Study on temperature field distribution and leakage point localization of buried carbon dioxide pipeline leakage

Leakage from buried CO₂ pipelines is a critical issue in the context of carbon capture and storage (CCS). Therefore, we developed a small-scale experimental system for buried CO₂ pipeline leakage. to investigate the effects of leak pressure, leak aperture size, and soil type on the temperature distribution near the leak point. The results of the study showed that the lowest soil temperature appeared directly above the leak. The minimum temperature at the soil axial measurement point increased with increasing leak pressure, but the peak maximum temperature difference decreased. 3 mm and 5 mm leak pore sizes, the peak maximum temperature difference occurred at 10 cm and 20 cm, respectively. At all pressures, the maximum temperature difference peaked at 20 cm. Soil surface temperature variations were mainly influenced by leak pressure. The maximum peak temperature difference at the soil surface measurement points also increased with increasing leak pressure. Smaller leakage apertures slowed down the decrease of soil surface temperature. In addition, based on the experimental results, we propose a new method to locate leaks based on the soil temperature gradient.