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Peng Zhang's Webpage

Postgraduate Researcher Phone: +44 (0)20 7679 3809 Email: peng.zhang@ucl.ac.uk

Address: Department of Chemical Engineering University College London Torrington Place London WC1E 7JE United Kingdom

Peng Zhang received double undergraduate degrees from East China University of Science and Technology in Chemical Engineering and Lübeck University of Applied Sciences (Germany) in Environmental Engineering. He obtained his MSc in Chemical Process Engineering with Distinction from UCL in 2009. His current research focuses in pipeline safety, computational fluid dynamics and fracture mechanics.

Research project

Title: Modelling of Low Temperature-Induced Fracture Propagation on Pressurized Pipelines

Supervisor: Professor Haroun Mahgerefteh

The pipeline transport of CO₂ is a fundamental technology that will underpin a large proportion of future Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) applications. The key problem is how to transport huge volumes of anthropogenic CO₂ in a safe and energy efficient manner from its source to its final storage point. Crack propagation is a problem in pipelines conveying gas or liquids with high vapour pressures. Fractures can propagate in either the fully brittle or fully ductile modes for long distances, and in theory, could propagate almost indefinitely. If the propagation of a long-running ductile or brittle fracture cannot be prevented through the specification of material toughness then measures such as the fitting of crack arrestors along the pipeline have to be adopted, and many of the operating pipelines in the US are fitted with crack arrestors.

This research deals with the development of a rigorous mathematical model for predicting the likelihood of running fractures in CO₂ pipelines. The model, to be validated using careful laboratory base validation, will allow pipeline operators to avoid such type of catastrophic failure through better pipeline material selection and in the case of blowdown, the fastest depressurisation rate permissible. The project is divided into two sub-projects; one which concentrates on fracture propagation in the brittle mode due to low temperature effects, and one which concentrates on fracture arrest of ductile fractures.

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