Numerical Investigation of Storage Behaviors of A Liquid CO₂ Tank

¹ College of Petroleum Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University Shaanxi Province Aerospace and Astronautics Propulsion Research Institute Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
² Shaanxi Province Aerospace and Astronautics Propulsion Research Institute Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
³ Shaanxi Aerospace Supercomputing Center Co., Ltd. Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
⁴ College of Petroleum Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University Xi’an, Shaanxi, China

Abstract

The dynamic behavior of heat transfer induced by flow of the storage tank during the storage process was investigated using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach, with the target of the liquid CO₂ storage tank in a CO₂ injection station in an oilfield. The flow field distribution outside the tank was simulated, exhibiting the patterns of air flow near the tank wall. The effect of progressive cooling leakage in the tank under various conditions was determined through simulation of the dynamic of flow heat transfer under various storage settings, with the result indicating that tank pressure has a beneficial effect on cooling capacity. The medium level, on the other hand, had a negative impact on cooling capacity. Finally, the impact of environmental variables on fluid loss was evaluated. This finding supports the safety and cost-benefit analysis of liquid CO₂ storage systems.