Theoretical Analysis of the Natural Separation of Hydrogen and Natural Gas in the Pipelines of An Apartment Building
Abstract
Due to the current development of the state of fossil resources, efforts are being made to replace extractable energy sources with renewable sources that would have less impact on the environment during the production, transport and consumption processes. Hydrogen is a promising universal energy carrier that could gradually replace the currently used fossil fuels to a large extent. The article discusses the problem of mixing hydrogen into natural gas using simulation in the ANSYS CFX program into the proposed distribution network, as well as its behaviour in a mixture with natural gas in the case of reduced consumption by the consumer, or during downtime or repairs, when the flow in the intake pipe is reduced or completely stopped.
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Introduction
Fossil fuels are found in nature only in limited quantities, and with today's dependence of humanity on their excessive use, it can be assumed that within the horizon of several decades, society will reach a point when the reserves of these energy sources will reach a critical point and demand for them will exceed production.
Experiments are currently taking place that deal with the use of the already existing distribution network for the implementation of hydrogen economy in current gas systems and explore the possibilities of transporting hydrogen to the final consumer without the need for significant technological interventions in the natural gas distribution network (ZP). In many countries, the process of mixing different proportions of hydrogen into natural gas is already underway to achieve a reduction in the production of greenhouse gases, and research is also underway into the behaviour of the mixture of hydrogen and natural gas during transport in the pipeline network.
Conclusion
Even though the results of simulation experiments cannot be considered as accurately describing the processes that take place in gas pipelines for the distribution of a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen, it would be appropriate to focus on the experimental solution of the problem described in of this article. The formation of areas with a significant presence of hydrogen in the mixture in the pipeline system ensuring the transport of such a mixture can mean a potential danger in case of stoppages of gas mixture intakes.
From the simulation experiments, it is possible to assume the formation of layers with an increased concentration of hydrogen in both horizontal and vertical pipelines, while the probability of the formation of such zones with a higher concentration of hydrogen also increases with increasing height within the distribution system of a mixture of hydrogen with natural gas.