Citation

Chen S, Sun J, Wan W. J. Hazard. Mater. 2008; 156(1-3): 530-537.

Affiliation

China Academy of Safety Science and Technology, 100029 Beijing, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, 230026 Hefei, Anhui, PR China.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jhazmat.2007.12.074

PMID

18261848

Abstract

In a boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE), the superheating and boiling of the liquefied gas inside the vessel as it fails is important information necessary to understand the mechanism of this type of disaster. In this paper, a small-scale experiment was developed to investigate the possible processes that could lead to a BLEVE. Water was used as the test fluid. High-speed video was utilized to observe the two-phase flow swelling which occurred immediately following the partial loss of containment through a simulated crack. The velocity of the two-phase swelling was measured along with pressure and temperature. It was observed that initially a mist-like two-phase layer was rapidly formed on the liquid surface ( approximately 3-4ms) after the vessel opened. The superheated liquid rapidly boiled and this accelerated upwards the two-phase layer, the whole liquid boiled after about 17ms form opening. It was supposed that the swelling of the two-phase layer was the possible reason for the first over-pressure measured at the top and bottom of the vessel. From 38ms to 168ms, the boiling of the superheated liquid weakened. And from 170ms, the original drop/mist-like two-phase flow turned into a churn-turbulent bubbly two-phase flow, rose quickly in the field of the camera and eventually impacted the vessel top wall. The force of its impact and"cavitation"and"choke"following with the two-phase ejection were maybe main reasons for the second obvious pressure increasing.

Language: en