Formation of Temperature Distribution in a Regenerative Heat Exchanger During the Initial Cooling Period of a Cryogenic Reduction Unit of Main Natural Gas

This article examines the startup period of a natural gas pipeline cryogenic reduction unit (CRU) within a gas distribution station (GDS). The objective of the study is to determine the temperature distribution within a regenerative heat exchanger (RHE) during the CRU's initial cooling stage. This objective was achieved through an analysis of primary cooling methods for the regenerator packing and through numerical experiments to determine the optimal filtration rate and switching time. The study involved a CRU operating on a simple throttling cycle and using RHE. The numerical experiments yielded the optimal filtration rate and blast duration for the natural gas pipeline. Software was developed using a mathematical model of the CRU and implemented in the Python programming language. The most important result is the shape of the temperature distribution curve across the packing bed height during the initial startup of the CRU. Based on the research conducted, it has been shown that increasing the steady-state operating time of the CRU is accompanied by an expansion of the zone of active heat transfer to the upper portion of the packed heat exchanger. The significance of these results lies in the development of a methodology for studying the formation and height distribution of temperatures within the CRU's regenerative heat exchanger. This allows for an analysis of its operating efficiency during the initial cooling period and paves the way for further research under conditions of daily uneven gas consumption in the city network.