【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Processing Equipment】2652–2025: Key Advances in the Application of Methanol New Energy Pipeline Transportation Technology in Complex Terrains in China

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Let’s give praise and support to the achievements made in China’s chemical engineering technology and equipment; your participation in discussions is the greatest encouragement. **********************【Ten Years of Progress in Chemical Engineering Equipment】A continuously updated summary post is available – feel free to join the discussions: https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3576046-1-1.html ***************** From August 27th to 31st, **West Pipeline Co., Ltd. of Pipeline Group**, in collaboration with China University of Petroleum (Beijing), conducted a five-day experiment at the 705 New Energy Testing Base to test the sequential transportation of methanol and gasoline through curved pipeline sections. This marks an important step forward in the application of methanol transportation technologies in complex terrains in China. A total of 8 sets of tests under different operating conditions were conducted in this experiment, with 142 samples collected. This not only provides a solid data foundation for accurately predicting the amount of mixed oil and optimizing the schemes for separating it, but also offers guidance for formulating process specifications for methanol pipeline transportation. As a key component of the **Pipeline Group’s key research project on ‘Key Technologies for Sequential Transport of Methanol via Petroleum Product Pipelines’, the project team successfully overcame the technical challenge of sequential transport of gasoline and methanol in horizontal pipelines at different flow rates back in May this year, laying a solid foundation for breaking through similar challenges in more complex scenarios such as those with undulating terrain. Compared to horizontal pipelines, undulating terrain directly affects the development pattern of the oil-methanol interface during transportation, and this represents the key bottleneck that must be overcome for the large-scale pipeline transport of methanol. The project team closely integrated the experimental data from the laboratory’s small-loop device with theoretical calculation results, focusing particularly on the variable of \"pipe undulations.\" On one hand, they conducted in-depth studies on the influence mechanisms of pipes with single undulation slopes of 25 degrees, 40 degrees, and 60 degrees, as well as pipes with continuous undulation slopes of 25 degrees and 40 degrees ； On the other hand, it covers complex operating conditions with different flow rates such as 0.8 meters per second and 1.0 meter per second, as well as different shutdown times of 3 minutes and 60 minutes; by simultaneously comparing the test results for diesel and gasoline transportation, it provides key data for adapting methanol fuel to complex pipeline scenarios. To ensure the authenticity and reliability of the test data, Western Pipeline Company installed insulation layers on the pipes of the test platform, and optimized the blind-end isolation valves, transparent observation windows, as well as the structure of the undulating pipe sections, in order to eliminate external interference at the source ； Industry experts were organized on multiple occasions to review the plans for hot work modifications and the procedures for conducting tests, with careful attention paid to the details of these processes. By optimizing the technological procedures and simplifying on-site operations, the impact of dead sections was reduced; sampling times were calculated precisely to ensure the validity of the data. In this way, a robust \"safety net\" and high level of accuracy were established for the testing process. During the testing process, the project team innovatively employed a combination of techniques including a high-speed camera system, online flow density monitoring, and precise tracking and sampling at the areas where mixed fluids were present. This approach enabled the collection of key data simulating real-world engineering conditions, such as the pattern of spread of mixed fluids after the shutdown of sections of the pipeline, as well as the pressure fluctuations when the pipeline was restarted. Such data provided a basis for further technical development. It is reported that the results of this experiment will further contribute to the improvement of the comprehensive technical framework for the sequential transportation of methanol, gasoline, and diesel. In the future, it will not only provide key technical support for the large-scale, long-distance pipeline transportation of methanol as a new energy source in China, but also help **Pipeline Network Group make more efficient use of its pipeline assets, thereby injecting new momentum into the implementation of the strategy for transitioning to green energy.