KCP-ENT-SHE-REP-0001

Revision: 05


Project Title: Kingsnorth Carbon Capture & Storage Project Page 1 of 4
Document Title: Dispersion Modelling Strategy

Ki ngsnorth CCS Demonstrati on Project
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make no representati on or warranty as to the accuracy, rel i abi l i ty or compl eteness of the Infor mati on and nei ther E.ON UK pl c nor any of i ts
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howsoever ari si ng from the use of the Infor mati on by any party.

Dispersion Modelling Strategy

























KCP-ENT-SHE-REP-0001
Revision: 05

Project Title: Kingsnorth Carbon Capture & Storage Project Page 2 of 4
Document Title: Dispersion Modelling Strategy

Ki ngsnorth CCS Demonstrati on Project
The i nformati on contai ned i n thi s document (the Infor mati on) i s provi ded i n good fai th.
E.ON UK pl c, i ts subcontractors, subsi di ari es, affi l i ates, empl oyees, advi sers, and the Depart ment of Energy and Cl i mate Change (DECC)
make no representati on or warranty as to the accuracy, rel i abi l i ty or compl eteness of the Infor mati on and nei ther E.ON UK pl c nor any of i ts
subcontractors, subsi di ari es, affi l i ates, empl oyees, advi sers or DECC shal l have any l i abi l i ty whatsoever for any di rect or i ndi rect l oss
howsoever ari si ng from the use of the Infor mati on by any party.
1. Introduction

Although dispersion modelling of gases and liquids emitted from vessels and pipelines as part of a
safety risk assessment has been undertaken routinely by Industry for several decades, carbon
dioxide, CO
2
, presents a number of new challenges to dispersion models due to its particular thermo-
dynamic properties.

This document describes the approach that will be taken by the ENT modelling team to ensure that
CO
2
dispersion modelling undertaken in support of the Kingsnorth CCS demo project is of a best
practice standard, taking into account current understanding and research in what is a rapidly
developing area of research activity.

2. Selection of Dispersion Models

The project will make use of validated commercially available computer models where this is possible,
taking into account the availability of such models. The following models will be used:

The PHAST dispersion model ( version 6.54 and the new revision 6.6 ) under licence from Det Norske
Veritas (DNV) will be used to make predictions of CO
2
concentrations at sensitive receptors
intercepted by the plume from a leaking CO
2
source, where this is an appropriate model to use.
PHAST will be used to assess the extent of adverse CO
2
concentrations, for appropriate leakage
scenarios from pipeline and other storage vessels under most circumstances but may not be suitable
for dispersion analysis in heavily built-up areas of plant or areas of varying topography.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) will be used to supplement the use of the PHAST model. It is
expected that this will primarily be when assessing CO
2
flows around buildings on the power plant site
as part of a safety risk assessment, and situations of potential CO
2
accumulation such as certain
topographical features. A commercial code, Ansys-CFX, will be used as the software platform and a
virtual model of the plant layout will be built using information from the design layout team. Ansys are
a US company with a range of engineering software. Ansys-CFX is a general purpose CFD code,
which includes models for particle transport, heat transfer and combustion. ENT has used this code
and its predecessors since 1994 and applied it to a wide variety of power plant problems from gas
turbine blade heat transfer to coal combustion. Of particular relevance, ENT has done a number of
studies of high pressure gas leaks in GT enclosures for safety case-making, and a similar approach,
but with modifications for CO2, will be used in these studies.

CFD modelling will also be used to test various assumptions implicit in the PHAST dispersion model,
in order to increase the confidence of the PHAST predictions. In particular, the sensitivity of
assumptions made regarding rate of sublimation of solid CO
2
formed in the initial jet of a CO
2
leak to
the subsequent dispersion will be examined.

Specified Level Of Toxicity (SLOT) and Significant Likelihood of Death (SLOD) distances will be
calculated, as required and defined by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
3. Source Term Methodology

The thermodynamic properties of pure CO
2
are well known at all pressures and temperatures
considered likely during the CCS process. However, it is generally acknowledged that techniques for
predicting the rate of release of high pressure CO
2
from a pipeline or other containment vessel and its
physical form after release are not so well established. As a consequence, the risks from subsequent

KCP-ENT-SHE-REP-0001
Revision: 05


Project Title: Kingsnorth Carbon Capture & Storage Project Page 3 of 4
Document Title: Dispersion Modelling Strategy

Ki ngsnorth CCS Demonstrati on Project
The i nformati on contai ned i n thi s document (the Infor mati on) i s provi ded i n good fai th.
E.ON UK pl c, i ts subcontractors, subsi di ari es, affi l i ates, empl oyees, advi sers, and the Depart ment of Energy and Cl i mate Change (DECC)
make no representati on or warranty as to the accuracy, rel i abi l i ty or compl eteness of the Infor mati on and nei ther E.ON UK pl c nor any of i ts
subcontractors, subsi di ari es, affi l i ates, empl oyees, advi sers or DECC shal l have any l i abi l i ty whatsoever for any di rect or i ndi rect l oss
howsoever ari si ng from the use of the Infor mati on by any party.
dispersion of the CO
2
will be less easy to assess if based on overly conservative or poorly defined
source terms. An understanding of the sensitivity of model predictions to the physical approximations
used is also important in assessing the significance of model output.

