Top 3 Software for Flow and Stress Analysis of Pipelines
Want to do your first pipeline analysis?
Common questions asked by design and simulation engineers for pipeline analysis are usually similar to the following. If you have no experience in stress analysis and flow analysis of pipelines and want to do your first research project, I suggest you read this blog. In this blog, you will get to know 3 popular software in the field of pipeline analysis and their features. In this way, you will know which one of them is efficient for you to complete the project. The main questions that arise and I try to find answers to them in this blog!
- Which software is better for stress analysis of FRP composite and metal pipelines?
- What CFD and FEA software be used?
- Is specialized pipeline software accurate enough for engineering design and FEA analysis?
- Is it possible to analyze the stress of several thousand kilometers of pipelines with ABAQUS and ANSYS?
- Does the simulation process require coding?
These are common questions that come to the mind of the design and FEA simulation engineer during the design and analysis of pipelines.
In this article, we will get acquainted with 3 of the most important and specialized software for designing and calculating pipelines. These software are widely used in the oil and gas industry for flow analysis inside pipelines and stress analysis and are used for analysis of several kilometers of pipelines.
1. OLGA | Multiphase flow simulator
OLGA software was developed by Statoil for multiphase flow modeling. This software is used to simulate offshore, underground, oil, and gas pipelines in two-phase mode. Behavior is simulated as time-dependent or transient. Steady State calculations and modeling are also performed to investigate the challenges and problems of the flow.
Application of OLGA software
- Calculations of heat transfer during fluid transfer, flow loss due to equipment (pumps, compressors, converters, etc.)
- Calculate the amount of corrosion in pipelines
- Slug modeling for two-phase current
- Dynamic simulation of fluid flow in pipelines
- Calculate flow parameters such as pressure drop, flow rate of different phases at any point of the pipeline
- Environmental hazard assessment in complex deep water drilling environments
Features of OLGA software
- Development of oil and gas transfer technology from wells to consumers with the highest reliability and maximum efficiency
- Assist oil and gas companies with the highest efficiency at the lowest cost
- Managing slugs and preventing them from occurring
- Suggest the best mode of oil and gas transmission that shows which phase of the flow is needed to have the highest efficiency, for example, what phase of the flow from the well is done to give the highest efficiency
- Prevent corrosion of pipelines
- Predict the effects of temperature changes during shutdown and startup processes
2. PIPESIM
PIPESIM software for modeling multiphase flows is used in the oil and gas industry to understand the behavior of liquids in their systems. Safe design of wells and pipelines so that the produced fluids reach the process facilities safely and cost-effectively. The basis of correct modeling of production systems is based on three main scientific areas:
- Multiphase flow modeling
- Modeling fluid properties
- Heat selection modeling
Features of PIPESIM
- Safe fluid transfers
- Determine the pressure at the beginning of the line for a given flow
- Determine the temperature of the outlet fluid
- Simulation of oil and gas production well column
- Tubing inside the well
- Determination of corrosion rate in oil and gas pipelines and well columns
- Pipeline network modeling
- GAS LIFT simulation in well column
- Determine the operating point of the well and determine the well floor pressure
- Determining Inflow Performance Relationship
Pipe flow modeling with PIPESIM
3. Caesar II | Pipeline stress analysis
CAESAR II software, a product of the American company Intergraph, is developed for stress analysis in piping systems. Using CAESAR II, accurate and fast analyses of piping systems can be performed by considering weight, pressure, heat, earthquake effect, and other dynamic and static loads. This software has full modeling features and users will be able to do their modeling with different materials and different sizes and conditions. CAESAR II allows analysis in various situations and according to international standards. CAESAR II software has the capability of static and dynamic analysis of the piping system.
This software has four different types of analysis:
- Natural frequency calculations of the piping system
- Harmonic analysis
- Response spectrum analysis
- Time-dependent analysis
Features of Caesar II
- Improvement of marine and coastal pipelines
- It has advanced modeling facilities and offers different settings in different temperature and pressure conditions
- Performing various static and dynamic analyses of different piping systems
- Investigation and analysis of the effects of thermal loads, wind, earthquake, and… on piping systems
- Has an extensive database of materials and tools (usable for analyzing FRP composite pipes)
- Coordinate with CADWOR X software and link engineering design with engineering analysis
- Troubleshooting and accurate reporting of analysis operations
- Display analysis results graphically and animated
- Support for creep conditions in piping according to EN-13480
Pipeline stress analysis with CAESAR
In the end, do not forget that flow and stress analysis of pipelines with a length of several thousand kilometers using software such as ANSYS FLUENT and ABAQUS is not justified and the software mentioned above should be used.
