Temperature Drop Calculation Design of Hot Oil

Pipeline
Nan-xi Wang
Shanghai Maritime University
Shanghai,201306

Abstract—In order to design and optimize the hot oil pipeline

operation scheme more conveniently and accurately, this paper B. Current status of experimental research
studies the temperature drop law of hot oil pipeline under various There are mainly two types of experimental research on the
conditions, and establishes the calculation program of any temperature drop of hot oil pipelines: the actual pipeline
pipeline operation method, which is mainly summarized as three experimental research in the field and the loop experimental
typical conditions: buried pipes, above ground pipes and water research inside or outside the laboratory.
pipes. By distinguishing the laying conditions and inputting
relevant physical property parameters in different laying Due to the limitation of the actual production conditions at
conditions interface, according to the relevant classical formula, the site, field research methods are mainly focused on changes
the distance traveled by one Celsius pipe can be calculated, and in the soil temperature field around the pipeline and changes in
iteratively, the program can calculate the temperature drop the oil temperature at the station of the oil station. For example,
between two heating stations. In addition, this program combines An Jiarong et al.[4] used to monitor temperature drop during
the pipeline temperature drop calculation with the Internet of shutdown. The temperature changes at certain points in the soil
Things, the measured physical parameters are transmitted surrounding the pipeline during the process were used as the
through the Internet for calculation, making the results more actual pipeline experimental study of the site of gravity. Most
accurate. of the on-site experimental studies are to provide
recommendations and references for the actual production and
Keywords—hot oil pipeline, law of temperature drop, Internet of operation of pipelines, and have certain limitations.
Things
Compared with the actual pipeline experiment in the field,
I. INTRODUCTION loop experiments have more advantages, such as easier initial
boundary conditions, better reproducibility of experimental
In recent years, experimental researches and numerical conditions and so on. For example, Cui Xiuguo et al.[5] used a
calculations are mainly used on the temperature drop of hot oil large-scale test loop to conduct field tests on changes in the oil
pipelines. And there are many computational studies and few temperature in the pipe and the soil temperature field around
experimental studies. the pipe after the buried hot oil pipe was stopped. However, the
experimental research process is complicated, the equipment is
A. Research status of numerical calculation expensive, and it has certain risks ,therefore it is not conducive
The main steps of numerical calculation is to set specific to work conveniently.
environmental locations, make assumptions, give parameters in
a specific environment, and then use different software for C. Calculation of the combination with the Internet of
digital simulation. For example, Liu Suzhi [1] used finite Things
element method to numerically analyze soil temperature field Moreover, the above methods are all calculated by
and pipeline temperature drop around a buried crude oil historical data, and the result is bound to have errors. In order
pipeline in a given soil environment; Zhou Gang et al [2] used to design and optimize the hot oil pipeline operation scheme
SPS simulation software to establish a positive buried oil more conveniently and accurately, this paper combines the
pipeline in a cold area. Anti-transmission simulation model; temperature drop calculation with the Internet of Things and
Wang Changbin et al. [3] used FLUENT software to establish a calculates the temperature drop by real-time feedback of the oil
physical model of a buried hot oil pipeline in a three- property parameters.
dimensional Cartesian Cartesian coordinate system.
In the aspect of regular research, the article synthesizes the
The software simulation is limited by the software classic calculation formulas of predecessors, summarizes the
boundary conditions, explores the law changes but cannot give algorithms under three typical conditions, and establishes a
a clear and feasible calculation method, therefore its preliminary algorithm platform, which can be used for future
applicability is not strong. A complete pipeline will inevitably generations' review and operation. In the aspect of pipeline
span different regions, resulting in different conditions for the design, borrowing the algorithm platform of this design is
pipeline. If the law of single condition is used to analyze the convenient and fast, and can be better applied to practical
temperature drop of the entire pipeline, the result is not operations. In terms of pipeline optimization, since the
accurate. parameters are fed back by the Internet in time, according to

978-1-5386-5638-9/18/$31.00 ©2018 IEEE

the calculation situation, it can give practical improvement
suggestions. However, the study of the law of temperature drop
is not complete and needs to be supplemented. The platform
design is slightly rough, and the accuracy of the results
calculated according to the formula needs to be improved.

