Christian Michelsen Research unit GexCon has received approval from the US Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for the use of its FLACS simulator for LNG vapor dispersion modeling scenarios according to federal regulations (49 CFR 193.2059). The approval culminates a multi-year effort which included the validation of FLACS against a total of 33 dense gas dispersion experiments, as specified in the model evaluation protocol. To date, FLACS is the only approved model for the simulation of all LNG vapor dispersion scenarios required for the siting of an onshore LNG facility in the United States.
GexCon continues to develop FLACS via a joint industry project (ExxonMobil, IRSN, Statoil and Total are partners) developing an incompressible solver, a parallel version of the software and improvements to dispersion and explosion modeling. GexCon is also involved in an EU Framework program working on CO2 releases from pipelines to study dense gas dispersion in terrain.
A next generation postprocessor, FlowVis, is under development at GexCon’s parent company, Christian Michelsen Research. Other ongoing R&D concerns methods and models to investigate offshore and onshore dispersion, explosions and fires. CMR is also looking to establish a Norwegian center of excellence for safety and security (NORCESS).
Presentations from last year’s FLACS user group and more from GexCon.
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