title: An approach for estimating toxic releases of H2S-containing natural gas.
abstract: China is well known being rich in sulfurous natural gas with huge deposits widely distributed all over the country. Due to the toxic nature, the release of hydrogen sulfide-containing natural gas from the pipelines intends to impose serious threats to the human, society and environment around the release sources. CFD algorithm is adopted to simulate the dispersion process of gas, and the results prove that Gaussian plume model is suitable for determining the affected region of the well blowout of sulfide hydrogen-containing natural gas. In accordance with the analysis of release scenarios, the present study proposes a new approach for estimating the risk of hydrogen sulfide poisoning hazards, as caused by sulfide-hydrogen-containing natural gas releases. Historical accident-statistical data from the EGIG (European Gas Pipeline Incident Data Group) and the Britain Gas Transco are integrated into the approach. Also, the dose-load effect is introduced to exploit the hazards' effects by two essential parameters - toxic concentration and exposure time. The approach was applied to three release scenarios occurring on the East-Sichuan Gas Transportation Project, and the individual risk and societal risk are classified and discussed. Results show that societal risk varies significantly with different factors, including population density, distance from pipeline, operating conditions and so on. Concerning the dispersion process of hazardous gas, available safe egress time was studied from the perspective of individual fatality risks. The present approach can provide reliable support for the safety management and maintenance of natural gas pipelines as well as evacuations that may occur after release incidents.
authors: Lab of Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; Institute of Safety Management, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China. Electronic address: zhangjw@mail.buct.edu.cn.
authors: Zhang
authors: Z
authors: Jianwen
authors: Lab of Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Da
authors: Pipeline Research Center of PetroChina Company Lmited, 51# Golden Road, Langfang 065000, China.
authors: Feng
authors: F
authors: Wenxing
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D055884:Chemical Hazard Release / Q000401:mortality*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000506:poisoning*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide
keywords: Available safe egress time; Chemical disaster; Individual fatality risk; Societal fatality risk; Sulfurous natural gas