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EP-4556783-B1 - METHOD FOR DISCHARGING A GAS FROM A GAS-CONDUCTING LINE SECTION

EP4556783B1EP 4556783 B1EP4556783 B1EP 4556783B1EP-4556783-B1

Inventors

  • Becher, Simon
  • Niebialek, Sascha

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241009

Claims (15)

  1. A method for removing a gas from a gas-carrying pipe section (4), comprising the steps of: - transferring (100) a first quantity of the gas from the gas-carrying pipe section (4) into a gas reservoir (8), - supplying (200) a purge gas into the gas-carrying pipe section (4) upon detection of a residual amount of the gas within the gas-carrying pipe section (4), - transferring (300) the residual amount of the gas from the gas-carrying pipe section (4) into the gas reservoir (8), - wherein the residual amount of gas is transferred from the gas-carrying pipe section (4) to the gas reservoir (8) via a separation unit (10) for separation from the supplied purge gas.
  2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first quantity and/or the residual amount of gas is transferred from the gas-carrying pipe section (4) to the gas reservoir (8) via a compressor unit (6), wherein the compressor unit (6) is preferably designed in the form of a pump, in particular in the form of a Roots pump.
  3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the residual amount of gas from the gas-carrying pipe section (4) is separated from the supplied purge gas within a bypass line (24a) via a separation unit (10).
  4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a detection of a residual amount of the gas within the gas-carrying pipe section (4), to which a purge gas is supplied, is performed via a pressure measurement, wherein the purge gas is preferably supplied upon detection of a critical pressure, wherein the critical pressure is in particular less than 5 bar, and/or that the purge gas is discharged into the atmosphere after separation from the residual amount of the gas, wherein air and/or nitrogen is preferably used as the purge gas.
  5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gas to be discharged from the gas-carrying pipe section (4) is a greenhouse gas or contains a greenhouse gas, wherein the gas to be discharged from the gas-carrying pipe section (4) is preferably natural gas or contains natural gas, and/or that the gas to be discharged from the gas-carrying pipe section (4) is a gas harmful to health and/or a toxic gas or contains such a gas, wherein the gas to be discharged from the gas-carrying pipe section (4) is preferably CO, H 2 S, or chlorine gas or contains such a gas.
  6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the residual amount of gas from the gas-carrying pipe section (4) is separated from the purge gas by at least one of the following methods: - chemical absorption process, - adsorption process, - distillation process, - membrane separation process, - cryogenic separation process.
  7. System (2) for removing a gas from a gas-carrying pipe section (4), in particular for carrying out a method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: - a first connection element (12a) for connecting to a gas-carrying pipe section (4), - a second connection element (12b) for connecting to a gas reservoir (8), - a piping system (14) arranged between the first and second connection elements (12a, 12b) for transferring the gas from the gas-carrying pipe section (4) into the reservoir (8), - a measuring unit (18) for detecting (200) a residual amount of the gas within the gas-carrying pipe section (4), - a supply device (16) for supplying (200) a purge gas into the gas-carrying pipe section (4) upon detection of a residual amount of the gas, - a separation unit (10) for separating the residual amount of the gas from the supplied purge gas when transferring (300) the residual amount of the gas from the gas-carrying pipe section (4) into the gas reservoir (8).
  8. System (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separation unit (10) comprises a chemical absorption unit and/or an adsorption unit and/or a distillation unit and/or a membrane and/or a cryogenic separation unit.
  9. System (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a compressor unit (6) is provided for transferring a first quantity and/or a residual amount of a gas from the gas-carrying pipe section (4) into the gas reservoir (8), wherein the compressor unit (6) is preferably designed in the form of a pump, in particular in the form of a Roots pump.
  10. System (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separation unit (10) is arranged within a bypass section (24), wherein the bypass section (24) preferably comprises a first and second bypass valve (24a), wherein the bypass section (24) is preferably arranged on the suction side of the compressor unit (6).
  11. System (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and second connection elements (12a, 12b) comprise valves (20) for introducing and discharging a gas, wherein the valves (20) are preferably designed as shutoff valves and/or metering valves and/or ball valves and/or butterfly valves.
  12. System (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measuring unit (18) comprises at least one measuring device (30) for measuring a volume flow and/or mass flow and/or a plurality of sensors (28) for detecting a current pressure and/or a current gas composition, wherein preferably a plurality of sensors (128) are arranged on the suction side and the discharge side of a compressor unit (6).
  13. System (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the supply device (16) for supplying (200) a purge gas into the gas-carrying pipe section (4) is designed in the form of a pressure vessel connectable to the gas-carrying pipe section (4), wherein the supply device (16) preferably comprises a valve (20) for introducing the purge gas into the gas-carrying pipe section (4), wherein the valve (20) is, in particular, operable automatically.
