Damian Connelly - Midas Engineering - Pipeline design system optimisation

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Informa Slurry Pipelines Conference

2014 Pipeline Design System Optimisation

Presented by Damian Connelly

jENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSING DESIGN & VERIFICATION PRODUCT INNOVATION PROJECT MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS TRAINING SKILLSHIRE

•  DISCLAIMER With respect to all the information contained herein, neither Mineral Engineering Technical Services Pty Ltd, nor any officer, servant, employee, agent or consultant thereof make any representations or give any warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of the information contained herein, including but not limited to opinions, information or advice which may be provided to users of the document. No responsibility is accepted to users of this document for any consequence of relying on the contents hereof. •  COPYRIGHT © Passing of this document to a third party, duplication or re-use of this document, in whole or part, electronically or otherwise, is not permitted without the expressed written consent of Mineral Engineering Technical Services Pty Ltd. •  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This document is a dynamic record of the knowledge and experience of personnel at Mineral Engineering Technical Services. As such it has been built upon over the years and is a collaborative effort by all those involved. We are thankful for the material supplied by and referenced from various equipment manufacturers, vendors, industry research and project partners.


Key Attributes

•  Working globally since 1988

•  Dynamic and innovative niche consultancy

•  Dedicated team providing customised service

•  Specialist in Mineral Processing & Engineering Projects

•  Unique solution finder

•  Division of Midas Engineering Group

Pragmatic, efficient, complete engineering through quality, personalised & exceptional service delivery


Why Pipelines

•  A pipeline can offer the benefits of being

―  Unobtrusive

―  More environmentally friendly

―  Less subject to interference from local populations (Buried pipelines)

―  Cheaper if the transport site is in a long distance from the processing site

or located in rugged terrain

―  Low operating expenditure (OPEX)

―  In mountainous terrains it is particularly attractive

―  For rugged terrains the construction and maintenance of all weather roads

railways is both difficult and expensive


Introduction Ore Transportation Methods

Ore Condition

Capacity (Tonne)

Distance (km)

Capacity Expansion

Road Train Dry 100–350 per truck up to 75 Flexible

Overland Conveyor Dry Sized for desired capacity 15-100 Not Flexible

Rail Dry 130 per wagon 100+ Flexible

Pipeline Wet Sized for desired capacity 100+ Not flexible


Slurry Transportation By Pipeline

•  Slurry pipeline capital cost (CAPEX) is usually very high

•  Every project needs its own specific study based on following

―  Ore type

―  Ore characteristics

―  Water availability

―  Terrain conditions

•  Pipelines can be built in a variety of terrains, but it is in mountainous regions

that pipelines becomes particularly attractive


Typical Pipeline CAPEX Breakup

item Description % Comment 1 Survey, ROW 2 2 Pipe cost 33 3 Lining 2 4 Coating exterior 11 5 Construction 33 6 Cathodic protection 1 7 Telecommunication 5 8 Pump stations 5 9 Terminal facilities 2 10 Project Management 5

Total 100


Concept Stage-Pipeline Design

•  Establish requirement

•  Evaluate Alternatives

•  Typical Concept Study - assumptions


Feasibility Study Stage

•  Select pipeline route & selection

•  Hydraulic studies

•  Establish project costs

•  Project implementation plan

•  Risk assessment

•  Environmental impact

•  Feasible or not Feasible option?


Codes & Standards


Mixture Classification

•  Homogeneous (d ≤ 40):

―  Low solid concentration Newtonian ―  High solid concentration Non-Newtonian ―  There is little change in concentration within the pipe cross

section

•  Pseudo-homogeneous (40 µm ≤ d ≤ 150 µm) ―  Under turbulent condition, the mixture can be transported with a

uniform solid concentration distribution across the pipeline

•  Heterogeneous (0.15 mm ≤ d ≤ 1.5 mm)

―  For acceptable transport velocities, a solid concentration gradient exists over the cross section of the pipe (vertical plane)


Factors Influencing Non-Newtonian Behaviour

•  Physical characteristics of slurries are dependent on many factors such as ―  Size and distribution of particles ―  Concentration of solids in the liquid phase, 25-65% ―  Pipe Diameter (Slurry velocity) ―  Temperature ―  Viscosity of the Slurry


Slurries Critical Velocities

•  "↓1  : The bed in the lower half of the pipe is stationary. In the upper half of the pipe, some solids may move.

•  "↓2  : Mixture flows as an asymmetric mixture with the coarser particles forming a moving bed.

•  "↓3 or "↓% : All particles move as an asymmetric suspension. Below This Velocity the solids start to settle.

