe. Settlement for the unsupported section was approximately 35% of the thaw bulb depth below the initial pipe elevation, only 30% of that for the supported pipe due to the influence of the supports. The final thaw bulbs extended approximately 3.6 and 1.6 times of the pipe diameter below the unsupported and supported pipe bottom elevations, respectively. The sandbag supports kept frozen during the test period because of cooling effect of the thermosyphons. The maximum bending stress induced over the 20 m span length from bearing of the full cover over the pipe would be equivalent to 40% specified minimum yield strength (SMYS). Potential buckling of the pipe should be considered as the ground thaws. This study also offers important data for calibration and validation of numerical simulation models.

Key words: centrifuge test, oil pipeline, frost heave, thermosyphon, thaw settlement, permafrost engineering

GuoYu Li,HongYuan Jing,Nikolay Volkov,Wei Ma,PengChao Chen. Centrifuge model test on performance of thermosyphon cooled sandbags stabilizing warm oil pipeline buried in permafrost[J].Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions, 2021, 13(3): 234-255.

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Parameter	Prototype	Centrifuge model
Gradation	Homogeneous organic clay	50% silt and 50% kaolin clay
Water content	70%	59%
Natural unit weight (kN/m³)	16.5	16.6
Plastic limit	34.4%	25.9%
Liquid limit	52.3%	40.8%
Plasticity index	17.9%	14.9%
Liquidity index (I_L)	1.99	2.22

Parameter	Prototype	Centrifuge model
Diameter (mm)	813	11.1
Wall thickness (mm)	16	0.25
Total thickness (insulation + PE jacket) (mm)	80+12	0.6
Operation life	20 a	33.8 h
Steel grade Steel SMYS (MPa) Elastic modulus of steel (GPa)	X65 448 206	Stainless steel 304 205 193

Parameter	Prototype	Centrifuge model
Density (kg/m³)	60
Heat Capacity (kcal/kg)	0.1
Thermal Conductivity (kcal/(m·h·°C))	0.03	0.16

Prototype		Centrifuge model
Time (Month)	Oil temperature (°C)	Time (Minute)	Oil temperature (°C)
January	1.74 1.67 1.43 1.48 2.18	43/5	2 2 2 2 2
February		43/5
March		43/5
April		43/5
May		43/5
June	3.81 6.54 10.0 9.94 8.41 6.32 4.44	61/7	7 7 7 7 7 7 7
July		61/7
August		61/7
September		61/7
October		61/7
November		61/7
December		61/7

Parameter	Prototype	Centrifuge model
Diameter (mm)	108	12.5
Length of evaporator (m)	3.5	0.048
Length of condenser (m)	2.5	/
Condenser cooling surface (m²)	4.38	/
Length of adiabatic section (m)	3	0.041
Heat flow (W)	72.4	1
Refrigerator capacity in cold season (kJ)	950,600	2.444
Surrounding soil temperature (°C)	-1	-1