Question
Can Flownex be used to model the blowdown of a pressurized CO₂ system? Are there any example networks available, and what modelling approach is typically used for simulating a CO₂ blowdown process?
Answer
Yes, Flownex can be used to model CO₂ blowdown scenarios. A typical approach is to model a Reservoir connected to a Restrictor with Discharge Coefficient. During the transient simulation, the pressure Boundary Condition connected to the Reservoir can be removed or modified to represent the blowdown event, allowing the stored CO₂ to discharge through the restriction.
While validation cases have previously been performed using air as the working fluid, the same general blowdown modelling methodology can be applied to CO₂ systems. The transient analysis can be used to predict how the pressure, temperature, mass inventory, and discharge flow rate change over time as the reservoir depressurizes.
For application-specific demonstrations or customer-related examples, a custom network can be developed based on the required operating conditions and system configuration.