Seolin Shin

Risk-based underground pipeline safety management considering corrosion effect

Due to the long term usage and irregular maintenance for corrosion checks, catastrophic accidents have been increasing in underground pipelines. In this study, a new safety management methodology of underground pipeline, risk-based pipeline management, is introduced reflecting corrosion effect. First, principle of the risk-based pipeline management is presented compared with an original method, qualitative measure. It is distinguished from the qualitative measure by reflecting societal risk and corrosion in safety management of underground pipeline. And then, it is applied to an existing underground propylene pipeline in Ulsan Industrial Complex, South Korea. The consequence analysis is based on real information, and the frequency analysis reflects degree of corrosion. For calculation of corrosion rate, direct current voltage gradient (DCVG) and close interval potential survey (CIPS) are conducted. As a result of applying the risk-based pipeline management, risk integral is reduced by 56.8% compared to the qualitative measure. Finally, sensitivity analysis is conducted on variables, which affect the risk of the pipeline. This study would contribute to introduce quantitative measure to pipeline management and increase safety of pipeline.

Interactive plant simulation modeling for developing an operator training system in a natural gas pressure-regulating station

This study proposes a method of interactive plant simulation modeling which delivers the online simulated results to the field operators and induces them to take proper actions in the case of pre-identified accident scenarios in a chemical plant. The developed model integrates the real-time process dynamic simulation with 3D-CFD accident simulation in a designed interface using object linking and embedding technology so that it can convey to trainees the online information of the accident which is not available in existing operator training systems. The model encompasses the whole process of data transfer till the end of the training at which a trainee operates an emergency shutdown system in a programmed model. In this work, an overall scenario is simulated which is from an abnormal increase in the main valve discharge (second) pressure due to valve malfunction to accidental gas release through the crack of a pressure recorder, and the magnitude of the accident with respect to the lead time of each trainee’s emergency response is analyzed. The model can improve the effectiveness of the operator training system through interactively linking the trainee actions with the simulation model resulting in different accident scenarios with respect to each trainee’s competence when facing an accident.