Deliquescence of damaged rock salt under high humidity and its effect on inter-seasonal salt cavern gas storage

Zhen Zeng, Hongling Ma, Xiaopeng Liang, Hang Li, Zhuyan Zheng and Rui Liang

Energy, 2024, vol. 313, issue C

Abstract: Salt cavern underground gas storages (UGSs) are ideal for mitigating demand fluctuations in gas resources such as hydrogen, helium, and natural gas. Rock salts surrounding the cavern are chronically exposed to high humidity during the inter-seasonal operation, and the effect of its deliquescence is worth investigating. In this study, deliquescence rates of damaged rock salt at the humidity of UGSs was measured. Undamaged rock salts deliquesce slowest. The rate increases by 532 % as the strain reaches 2.40 %. This ratio decreases to 372 % when rocks enter plastic deformation stages. Cracks and crystal defects in damaged rocks are inferred to accelerate deliquescence by increasing the local relative humidity through the Kelvin effect and lowering reaction energy barriers, respectively. As the crack widens with deformation, imbibed brine inhibits the deliquescence by healing defects and reducing water-salt contact. A subroutine coupling deformation and deliquescence of rock surrounding the cavern was developed. Its application in Jintan, China shows that deliquescence increases the cavern span, intensifying local creep and crack evolution. The volume shrinkage of the cavern increased by 2.80 %, and the safety factor was reduced, but empirical safety criteria were still satisfied. This study helps to assess UGS salt caverns' storage performance more accurately.

Keywords: Rock salt; Wet environment; Deliquescence; Salt cavern; Gas storage (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:313:y:2024:i:c:s0360544224036582

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2024.133880

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