  14. System (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one discharge line (22) is provided for discharging a purge gas, wherein the discharge line (22) comprises at least a first sensor for detecting a pressure and/or a composition of a separated purge gas, and/or that the gas reservoir (8) is a pressure vessel or a gas-carrying pipe section.
  15. System (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system (2) is designed to be mobile, wherein the system (2) preferably comprises wheels for rolling, and/or wherein the system (2) is in particular arranged on a mobile trailer, and/or that lighting means for illumination and/or a power generator for power supply and/or means for remote site monitoring are provided.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a system for removing gas from a gas-carrying section of a pipeline. Gas pipelines or pipeline sections must be serviced periodically or repaired in case of damage. Before such maintenance or repair work, the pipelines or pipeline sections sometimes need to be emptied in a controlled manner. For this purpose, the gas carried in the pipelines is usually pumped into other pipeline sections. During such a pumping process, a state is eventually reached where the pipelines or pipeline sections are only filled with low pressure. However, low pressure within the pipelines eventually leads to the formation of a boundary layer in the outer areas of the gas-carrying pipelines. Depending on the type of gas being conveyed, the formation of a boundary layer poses a particular safety risk due to the potential ingress of atmospheric oxygen into the pipelines. Furthermore, simply venting the residual gas present in the pipelines into the atmosphere is only possible with gases that are harmless to health and the environment. EP0926428 B1 reveals a method for removing a gas from a gas-carrying section of a pipeline It is therefore the object of the present invention to at least partially overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of known systems and methods for removing gas from a gas-carrying section of a pipeline. In particular, it is the object of the present invention to provide a method and a system that each enable the rapid, safe, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly removal of gas from a gas-carrying section of a pipeline. The foregoing problem is solved by a method having the features of claim 1 and a system according to claim 7. Further features and details of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, the description, and the drawings. Technical features disclosed with respect to the method according to the invention also apply in connection with the system according to the invention, and vice versa, so that the disclosure of the individual aspects of the invention always makes, or can make, a reciprocal reference. According to the invention, a method for removing gas from a gas-carrying pipe section is provided. The method according to the invention comprises the steps of transferring a first quantity of gas from the gas-carrying pipe section into a gas reservoir, supplying a purge gas into the gas-carrying pipe section after detecting a residual quantity of gas within the gas-carrying pipe section, and transferring the residual quantity of gas from the gas-carrying pipe section into the gas reservoir, wherein the residual quantity of gas from the gas-carrying pipe section is transferred to the gas reservoir via a separation unit for separation from the supplied purge gas. Within the scope of the invention, the term "removing gas from a gas-carrying pipe section" can be understood to mean, in particular, the controlled transfer of gas from a pipe section into a gas reservoir. The term "first quantity of gas" can preferably be understood to mean the main portion of the gas located in a gas-carrying pipe section, comprising, for example, at least 90%, and in particular at least 95%, of the total weight, total volume, or total pressure of the gas located in the gas-carrying pipe section. The remaining portion of the total weight, total volume, or total pressure can then preferably constitute the remaining quantity of gas. It is further understood that "gas" can be understood to mean, in particular, a gaseous medium under standard conditions, such as room temperature (25°C) and a pressure of one bar. A gas reservoir can be in the form of a container, for example, a pressure vessel, or also in the form of a further pipe section that can be separated from the pipe section to be emptied. It is also understood that the transfer of a gas "over" a separation unit can be understood to mean a transfer "through" a separation unit or along a separation unit. Within the scope of the invention, it has been recognized that, based on the steps provided according to the invention—namely, the transfer of an initial quantity of a gas without purge gas and the subsequent transfer of a residual quantity of the gas with purge gas via a separation unit—a rapid, safe, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly discharge of gas from a gas-carrying pipeline section can be ensured. The invention takes into account not only preventing the formation of a boundary layer during the transfer of a gas, but also preventing the release of a potentially harmful and/or environmentally damaging gas into the atmosphere. Furthermore, the invention considers the reuse of the discharged gas and therefore ensures its transfer with the highest possible purity. With a view to the rapid and efficient transfer of gas from a gas-carrying pipe section to a gas reservoir, it can advantageously be provided that the initial quantity and/or the remaining quantity of the gas is transferred from