II. PLATFORM ESTABLISHMENT

By summarizing the experience and lessons of the
predecessors, a simple calculation method of temperature drop
is based on the classical calculation formula according to the
VB software, which consists of three modules of buried
pipeline, ground pipe and water pipe, which is an open
platform. By input data and click the command button, the
results are obtained.
(a)Buried piping interface
A. Algorithm steps
• Identify laying conditions of the pipeline. The external
heat release coefficient 2 algorithm is different under
different laying conditions. This design is divided into
three cases: buried, ground, and water pipes. Create a
window for each situation. Under which conditions,
click on the corresponding window, as shown in
Figure1.

(b)Ground piping interface

Fig 1. Reading the Laying Condition Window

• Input data. Input the real-time data returned from the

Internet into the corresponding interface, as in Figure
2.
For example, the initial temperature tq needs to be
entered in the blank grid next to the tq label.
• Judge the flow state of oil flow. The Reynolds number
Re is used to judge whether the oil flow is turbulent(Re
̱104), laminar (Rḛ2000), or transitional(2000< Re
<104). Under different flow states, internal heat release (c)Water piping interface
coefficient 1 is different.
Fig 2. Three kinds of laying conditions data input window
• Calculate the approximate K value. Now that we have
found the value of 1, 2 ,and the values of the various • Calculate the exact value of K. Set the K value in 1°C
physical parameters, we can calculate the K value as the fixed value, Make the end temperature 1°C
according to the formula(1). lower than the initial temperature, that is let tz = tq - 1.
1 1 n
1 Di 1 Combined with the axial temperature drop formula
K πD
=
α 1π d
+ 2πλ
i =1
ln +
d i α 2πD
(1)
which shows in formula(2), the average temperature of
i
the inner wall surface of the tube tb is programmed by
Where K is the total heat transfer coefficient of the pipe, cyclic algorithm until the difference between the
W/(m2·ć); D/d is the outer/inner diameter of the pipe, hypothesis value and the value calculated through K is
m; i is thermal conductivity of the i-th layer (wax layer, less than 0.01. Output K value.
steel tube wall and anti-corrosion insulation layer), K ± D ( T − T 0 ) dl = − GcdT + gGidl (2)
W/(m2·ć); di/Di are inner diameter and outer diameter
of the i-th layer, m;. Where G is mass flow of oil, kg/s; c is the specific heat
capacity of the oil at the average temperature of the oil,
J/(kg·°C); dl is the unit length of the pipe, m; i is the oil
flow hydraulic gradient; g is the gravity acceleration, Knowing the starting oil temperature tq and the conveying
m/s2; T0 is the temperature of the surrounding medium, distance ln, the end point oil temperature can be obtained from
wherein the buried pipe takes the depth of the center of equation (6).
the pipe to be naturally warm, ć; T is pipeline oil
t z = t 0 + ( t q − t 0 ) ⋅ exp( − al ) (6)
temperature,ć dT is the unit temperature ,ć
• Calculate the parameters a, b . (a or b is a meaningless Then tz can be used as the starting temperature for the next
parameter, setting a or b is only for the convenience of laying condition to continue the calculation process.
the calculation of the following formula.)
III. INSTANCE CALCULATION
KπD gi
a = b =
Gc , ca A. Actual Pipeline Introduction
• Calculate the value of l. According to the formula of In order to facilitate the program verification of this design,
axial temperature drop which shows is formula(2), the the physical data of some pipelines and oil products
total heat transfer coefficient K within a temperature intercepting the actual pipelines of the Lanzhou-Chengdu
difference of 1°C is set as a fixed value, and the length Group will be combined into L pipeline (L pipeline does not
of the pipe flowing in 1°C can be calculated according represent the actual pipe). The basic conditions are as follows.
to the following formula: The length of the L pipeline is 1410km, the outer diameter
is 0.559m, and the wall thickness is 7.1mm. The pipeline
1 t − t0 − b material is 16Mn steel and the straight seam steel pipe,
l = ln q e=0.054mm. The pipe insulation material is made of
a t z − t0 − b (3) polyurethane rigid foamed plastic. The thickness of the
insulation layer of buried pipeline and water pipeline is 0.04m,
Taking the last temperature tz1 of the first unit temperature and the overhead pipeline is 0.06m. The thermal conductivity
as the starting temperature of the next unit temperature tq2, the of the pipeline insulation layer is 0.025W/(m·°C).
length of the pipe length l2 within second degrees Celsius can
There are four stations along the L pipeline ,includes A1
be calculated in accordance with the above method. Similarly,
crude oil depot (first station), A2 station, A3 station, and A4
the third and fourth can be calculated in turn. Until the flow to
station (last station). Height difference across the board can be
the next heating station, the temperature drop is over, then the
ignored. The exit temperature is 50°C and the crude oil density
tube length L between the two heating stations becomes equal
is 950kg/m3. Basic situation of the L pipeline is shown in
to the total length of all the units in front of the tube length,
table1.
shown in formula (4).
n
L = l i TABLE.1BASIC SITUATION OF THE L PIPELINE
i = 1 (4)
Stations Pipe length(km) Laying conditions
Through the above data, a temperature distance map can be A1-A2 440 buried pipe
established. By observing the graph, uneconomical parts can be A2-A3 410 buried and above ground pipe
found out, improved through the laying of the insulation layer, A3-A4 560 buried and water pipe
and then the economy can be compared with the previous Among them, the average depth of buried pipe is 1.0m.The
facilities to calculate its rationality. buried soil is sand, the density =1400kg/m3, and the moisture
content =10%. The overhead bridge is 70km away from the
B. Supplement to the procedure A2 station and has a total length of 10km. The river crosses at a
distance of 30km from A3 station, total length is 1km, forced
When the pipeline crosses between two types of laying convection, the kinematic viscosity of water in river is equal to
conditions, there may be a case where the temperature is less 1.31×10-6m2/s, the thermal conductivity coefficient of water
than 1°C across the domain, and the above procedure is no s=0.56W/(m·°C), and the river velocity s=5m/s.
longer applicable. In response to this situation, the following
methods are supplemented. In order to facilitate comparison, other physical parameters
remain unchanged except for changes in crude oil temperature
Since in one degree Celsius, the K value does not change and viscosity. L pipe viscosity at different temperatures at each
much, the K value and the a value are still obtained from the station is shown in table 2[6]
initial temperature tq of the unit temperature before crossing
point. The length from the end point of the last temperature unit
to the crossing point ln is equal to the length of the pipe length TABLE.2 L PIPE VISCOSITY AT DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES AT EACH STATION˄
MM2/S˅
from the heating station to the crossing point L0 minus the
length of the pipe that passes through the previous (n-1) Temperat
50 45 40 35 30 25
degrees Celsius. ure(ć)
A1 206.6 280.9 382.6 532.1 790.5 1335
n −1