•  "↓4  : All solids move as a symmetric suspension

•  &↓' = Deposition or Settling Velocity

Speed of flow


Pipe Wall Thickness

(= pipe wall thickness, mm

)= maximum design pressure in pipe, Pa

*= maximum allowable design stress, Pa

+= allowance for corrosion-erosion, mm

•  * is calculated from the minimum yield strength of the pipe

steel by considering a safety factor of 0.8 and a weld joint factor

(= )%/2* ++


Software Pipeline Engineering

•  Caesar-11

•  Autopipe

•  Pipecalc

•  Fluidflow

•  Hysys

•  IPMCS

•  SORPS


Inputs For Slurry Pipeline Calculation

•  Solid throughput, tonne/hour

•  Concentration of solids

•  Solid Specific Gravity

•  Liquid Specific Gravity

•  Average Particle size, -↓50 

•  Slurry Viscosity

•  Pipe Wall Roughness

•  Pipeline Potential Routes

•  Pipeline Routes Elevation

― Route Selection ― Pipe Material ― Pipe ID ― Pipe Wall Thickness ― Pressure Drop ― Pump Size ― Number of pump Stations


Optimal Pipe Size

•  Pipeline diameter

•  Pipeline throughput-Batching-% overdesign?

•  Critical velocity-settling

•  Economy of scale.

•  Single or dual use


Basic & Detailed Engineering

Basic •  Process design & sizing •  Optimisation studies •  Route surveys & investigation

Detailed Engineering •  Engineering design basis •  Route analysis •  Specifications & standards •  Engineering for procurement •  Installation & construction procedures

Optimisation •  System specific •  Number pump stations


Material Selection & Corrosion Control

Assessment •  above ground •  below ground •  climatic environment Corrosion Protection •  painted •  cathodic •  plastic coating Materials Selection •  steel •  steel lined •  poly class?


Design & Analysis

•  Wall thickness calculations

•  Anti buoyancy if applicable

•  Pipe stress analysis (Class 1 -6)

•  Buried line analysis

•  Crossing design


Types of Valves

Full bore ball valves Through conduit gate valves Plug & check valves Valve standards


Pipeline Crossings & Supports


Engineering Deliverables


Wear In Slurry Pipelines

1.  Erosion, involving mechanical action by: −  Solid particles—abrasive wear

−  Cavitation

2.  Corrosion, involving chemical or electro-chemical action

−  Dissolved oxygen in the slurry

>  Oxygen removal, e.g. by de-aeration

>  Adding oxidising inhibitors

−  The pH value

>  Adding lime to increase the pH

•  Cathodic protection and the use of coatings or linings would be

advised for corrosion protection.

•  Linings are also abrasion-resistant.


Factors Affecting Abrasive Wear

•  Abrasive slurry ―  Particle hardness ―  Size ―  Shape (i.e. Angularity or sharpness) ―  Relative density ―  Solids concentration in mixture ―  Viscosity

•  Construction materials ―  Composition, structure, hardness of the pipe

•  Flow ―  Velocity ―  Direction (i.e. Impact angle) ―  Pipe flow regime

•  Pipe bends will wear much more rapidly than straight pipe


Route Selection

Considerations •  Pipeline length •  Obstructions and sensitive areas •  Installation limitations •  Crossings Survey Data •  Topographical •  Geotechnical •  Population •  Soil resistance •  Cadastral


Route Selection

•  The optimum pipeline route is the one

that will:

―  Minimize capital cost avoid geotechnically

difficult areas >  Directness of route from source to market

―  Minimize regulatory complications

―  Minimize OPEX and maintenance costs

―  Minimize local community impact

―  Avoid environmentally sensitive areas

―  Maintain maximum slope limitation

―  Allow good pipeline operability, simplify

operation


Design Constraints

•  Settling Velocity

•  Wear in the Pipe

•  Maximum Slope of the Pipe ―  Up to 10–16% based on the slurry type

―  Prevent sliding

•  Available pumps

―  Positive Displacement

―  Centrifugal

•  Available pipe

―  Pipe pressure rating


Slurry Density Wt % Solids

Concentrate Wt % Solids SG

Magnetite 60-70 4.5-5.0

Copper 50-65 4.2-4.8

Zinc 50-60 4.0-4.3

Bauxite 45-60 2.5-2.7

Gold tailings 40-60 2.6-2.8

Coal 45-55 1.4-1.5

Phosphate 45-65 2.8-2.9


Particle Size Distribution

Concentrate %-210um %-44um

Magnetite 100 60-80

Copper 97-100 55-85

Zinc 100 60-80

Phosphate 65-85 35-50

Bauxite 95 40

Coal 50-60 20-30

Gold tailings 100 60-80


Number Of Pump Stations

•  In a long distance pipeline the pumping pressure may not be

obtained by one pump station

•  Cost of the pipeline system is equal to cost of the pump stations

and the pipe steel tonnage

No. of Pump stations maximum pressure Wall Thickness Pump size


Pumps

•  Centrifugal pumps : large flow rate but limited head

•  Positive Displacement pumps: high pressure but limited flow capacity (300 M3/h)

