Effects of head pressure on diesel oil

[tenno]

I'am looking at the possibility of piping diesel oil into a mine via a vertical mine shaft 325m deep, then dropping a futher 225m through mine workings to a storage area.

What would the effects of this head pressure be on the diesel oil if it was gravity fed?

The system will be set up with a constant head available from a storage tank on the surface, and controlled by an automated valve feeding a storage tank at the lowest point.

Regards

IT

 

[TD2K]

If the oil is just going to drain from a surface tank down this line to a depth of 550m below grade, the pressure upstream of the valve regulating it into the second tank will be between 650 to 700 psi.

 

[tenno]

Is it possible to have this amount of head pressure on a fuel oil safely?

Regards

IT

 

[Trond]

IT,

there is no physical problem with pressurizing diesel to 700 psi. You may want to consider the consequences of a line breakage at your low point, though. What flowrates are you talking about here? If you are planning on using a large diameter pipe, even a 2" pipe, you would find yourself with a lot of diesel being spilled if you have a leakage. If the consuption rate is low, and the transfer rate needed is low, you may be better of using stainless steel tubing (say 1/4 or 1/2&quot, but you then need to assure the diesel pumped into the system is filtered to avoid blockage. You also need to take into consideration how exposed the line will be to external damage (dropped objects, etc).

Just out of curiosity - why do you want/need to pipe diesel into the mine? I know next to nothing about mining, just being nosy I guess

 

[25362]

What about the air compressed (heated) on the first discharge? How would it be vented ? Would you fill the pipe somehow outside, at ground level, before installing it ? Sorry, for any silly question of mine.

 

[tenno]

Thanks for all your comments they have been helpful.
The diesel oil will supply the infrastructure of diesel vehicles (vans, tractors, generators, forklifts, telehandlers, earthmovers etc.)that support mining activities. The fuel is put down the mine shaft in storage containers and then moved by forklift to storage areas, this is a time consuming and costly operation - hence the pipeline.
We were thinking of 2" initially but could downsize, if the flowrate is high. Water and compressed air are piped into the mine, and leakages do occur, but with diesel I agree that it could be potentially dangerous.
While I have no experience of commissioning shaft columns, with the correct procedure it can be done safely.

Regards

IT

 

[danthemeterman]

tenno!!!!! consider regulating in satges, if you should have a catastrophic failure of you vertical pipeline youll create an orfice(spray) efect to the deisle fuel so ignition is inevitible. You should also condider excess flow restraints to the system.