Multiphysics simulation of ethane pipeline leakage: Coupled effects of pressure, leak hole size, and direction on thermal radiation

Abstract

With the surging demand for ethane as a petrochemical feedstock, high‐pressure liquid ethane pipeline networks are expanding rapidly. However, under complex conditions involving rapid flash vaporization, the interplay among transportation pressure, leak aperture, and leak direction on accident impact ranges remains inadequately quantified. This study employs FLACS software to assess the risks of accidents following leakage and dispersion. The findings indicate that, when considering flash vaporization and turbulent entrainment, a pressure increase expands the 1.5 kW/m ² thermal radiation contour by less than 3%, highlighting a significant sublinear trend. In contrast, increasing the aperture from 5 to 25 mm raises the thermal radiation impact ranges by 280%, underscoring leak geometry as the primary factor in risk amplification. Vertical releases reduce the thermal radiation impact range by approximately 21% compared to horizontal leaks, while a 2.6 m/s (6 MPH) headwind has a negligible mitigating effect. These parameters collectively define a multidimensional hazard boundary that single‐factor correlation equations cannot capture. By quantifying these nonlinear coupling effects, this study provides a framework for designing safety distances and preventing leaks in ethane pipelines, thereby establishing a foundation for risk assessment in long‐distance ethane transmission pipelines.