A pipeline has been proposed to carry natural gas 1715 miles fro Alaska's North Slope to Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The (smooth) pipe diameter will be 52 inches. The gas will be at high pressure, averaging 2500 lbs/in².
(a) Why such high pressure?
The proposed flow rate is billion cubic feet per day at sea-level conditions.
(b) What volume flow rate, at 20 C, would carry the same mass at the high preessure?
(c) If natural gas is assumed to be methane, what is the total pressure drop?
(d) If each pumping station can deliver 12,000 hp to the flow, how many stations are needed?