• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.16 no.1 s.60
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• pp.38-49
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• 2006

LNG storage in lined rock cavern demands various techniques concerned with rock mechanics, thermo-mechanics and hydrogeology in design, construction and maintenance stage. LNG pilot cavern was constructed in Daejeon in order to verify these techniques. In this paper, evaluation of drainage system and ice ring formation was studied by numerical simulation. By Modflow analysis in the viewpoint of aquifer and Seep/W analysis in the viewpoint of flow system, it was verified that the drainage system in the pilot cavern was efficiently operated. Since ice ring formation can be simulated by interactive relation between heat transfer and water flow, coupled analysis of those was performed. In this analysis, the position of ice ring was presumed and it was demonstrated that the formation is affected by velocity and direction of groundwater flow.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.45-49
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• 2022

In the present study, a physical model was built for the Jintan underground gas storage cavern group according to the similarity theory. In this regard, four ellipsoid caverns were built with scaled in-situ stresses and internal pressure. Then the stability of underground caverns was analyzed. The obtained results demonstrate that loss of internal pressure adversely affects the safety of caverns and attention should be paid during the operation of gas storage.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.188-195
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• 2012

Using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code, FLUENT, the present study investigated the thermal stratification behavior of Lyckebo storage in Sweden, which is the very first large-scale rock cavern for underground thermal energy storage. Heat transfer analysis was carried out for numerical cases with different temperatures of the surrounding rock mass in order to examine the effect of rock mass heating due to periodic storage and production of thermal energy on thermal stratification and heat loss. The change of thermal stratification with respect to time was quantitatively examined based on an index of the degree of stratification. The results of numerical simulation showed that in the early operational stage where the surrounding rock mass was less heated, the stratification of stored thermal energy was rapidly degraded over time, but the degradation and heat loss tended to reduce as the surrounding rock mass was heated during a long period of operation.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.155-167
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• 2015

The thermal-hydrological-mechanical (T-H-M) behavior of rock mass surrounding a high-temperature cavern thermal energy storage (CTES) operated for a period of 30 years has been investigated by TOUGH2-FLAC3D simulator. As a fundamental study for the development of prediction and control technologies for the environmental change and rock mass behavior associated with CTES, the key concerns were focused on the hydrological-thermal multiphase flow and the consequential mechanical behavior of the surrounding rock mass, where the insulator performance was not taken into account. In the present study, we considered a large-scale cylindrical cavern at shallow depth storing thermal energy of $350^{\circ}C$. The numerical results showed that the dominant heat transfer mechanism was the conduction in rock mass, and the mechanical behavior of rock mass was influenced by thermal factor (heat) more than hydrological factor (pressure). The effective stress redistribution, displacement and surface uplift caused by heating of rock and boiling of ground-water were discussed, and the potential of shear failure was quantitatively examined. Thermal expansion of rock mass led to the ground-surface uplift on the order of a few centimeters and the development of tensile stress above the storage cavern, increasing the potential of shear failure.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.16 no.4 s.63
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• pp.296-306
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• 2006

It is difficult to solve problems regarding the adjustment on demand and supply of LNG due to seasonal variations of domestic demand of LNG, a discordance among import pattern and limits of storage facilities and so on. Also, there may be instability in LNG supply due to chances of accidents at LNG producing areas. Therefore, it is very important to secure large LNG storage facilities and to stabilize LNG supply management on a long term basis. The objective of this study is to examine the real-scale applicability of a lined underground rock storage system, which have been verified by a successful operation of the Daejeon LNG pilot plant. The new technology has many advantages of better economy, safety and environment protection, for above-ground and in-ground storage systems. The results of this study may promote the first ever real scale underground LNG storage system in a rock cavern.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.287-294
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• 2004

To predict the temperature distribution around a underground rock storage cavern, two- and three- dimensional numerical analysis using FLAC was conducted. The effects of groundwater and latent heat on thermal properties were considered in numerical calculation. The temperature estimated by FLAC are compared with the temperature measured for 5-year operation at Gonjiam storage cavern. Estimated and measured temperatures showed great discrepancy when thermal properties from laboratory tests were used and showed good agreement when the effects from 20% of volumetric water fraction and latent heat were considered. However, the discrepancy still increased with operation time due to the heat flow from ground surface. Three-dimensional numerical models were established to closely approximate the boundary condition of the test site, and numerical results better agreement when groundwater and latent heat effects were considered.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.16 no.3 s.62
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• pp.241-250
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• 2006

Ice ring formation, one of the core techniques in LNG storage in a lined rock cavern, is investigated through hydro-thermal coupled analysis. An ice ring acts as a secondary barrier in case of leakage of cryogenic liquid and as a primary barrier for groundwater intrusion into an LNG cavern. Therefore, the thickness and location of the ice ring are crucial factors for the safe operation of an LNG storage cavern, especially for maintaining the integrity of a primary barrier composed of concrete, PU foam, and steel membrane. Through numerical analyses, the position and thickness of the ice ring are estimated, and the temperature and groundwater level are compared with measured values. The temperature md groundwater level by numerical analyses show good agreement with the field measurements when temperature-dependent properties and phase change are taken into account. The schemes used in this paper can be applied for estimation of ice ring formation in designing a full-scale LNG cavern.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.304-324
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• 2018

Singapore government is strongly promoting the development and utilization of underground space in national level due to the nature of the city state which lacks the land. As well as conventional underground utilization in shallow depth such as metro and underground roads, large rock cavern utilization has been started after the successful completion of the underground ammunition depot in the rock, and Jurong Rock Cavern, the second large underground cavern project has just been completed. In this paper, after evaluating the conditions of the underground development in rock mass through the analysis of the geology of Singapore, the history and current status of underground development are examined. Several creative development plans from Singapore government such as underground reservoirs, underground automation logistics systems and underground warehouses storage etc. are introduced with technical issues. This paper also discusses the problems and issues related to the development of large underground space in rock mass in Singapore. It is expected that such active development of underground space in Singapore can give many opportunities and also challenges for rock engineering and industry in the future.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 1999

The characteristics of heat conduction for the heat source boundary like an arch shape cavern are different from those for the semi-infinite or circular boundary which can be driven theoretically. A new form of transient heat conduction equation in rock mass around the arch shape cavern is evaluated with analyzing the pattern of the rock temperature distribution measured at the cold storage pilot plant. The new equation, which is driven by adopting a shape function, $SF=\sqrt{logx_0/log(x_0+x)}$ to the solution for a semi-infinite boundary, has the semi-radial form of temperature variation with distance. And, thermal properties of rock mass are estimated by comparing the rock temperature distributions by this equation with those by measurement. Thermal conductivity and specific heat of rock mass are estimated as giving the difference of 20~25% compared to those of laboratory scale. This difference seems to be caused by discontinuity like joint and water content in rock mass.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.24-32
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• 1993

Groundwater movement is one of the most important elements in the construction and management of underground oil storage cavern. To control the groundwater flow, grouting is run in parallel with water curtains. But as traditional grouting is conducted within cavern before and after excavation, the effect of grouting is delayed and the injection sphere is limited in the rock mass. Therefore, it is desirable to introduce a more extensive and effective grouting. This article is to present the caly grouting, which was the first to be carried out in the construction of underground caverns for oil storage in Japan. After conducting the clay grouting, the effect was confirmed by ground water level and infiltration quantity to the caverns.