• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.446-454
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• 2010

CAES-G/T (Compressed Air Energy Storage - Gas Turbine) power generation is a likely option for the buffer facility stabilizing the fluctuation of the renewable powers, such as wind and solar powers. Considering the geological conditions, the underground CAES facility is most probable if the CAES-G/T generation is planed in Korea. In this kind of facility, a concrete plug is installed to seal the compressed air in the container, so that the selection of the shape and dimension of concrete plug could be a critical design factor. The stability evaluation of two types of plug was carried out by investigating the distribution of the factor of safety in the plugs and the distribution of contact pressure over the contact surface. The analysis result shows that the taper-shaped plug is more structurally stable than the wedge-shaped plug for the given geological condition. Possible separation of the rock-concrete interface around the spring line of the wedge-shaped plug is anticipated, which means the possible leakage of compressed air through the side wall and also means the poor mobilization of frictional resistance on that area.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.568-576
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• 2015

In this study, scenarios based on the leakage of highly compressed air and fire occurrence turned out to be high risks in an operation stage of CAES facility were constructed and estimated. By combining Bernoulli equation with momentum equation, an expression to calculate an impact force of a jet flow of compressed air was derived. An impact force was found to be proportional to the square of diameter of fracture and the pressure of compressed air. Four types of fire scenarios were composed to evaluate an effects that seasonal change and location of fire source have on the spread behavior of smoke. Smoke from the fire ignited in the vicinity of CAES opening descended more quickly below the limit line of breathing than one from the fire occurred 10 m away from CAES opening, which is expected to occur due to a propagation of wave front of smoke. It was shown that a rate of smoke spread of the winter fire is faster than one of the summer fire and smoke from the winter fire spreads farther than one of the summer fire, which are dependent on the direction of air flow into access opening. Evacuation simulation indicated that the required safe evacuation time(RSET) of the summer and winter fires are 262, 670 s each.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.107-114
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• 2015

This study focuses on assessing risks which might occur in operation stage of CAES storage cavern and analyzing fire scenarios for the risk that have been assessed with highest risk level. Risks in operation stage were categorized into upper risk group and lower risk group. Components of upper risk group are technical risk, facility risk and natural disaster risk. Lower risk group is composed of 11 sub-risks. 20 experts were chosen to survey questionnaires. ANP model was applied to analyze the relative importance of 11 sub-risks. Results of risk analysis were compared with risk criterion to set risk priorities, and the highest risk was determined to be 'occurrence of the fire within the management opening'. Three fire scenarios were developed for the highest risk level and FDS (Fire dynamics Simulator) was used to analyze these scenarios. No. 3 scenario which air blows from tunnel into outside atmosphere represented that a rate of smoke spread was the fastest among three fire scenarios and a smoke descended most quickly below the limit line of breathing. Thus, No. 3 scenario turned out to be the most unfavorable condition when operating staffs were evacuated from access tunnel.