•  PD pumps have higher efficiency compared to centrifugal pumps


Choke stations

•  Sometimes we need energy dissipation station in the pipeline

•  Special air relief valves may need to be installed at high points


Start-Up And Shut-Down

•  The major danger during starting and stopping is the formation of plugs

of solids which will block the system. ―  Coarse particles hardly resuspend when settled and formed a bed

―  Settle bed can slide down and plugged the base of the incline

―  Too rapid a start may cause some parts of the bed to pile up against a stationary

portion


Start-Up And Shut-Down

•  Non-settling slurries: fine particle, high concentration of solids ―  Downward migration of solids through the carrier flow does not take place or only

occurs over a long period of time

•  Starting pressure greater than normal running pressure

―  To overcome Yield Stress

•  The velocity should be increased or decreased gradually

―  To avoid cavitation

―  To avoid blockage

•  Settling slurries ―  Normal procedure would be to flush the line of solids before stopping the pumps

―  This may takes a few hours


Pipeline Cleaning

•  Why does the pipeline need to be cleaned: ―  Increase pipeline carrying capacity

―  Improve product quality

―  Power savings by reducing pump pressure

―  Confirmation of pipe and flow integrity

•  One of the methods is pigging the pipeline

Disks and Brushes Clean Pipe Wall Debris Removed Due to Turbulence


Slurry Storage

•  Tanks with agitators are used for slurry storage

•  Both at plant site and the port

•  The slurry needs to be stirred continuously in order to avoid

sedimentation


Monitoring Pipelines

•  A SCADA system can be used to control and operate the pipeline

•  SCADA can monitor ―  The pipeline pressure

―  Flow rate

―  Density

―  Cannot afford a blockage-critical

―  The operation of the pumps, valves and other devices

―  Display a real-time hydraulic gradient, and advises the operator of potentially critical

situations, such as •  Slack flow •  Overpressure


Other considerations

•  Avoiding blockages-RISK PROFILE

•  Dewatering plant at the end of the pipeline

•  Water recovery pipeline-dual use

•  Capacity and over capacity?

•  Estimation of the excavation (if applicable)

•  Estimation of electrical infrastructure costs

•  Protection of the pipeline from freezing

•  Allowance for thermal expansion in hot climate

•  Land use permissions for the pipelines and the pump stations


Photos of a Multistage Pump Station


Iron Concentrate Examples

Location Name km Dia inches Mtpy Year

Brazil Samarco 395 14/16 8 2010

China Da Hong Shan 170 9 2.3 2007

India ESSAR Steel 268 14/16 8 2005

China Jian Shan 105 9 2 1997

Brazil Samarco 6 9 1.4 1993

Mexico La Perla Hercules 295 8/14 4.5 1982

Brazil Samarco 395 20 12 1977

India Kudremukh 71 18 7.5 1980

Argentina Sierra Grande 32 8 2.1 1976

New Zealand Waipipi 6 8 1 1971

New Zealand Waipipi 3 12 1 1971

Tasmania Savage River 85 9 2.3 1967


Copper Concentrate Examples

Location Name kms Dia inches Mtpy Year

Chile Collahuasi 203 8 1.5 1997

New Mexico Chino 11 5 0.9 2002

Indonesia Batu Hijau 18 6 1.1 1999

Chile Collahuasi 203 7 1 1998

Argentina Alumbera 312 6 0.9 1997

Chile Escondida 167 6/9 2 1990

Utah, USA Kennecott 26 6 1.2 1987

Arizona, USA Pinto Valley 18 4 0.4 1974

PNG Bougainville 27 6 1 1972

Indonesia Freeport 119 4/5/5 1.3 1972


Other Examples

Type Location Name kms Dia Mtpy Year

Bauxite Brazil MBP 244 24 8-13 2008

Laterite Madagascar Ambatovy 225 24 7 2010

Copper/Zinc Peru Antamina 302 8-10 1.5 2001

Cu ore Los Bronces 57 57 24 20 2005

Cu ore Los Bronces 57 57 24 12 1992

Coal USA Black Mesa 440 18 4.8 1970


Conclusions

•  Slurry pipeline has significant advantages for bulk transport

•  Constraints of capacity size, density, critical velocity, sg

•  Calculations, pump stations

•  Route selection

•  Choke stations

•  Operating RISK profile

•  Examples of slurry pipelines

•  Alternate options are rail, slurry pipelines, road transport


Acknowledgement

•  Thanks to Informa 2014 for the opportunity

•  Thanks to companies for permission to publish

•  Thanks also to all colleagues, laboratory staff and other consultants for their help and contribution

•  Thanks to vendors for the photos


THANK YOU www.metsengineering.com

Presentations & Public Speaking

Damian Connelly - Midas Engineering - Pipeline design system optimisation