At the time of writing, calculation of the source term for leaking CO
2
has not been standardised. Prior
to the Kingsnorth CCS demo project, ENT had already made significant progress in developing a
source term methodology taking into account the known physics and thermodynamics of CO
2

systems. This methodology will be used in the project. The methodology is developed from a review
of research literature on the subject, and is compatible with published guidance such as that produced
by the Energy Institute (EI) and Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) [1], or DNV, [2].

The methodology will be applicable across the range of conditions expected for CO
2
in pipelines or
storage vessels relevant to the Kingsnorth CCS demo project ( encompassing both gaseous, liquid
and dense phase conditions ). The methodology has been designed to be suitable for both
commercial Gaussian-type dispersion models such as PHAST (where it is practical to do so) and the
CFD-based models developed within ENT for the project.

A short description may be found in [3].
4. Internal Sources of Information

E.ON R&D Low Carbon Programme has supported internal research on CCS technologies for the
past 5 years. This initiative has enabled the accumulation of a significant amount of in-house
knowledge on CCS. Of relevance here is research assessing the fundamental properties of captured
CO
2
and their significance in relation to CO
2
handling and pipeline transportation and also the issues
surrounding accidental releases of CO
2
. Information from relevant projects in the internal E.ON UK
programme will provide a source of supporting information and provide the basis for the methodology
described in section 3.
5. External Sources of Information

There is currently very little publicly accessible experimental data on CO
2
releases of the magnitude
and physical characteristics expected from a dense phase CO
2
pipeline or vessel failure. A number of
collaborative projects are being planned, and one or two have recently commenced e.g.
CO2PIPETRANS II. This means that validation of CO
2
dispersion models, particularly with regard to
prediction of leakage rates and thermo-dynamic properties of plumes is not as well developed as
would ideally be the case.

Opportunities to attend external workshops on CO
2
modelling will be taken in order to ensure the
modelling undertaken is up-to-date and using any new consensus over best practice.

In the likely event that E.ON becomes a consortium member of collaborative R&D projects which
undertake experiments to verify CO
2
dispersion models , such data or information as is available
within the time scale commensurate with the UK Government Competition, will be used to support the
modelling techniques used.

E.ON is participating in the DNV Joint Industry Project (JIP) CO2PIPETRANS II. It is intended that
information which comes out of this project will be used to inform the dispersion modelling techniques
which will be employed in the pre-FEED (FEED 1A) or FEED studies, subject to this information being
available in time.

CO2PIPETRANS II builds on an earlier phase 1 of the JIP and also on previous DNV experience of

KCP-ENT-SHE-REP-0001
Revision: 05

Project Title: Kingsnorth Carbon Capture & Storage Project Page 4 of 4
Document Title: Dispersion Modelling Strategy

Ki ngsnorth CCS Demonstrati on Project
The i nformati on contai ned i n thi s document (the Infor mati on) i s provi ded i n good fai th.
E.ON UK pl c, i ts subcontractors, subsi di ari es, affi l i ates, empl oyees, advi sers, and the Depart ment of Energy and Cl i mate Change (DECC)
make no representati on or warranty as to the accuracy, rel i abi l i ty or compl eteness of the Infor mati on and nei ther E.ON UK pl c nor any of i ts
subcontractors, subsi di ari es, affi l i ates, empl oyees, advi sers or DECC shal l have any l i abi l i ty whatsoever for any di rect or i ndi rect l oss
howsoever ari si ng from the use of the Infor mati on by any party.
similar CO2 experimental work. Objectives within the project of particular relevance here are listed
below.
CO2PIPETRANS II project will:
Undertake an experimental programme to enable depressurisation, release and dispersion
model developers and modellers to develop test and validate their models across a
representative range of CCS dense phase CO2 scenarios.
Collate and share the collected data and experience with the JIP participants so that they gain
maximum value from the activities undertaken.
Package and share sufficient data sets of the captured experimental data along with
supporting information to enable the modelling community to develop and validate their
models for use within CCS development projects,
Document the work undertaken and actively disseminate the knowledge gained both
internally within the JIP and on a wider (external) basis
The project will also be looking at potential failure modes of pipelines; materials selection; and
thermo-dynamic properties of CO
2
mixtures
Opportunities for early participation in this project will be identified. Of particular value are
experimental results from projects already undertaken by members of project which will be made
available to CO2PIPETRANS II.
6. Modelling Scenarios

Data relating to the operating conditions of the Kingsnorth capture plant, compressors and
pipeline will be obtained from the relevant engineering teams. The site layout and pipeline route
information will be obtained from the design layout team and pipeline design contractor
respectively. The scenarios to be modelled will be based on the conclusions of HAZID studies
undertaken by the Kingsnorth CCS team using data from the afore-mentioned sources.
7. Communication with the Health and Safety Regulator

A dialogue with HSE experts on the methods and techniques to be employed in the application of
dispersion modelling and in the broader area of risk assessment will be maintained where
appropriate.
8. References

[1] Technical Guidance on Hazard Analysis for Onshore Carbon Capture Installations & Onshore
Pipelines
CCSA and Energy Institute 2010 Draft

[2] Mapping of potential HSE issues related to large-scale capture, transport and storage of CO
2

DNV Report no: 2008-1993

[3] Understanding the Consequences of CO
2
Leakage Downstream of the
Capture Plant
T A Hill, J E Fackrell, M R Dubal & S M Stiff
GHGT-10 2010 conference proceedings draft
Energy Procedia