Multi-physics, multi-scale modelling of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in marine shipping and heavy-duty trucking: transport, storage, spill, and atmospheric dispersion

加拿大卡车运输和海运业产生的温室气体可以通过使用液化天然气（LNG）等替代燃料来减少。液化天然气是一种低温燃料，因此必须小心储存、运输和分配，以尽量减少甲烷蒸气向环境的释放。如果LNG系统发生故障并且燃料溢出，则可能导致环境和安全后果。船舶结构部件可能由于泄漏的LNG的极低温度引起的热应力而失效。此外，所产生的甲烷蒸气对气候的影响很大，而且是易燃的。为了帮助开发LNG作为海上运输和重型卡车运输的安全清洁替代燃料，需要更深入地了解LNG在真实的工业系统中的行为。 拟议的研究项目将开发一套基于计算机的建模工具，与韦斯特波特燃料系统，富通BC，BC渡轮，和温哥华港合作。这些工具将用于评估液化天然气在卡车和船舶中储存和运输期间的行为，以确保液化天然气泄漏后船舶结构部件的完整性和安全性，并预测液化天然气排放或泄漏后甲烷气体的大气扩散。最终，这项研究将有助于加拿大的卡车运输和海运业安全地过渡到低碳燃料，以显著减少碳排放和节省成本。

The greenhouse gases produced by Canada's trucking and marine shipping industries can be reduced by using alternative fuels such as liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG is a cryogenic fuel, so it must be carefully stored, transported, and dispensed to minimize the release of methane vapour to the environment. If LNG systems fail and fuel is spilled, environmental and safety consequences may result. Ship structural components may fail due to thermal stresses caused by the spilled LNG's extremely low temperature. Moreover, the resulting methane vapour has high climate impact and is flammable. To help develop LNG as a safe and clean alternative fuel for marine shipping and heavy-duty trucking, a deeper understanding of how LNG behaves in real industrial systems is required. The proposed research project will develop a suite of computer-based modelling tools in collaboration with Westport Fuel Systems, Fortis BC, BC Ferries, and the Port of Vancouver. The tools will be used to evaluate the behaviour of LNG during storage and transport in trucks and ships, to ensure the integrity and safety of ship structural components following LNG spills, and to predict the atmospheric dispersal of methane gas following venting or spill of LNG. Ultimately, the research will assist in safely transitioning Canada's trucking and marine shipping industries to lower-carbon fuels for significant carbon reductions and cost savings.