Thermodynamic Analysis of Natural Gas Flow Passing through Pressure Reduction Stations

(CGS) Regulators with computational fluid dynamic (CFD)

Ehsan Hakimi1 , Parinaz Soleimani2

Abstract
Regulators are considered as the main parts of natural gas pressure reduction stations. This study tries to
simulate the regulator's compressible flow using a finite element method based on the finite volume and creating a
triangular unstructured grid. Due to the complexity of the actual geometry of the problem, Simulation helped to
investigation of numerical study of dynamic and thermodynamic behavior of high pressure natural gas during the
transition through the regulators with the good approximation. In this work, “seat and plug” regulators are studied. We
have verified the result of simulation with Gorgan (the city in north of Iran) CGS. Analyzing properties and quantities of
the fluid passing through the regulators, with use of the flow simulation, it will be shown that at some point in the outlet,
the fluid velocity reaches more than the speed of sound - supersonic region is created- the Mach number approaches to
about 2.5, therefor we found the reason of erosion in some parts of pressure reduction stations. Checking velocity and
pressure contours, inside of regulators and after them, confirms that the pressure reduction will result the gas volumetric
expansion and then cause increases speed at the throat. Simulation show us after 6 times of pipe diameter from
discharging of the regulator, the flow reaches to fully developed regime. This information helps us observe the required
distance in deploying the instrumentations, also, the pressure reduction in regulators is associated with temperature
reduction. That is why gas is preheated before the pressure reduction at the pressure reduction stations.

1. Introduction
A special facility that is an integral part of the natural gas operational chain is called pressure reduction station.
These stations are used in two major ways: City Gate Station (C.G.S) and Town Border Station (T.B.S) and, as the
names suggest, they are responsible for the pressure reduction.
These stations have different pieces and parts according to the nature of their work, but the part that reduces the
pressure and is somehow considered as the most important part of the station is called "regulator”. Regulators are
devices that keep the output pressure constant regardless of the inlet pressure and the flow rate output. As a result of this
pressure reduction, significant issues can arise; and their causes can only be analyzed and justified from the
thermodynamic and dynamic perspectives. But, given the complexities of the fluid flow behavior passing through, there
is a need to use numerical analysis and simulation tools.
Thus, the main objective of this paper is to study the regulator’s internal operation and simulate the flow in the
regulator in order to determine the profile of the outlet gas flow from the various regulators’ openings throat as well as
to propose optimal outlet throats for pressure reduction stations regulators.

2. Previous Studies
The study of scientific existing research literature showed that no study has yet addressed the issue of
simulation of the natural gas or any flow at the time of reduction, passing through the regulator as well as later stages
after regulators. It is likely that manufacturers of the industrial parts and regulators have addressed these issues at the
time of the initial design and during the manufacturing of their products; however, the results are not mentioned in the
scientific papers. Some previous research in similar areas are discussed in the following paragraphs.
“Dragoljub et al. (2001) studied nonlinear dynamic model of a gas regulator in mathematical form”. In this
study, they claimed that their model was able to analyze the stable oscillation at a certain frequency and amplitude
without any disturbance. As mentioned, their model was a mathematical model and no simulation has been done.
“Shahini et al. (In 2011) developed a mathematical model of dynamic analysis of the air regulators”. Although
their work was presented as a dynamic simulation and raised the claim of comparing it with the actual conditions, the
presented results indicated that only mechanical analysis and a mathematical formula compared the conditions of
changes in the behavior of input to output pressure of the mathematical model with the actual conditions, and in other
cases, the comparisons that were presented as the results were obtained by changing the proposed formula’s parameters.

1
Mechanical Engineer, NIGC
2
Chemical Engineer, NIGC
3. Regulator Structure Model
In this simulation, it was tried to model the structure of a “Seat & Plug” regulators to analyze the behavior of
fluid after passing through the opening throat of the regulator. The mentioned regulatory model is 2-inch in size having
an inlet pipe of 4 inches in size and an outlet pipe of 6 inches in size due to gas expansion and adjustment in the rate of
flow. Figure 1 shows this type of regulator.

