Numerical simulation on dispersion of hydrogen leaked in particle layers of glass beads and soil

ガラスビーズ層と真砂土層中に漏洩した水素の拡散挙動シミュレーション

寺田 敦彦  ; 永石 隆二 

Terada, Atsuhiko; Nagaishi, Ryuji

表面の平滑なガラスビーズ層と細孔を有する真砂土層中に漏洩した水素の拡散挙動について、CFDによる実験結果の照合解析を行い、流れの特性を明らかにした。ガラスビーズ層と真砂土層において、漏洩点からの表層(空気層と粒子層の境界面)までの濃度の広がり方は同様な傾向を示すが、真砂土層の方が表層面近傍での空気層中の水素濃度は低下する傾向がみられた。真砂土層中の拡散挙動シミュレーションでは、透気係数や拡散係数の感度が実験結果の再現性に影響することが示唆された。また、空気層中に流出した水素の滞留を抑制する簡易な自然換気プロセスの検証を試計算し、見通しを示した。

In order to understand dispersion of H2 leaked in packed beds of non-porous/porous particles in a partially open space practically, the dispersion of H2 in the particle layers of glass beads and soil was analytically studied using a CFD code to be compared with the experiments and to elucidate the effects of particle layer. H2 flowed out from a single leak point in the particle layer of non-porous glass beads was affected by buoyancy around the leak point, and diffused directly above the leak point in an elliptical shape faster than in the horizontal direction. After that, when it reached the air layer in the head space above the particle layer, H2 spread horizontally, formed a large concentration gradient near the boundary between the particle layer and the air layer, and further diffused in the air layer until the H2 concentration became about 1/3 or less of the concentration near the surface of particle layer. The calculations largely reproduced the experimental concentration distributions. When the particle layer was porous decomposed granite soil, the diffusion behavior of H2 in the particle layer proceeded in the same manner as in the case of glass beads. However, a large concentration gradient was formed near the boundary between the particle layer and the air layer, and then H2 diffused in the air layer until the H2 concentration became below the lower combustion limit. It was suggested through sensitivity analysis that the air permeability coefficient had a large effect on the time course of H2 concentration distribution. Based on the above, we further simulated H2 behavior in the vessel containing the H2 leaked particle layer. By inserting multiple vent pipes without considering H2 generation distribution and particle properties in the particle layer, H2 accumulated from one pipe was discharged by buoyancy without depending on the H2 generation distribution and particle properties in the particle layer, and air flowed in from the other pipe.