(5) A2 196 256.9 365.3 488.6 724.6 1306.4

ln = L 0 − li A3 183 241.3 345 468.9 645.3 1285.9
i =1
A4 172 230.1 312 435.8 611.3 1262.6
B. Actual pipeline operation l=70000.00-69115.44=884.56 is obtained from the program
interface.
a) A1-A2 stations
tz=25+(45-25)× exp(-0.000007383×884.56)=44.95°C
Between A1-A2 stations, no laying conditions were Take tq = tz = 44.95°C as the initial temperature of the next
changed, so the temperature and kinematic viscosity of the laying condition, that is, water pipeline, then substitute the
buried pipe pages were continuously changed to obtain results. program for calculation, and record the data.
As the length of the pipeline that spans the river is 1km,
the laying conditions in the 44.95 to 43.95 temperature drop
unit will be changed again. Similarly,
a=0.00001055, l=1000.
tz=5+(44.95-5)×exp(-0.00001055×1000)=44.53°C
Again, tq = tz =44.53 °C as the next deposition condition,
ie, the initial temperature of the buried pipeline, is substituted
into the program for calculation, and the data is recorded.
Thirdly, the initial temperature of the buried pipeline is
Fig. 3 temperature drop between A1-A2 stations calculated at tq = tz =44.53ć as the next laying condition, and
b) A2-A3 stations the data are calculated by the substitution procedure.
In the A2-A3 station, the change of the laying conditions
in the 40-39 temperature drop unit is calculated from the
known pipeline conditions and operating data. And
a=0.00000702, l=70000.00-69115.44=884.56 is obtained from
the program interface. Therefore, according to the method
described in the supplementary procedure, tz can be obtained as
follows:
tz=25+(40-25)× exp(-0.00000702×884.56)=39.91°C
Take tq =tz =39.91°C as the starting temperature of the next
laying condition, that is, above-ground pipeline, then substitute
the program for calculation, and record the data.
As the length of the overhead pipeline is 10km, the Fig. 5 temperature drop between A3-A4 stations
conditions for laying in the temperature drop unit of 35.91 to It can be seen from the figure 5 that the temperature drop
34.91 are changed again. Similarly, curve is not obvious in the whole pipeline as the distance is too
short when the pipeline crosses the water.
a=0.000001576, l=80000.00-78803.43=1196.57
tz=20+(35.91-20)× exp(-0.000001576×1196.57)=35.88°C d) Operation result analysis
Again, tq = tz = 35.88 °C as the starting temperature of the It can be seen from the temperature drop chart of the L
next laying condition, that is, buried pipeline, is substituted into pipeline in figure 6 that the temperature drop regulation trend
the program for calculation, and the data is recorded. between the two heating stations is roughly the same, both in
It can be seen from figure 4 that the temperature drop the first half of the pipeline, the temperature drop curve is
curve becomes steeper when the pipeline is crossed above the steep, the heat dissipation is large, the temperature drop is
ground, and the temperature drop speed is accelerated. large, and then tends to be gentle.