Figure 1. “seat and plug” regulator

Grid production was done in a way to be organized in most areas. Some advantages of an organized grid are
high speed and precision in the calculations. To produce better grid and grid quality control, the geometry should be
divided into several blocks and the grid of each block should be produced separately. Grid production should be done in
a way that the grid becomes unified at block interface levels. In this way, a high quality grid can be achieved by
controlling the number of grid points in the lines and surfaces of the geometry. In this issue, in spite of dividing the
geometry into several sections, still unorganized grid is used in some parts, inevitably. Mesh of this type of regulator are
shown in Figures 2

Figure 2. “seat and plug” regulator mesh

Since the operational mechanisms of regulators are based on cross-flow adjustment and the rate adjustment, the
outlet pressure is constant. As a result, for every pressure, at the inlet and outlet and every situation of the regulator
throats, a special flow rate occurs.
After about 17,000 steps, the solutions converged and the following results were obtained. To ensure the
convergence, we use the report of the software to ensure that input can be compared with the output .

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4. Assessing the Simulation Results
4.1. The Pressure Change in “Seat and Plug” Regulators

As it can be seen in Figure 3, the pressure decreases after passing through the regulator throat control gallery
manifold or valve body and it reduces from 250 psi to about 60 psi.

Figure 3. “seat and plug” regulators, contours of pressure change

Figure 3 displays the regulator throat from a close up view. The reduction of the pressure can be seen clearly.
These steps of reduction happens at the middle of the tube and Figure 4 shows that despite lots of turbulence in the
throat, the pressure reduces to less than what we expected in just a moment, but reaches its steady state within a short
distance from the throat.

Figure 4. “seat and plug” regulators, pressure-position changes

4.2. The Speed Change in “Seat and Plug” Regulators

Speed change and contours of Mach number in “seat and plug” regulators are shown in figure 5 and 6.

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 Figure 5. “seat and plug” regulators, contours of velocity change

Figure 6. “seat and plug” regulators, contours of Mach number

Figure 7. “seat and plug” regulators, Mach number-position changes

4.3. Temperature Change in “Seat and Plug” Regulators

Temperature contour is shown in Figure 8. It is observed that according to the Joule - Thomson effect, the
temperature decreases after the passage of fluid from the throat due to the pressure reduction under the constant enthalpy
condition (adiabatic and irreversible). At the stations, the existence of this fact is very evident regarding the empirical
phenomena.

Figure 8. “seat and plug” regulators, temperature contours

4.4. The Flow Turbulence Parameters in “Seat and Plug” Regulators

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 We can see the contours of turbulence in this type of regulators in figure 9.

Figure 9. “seat and plug” regulators, contours of turbulent

5. Data Analysis and Conclusions

Comparison of the results of simulation with experimental data obtained from actual models in pressure
reduction stations show a good conformity between the two sets of data. Therefore, the following results can be
presented:
1. The flow inside the regulators is completely compressible flow that creates extreme turbulence. Also, the
velocity profile is completely different from the developed flow.
2. The pressure reduction occurs at the outlet nozzle of the regulator temporally. Pressure reduction happens by
the sudden and severe increase of the speed so that a supersonic region is created. In this area, the Mach
number approaches to about 2.5 in “seat and plug” regulators. Thereby, speed increase itself is the result of the
reduction in the cross-sectional area at the throat of the regulator.
3. The flow develops in an approximate distance of 6 times the diameter after “seat and plug” regulators. This
information helps us observe the required distance in deploying the instrumentations.
4. The pressure reduction in regulators is associated with temperature reduction. That is why gas is preheated
before the pressure reduction at the pressure reduction stations. In this type of regulators temperature drops
between 5 to 6 OC that compatible with Gorgan pressure reduction station.

6. References
DRAGOLJUB VUJIC,SLOBODAN RADOJKOVIC, Dynamic model of gas pressure regulator, Mechanics, Automatic
Control and Robotics, vol.3, no 11, pp. 269 – 276,2001.
R.SHAHINI, H.ESMAILI, A.ARYAEI, S. MOHAMMADI, M. NAJAR. Dynamic simulation of a high pressure
regulator. JCARME,vol. 1, no. 1, sept. 2011