Norway’s Equinor and DNV shake hands in order to develop software for safety assessments of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.
Under their three-year partnership, KFX CO2 simulation software is being developed to increase safety in carbon capture and storage.
There is a need for reliable consequence models for safety assessments, design of barriers and documentation of CCS safe design. To ensure the highest safety standards, it is critical to have tools that simulate what actually happens if accidents occur. This is used as basis for design and to mitigate consequences in the event of accidental release.
…DNV explains.
As informed, KFX CO2 software simulates accidental releases of CO2 from storage facilities or leaks from pipelines, trucks or ships. CO2 is usually transported and stored in liquid or supercritical state. It is much heavier than air and a release of concentrated CO2 will therefore typically follow the contours of the terrain and accumulate in pits, valleys and lower-lying grounds.
The software will take complex thermodynamics and interaction between geometry and terrain into account, including dry-ice formation and sublimation of CO2.
The development project, funded by Equinor, will bring these detailed simulation capabilities to KFX CO2, supporting a new level of safety for handling captured CO2.
…says DNV’s Project Manager Kjell Erik Rian.
“To make the most cost-efficient design decisions without compromising on safety, it is necessary to have as detailed simulations as possible and DNV is committed to collaborate closely with customers in the areas of hydrogen safety, CO2 , ammonia and liquefied natural gas, enabling the accelerated energy transition journey,” says Trond Evanger, Head of Section CFD Solutions.