Fig. 6 L pipe temperature drop

Fig. 4 temperature drop between A2-A3 stations Therefore, the focus of optimization is in the first half of the
pipeline. Under the circumstance that the pipeline design and
c) A3-A4 stations
surrounding environment cannot be changed, that is, if the
Between A3-A4 stations, it is known from the known pipe original environmental parameters are unchanged, our main
conditions and the running data that the laying conditions are methods are to increase the number of insulation layers,
changed in the 45-44 temperature drop unit, so a=0.000007383, increase the degree of insulation thickness, and increase the
thermal conductivity of the insulation layer.
IV. PIPELINE OPTIMIZATION shorter than that between the A2-A3 stations. Therefore, the
second heating station A0 can be established at 700 km to
a) Local optimization connect to the A4 heating station. Among them, 10km
Taking the pipeline between A1-A2 heating stations as an overhead pipeline is laid at 510km away from A1 pipeline, and
example, we increased the thickness of the insulation layer[7] 1km water pipeline is laid at 180km away from A0 station. The
(the thickness of the insulation layer increased from 0.04m to final result via calculation is shown in Figure 9.
0.1m. ) in the first half of the pipeline (that is, approximately
220 km ahead) without changing the other conditions of the
pipeline to observe the optimization results. The output
optimized graph is shown in Figure 7.

Fig 9 L pipeline temperature drop comparison chart

From Figure 9, we can see that by increasing the thickness

of the insulation layer of the whole pipe, the temperature drop
Fig. 7 Temperature drop of A1-A2 station (after optimization) curve is more gentle and the number of heating stations is
reduced. To verify whether this optimization is reasonable, a
From the optimized temperature drop graph, it can be seen simple economic calculation is performed below.
that the temperature drop curve in the first half of the pipeline
becomes more gradual, the steep temperature drop trend Because this design is mainly to improve the temperature
becomes slower, the heat dissipation under the same pipe drop process along the pipeline, the improvement method is
length is reduced, and the next heating station is entered at the mainly to lay the insulation layer and reduce the heating
same time. The increase in the station temperature helps to station. Therefore, the economic calculation does not involve
reduce the energy loss in the heating station and save energy. the selection of the pipe and the line, and it is mainly compared
with the laying cost and the heating station cost.
From the optimization between stations, it can be seen that
by increasing the thickness of the insulation layer in the first A heating station is equipped with labor, heating
half of the pipeline, heat dissipation can be reduced and the equipment, oil storage equipment, and oil in and out devices.
flow of oil can be extended. If the insulation thickness of the According to relevant data, the total cost is about 10 million
entire pipeline is increased, the number of heating stations may yuan. The polyurethane rigid foam insulation layer, a square
be reduced, making the operating cost more economical. meter cost about 10 yuan, the optimization of the insulation
Therefore, we will observe the results below by increasing the area increased by about 330,000 square meters, so increase the
thickness of the insulating layer of the entire pipe (the thickness cost of insulation layer up to 3.3 million yuan, with the original
of the insulation layer is increased from 0.04m to 0.1m). cost Compared to the 67% reduction, this means that this
Firstly, observe the pipeline between A1-A2 stations, as shown optimization method is reasonable.
in Figure 8.
CONCLUSION
In summary, this paper summarizes the classical algorithm
formula, establishes the basic calculation program, and
calculates the field data through the Internet into the program,
which can obtain a more accurate pipeline temperature drop
map. By analyzing it, we can identify the problem and propose
improvement measures.
In actual operation, the improvement measures can be
immediately transmitted back to the work site via the Internet,
which is of great significance to the efficient and safe operation
of the hot oil pipeline under the Internet.
Fig. 8 Temperature drop diagram of A1-A2 station (after optimization of the
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