Lecture 10 Explosion

ECE 4353
Chemical Process Safety

Explosion
(Lecture 10)
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Explain the government-industrys responsibility for

health and safety
Evaluate the nature of hazards posed by materials

which are flammable, toxic and reactive
Identify and quantify common industrial methods to

control hazards.
Last Updated:1 December 2015
LMS SEGi education group
Lecture 10
10.1
Explosions
10.2
Vessel rupture
10.3
Rapid phase transition
10.4
BLEVE
10.5
Vapor cloud explosion
10.1 Explosion
Major classifications of explosion
10.1 Explosion
An
EXPL
OSION is defined as a phenomenon where a blast
(pressure or shock) wave is generated in air by a rapid release

of energy.
The resulting blast wave is largely responsible for the damage

that was caused.
The mechanism of propagation of an explosion into the
unburned material is characterized as a deflagration or a
detonation.
Deflagration
Detonation
Mechanism for
propagation of explosion
reaction
Heat and mass transfer
Shock compression
healing
Rate of transfer of energy
Slow (propagating rates

< speed of sound)
Very rapid (propagating

velocities > speed of
sound)
Overpressure profile
Shock wave forms slowly Shock front develops

and develops a
rapidly close to source
significant distance from of explosion
centre of explosion
Example
Combustion of
flammable vapor in a
pipeline
Most Vapor cloud
explosions
TNT explosion
The amount of explosion overpressure is

determined by the flame speed of the explosion.
Flame speed is a function of : turbulence within the vapor
cloud that is released and the level of fuel mixtures within the
combustible limits.
Maximum flame velocities are obtained in mixtures containing
slightly more fuel than is required for stoichiometric
combustion.
Turbulence is created by confinement and congestion.
(Confinement and congestion are available on most offshore
production platforms)
<video>
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10.2 Vessel rupture
Physical Explosion is caused by a sudden release of

mechanical energy; not a chemical reaction.
A vessel rupture explosion occurs when a process

vessel containing a pressurized material fails
suddenly.
The failure can be due to mechanical failure,
corrosion, heat exposure, cyclical failure etc.
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12
13
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Factors in pressure vessel failures
Operation > maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP)

Improper sizing or pressure setting of PSV
Improper operation of relief devices due to faulty maintenance and
failure to test regularly.
Failure of the vessel due to fatigue from repeated pressurization,
general thinning from corrosion or erosion, stress corrosion
cracking, holes and leaks.
Failure to inspect frequently enough.
Improper repair of a leak or other defect involving welding that
embrittles and further weakens the vessel.
Overpressuring and failure of the vessel due to exothermic reaction
or polymerization.
Vessel exposure to fire
15
Pressure Vessel Laws

ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code provides
rules for pressure vessel design, fabrication,
inspection, weld procedures, welder qualifications,
and pressure testing.
The first Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code

(1914 Edition) was published in 1915 out of
a need to protect the safety of the public.
In the 19th century there were literally
thousands of boiler explosions in the United
States and Europe.
16
Pressure Vessel Laws according to ASME VIII

(covers vessels operating between 15 psi and 3000 psi)
Marking the ASME Code on the vessel with specified information eg.
manufacturer, serial number, the year built, MAWP and any special suitability
such as for low temperature and poisonous gases or liquids.
Vessel approved for installation with the submission of drawings,

specifications, welding details, calculations and having authorized inspection
Operating at pressures < MAWP

Periodic Testing and inspection according to the NBIC Manual for Boiler
and Pressure Vessel Inspectors or American Petroleum Institute (API) 510
Repairing or altering only according to a plan approved by an

authorized inspector and conducted by test-qualified welders. The inspector
must be satisfied that the repairs are performed according to NBIC or API
510 and specify any necessary non-destructive and pressure testing.
Increasing the maximum allowable working pressure or temperature is
considered an alteration whether or not physical work is done.
17
10.3 Rapid phase transition

Rapid phase transition
A rapid phase transition occurs when a material is
exposed to a heat source, causing a rapid phase
change and resulting change in material volume.
As the LNG storage temperature is around -161C
when it comes in contact with anything in
surrounding that is at the ambient temperature,
there is a fast heat transfer due to large
temperature difference leading to rapid
vaporization of LNG.
<video>
18
10.3 Rapid phase transition

A hot oil at a temperature of 250C was
pumped into a distillation column for
processing.
Initially, valves A and B were closed. Due to
a previous maintenance operation, water was
present in the blocked-off pipe section
between valves A and B.
Valve A was accidently opened during the
operation, exposing the water to the high
temperature oil.
The water flashed explosively, resulting in
extensive internal damage to
the column.
19
10.4 BLEVE
BLEVE (boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion)
BLEVE is an explosion caused by the rupture of a
vessel containing a pressurized liquid above its
boiling point.
BLEVE is a physical reaction in which the material
rapidly, and instantaneously, converts from a
liquid to a gas. It is a change of state that yields
pressure.
Not a chemical reaction
The vessel failure causes sudden flashing of the
liquid into vapor, ejection of liquid and vessel
contents possibly a fire ball may result if the
material is combustible.
20
<bleve video>
21
BLEVE is any sudden loss of

containment of a liquid above its
normal boiling point at the moment of
its failure.
22
Fire impinged on tank Liquid converts to vapor in tank
23
Liquid vaporizes causing pressure inside the tank to increase
24
Relief valve opens to vent the

excess pressure
25
As pressure in the tank decreases, valve begins to close.

With continued heating, pressure increases and relief valve re-opens.
.
26
Where flames impinge on the tank, the liquid in the tank absorbs the
heat allowing tank temp to remain at the same temp.
With operation of the relief valve, the liquid level drops exposing the tank
As pressure
the tank decreases, valve begins to close.
to the
effects ofinheating.
heating,
pressure
increases
TheWith
tankcontinued
metal begins
to weaken,
stretch
and and
tear relief
apart.valve re-opens.
.
27
Tank containment gives way.

Large contents of liquid and vapor are released in a powerful explosion.

.
28

.
29

The heat radiated is sufficient to ignite
combustibles at a great distances
.
30
Tank sections containing rapidly igniting fuels can

become flying missiles causing secondary fires and
other damages
.
31
BLEVE

.
32
Facts about Bleve

BLEVE is independent of the cause of the container failure. For a
BLEVE to occur, the container has to be under pressure, the
pressure has to exceed the strength of the container, and the
container has to be weakened in some way (impact, corrosion, fire).
A container can fail due to damages caused by:

1.
Damage by impact from an object
2.
Vessel internal pressure
3.
Vessel material brittleness
4.
Impingement of fire
33
BLEVEs occur with many types of liquefied gases,

flammable and nonflammable.
steam explosion is a violent boiling or flashing of water
into steam.
Pressure vessels, eg. pressurized water (nuclear) reactors,
that operate above atmospheric pressure can also provide
the conditions for a steam explosion.
The water changes from a liquid to a gas with extreme
speed and increases dramatically in volume.
A steam explosion sprays steam and boiling-hot water
and the hot medium that heated it in all directions
34
If the material is flammable, a
fireball
may
follow it. The rapid explosion can also cause
projectile effects.
35
A BLEVE or bursting pressure vessel can produce

fragments that fly away from the explosion
source.
These primary fragments, which are part of the
original vessel, are hazardous and may result in
injuries to people and damage to structures
For brittle vessels, or in the case of detonations,
severe fragmentation is possible.
The velocity of fragments from a pipeline will be
greater than that from an isolated vessel at the
same conditions because of the replacement of
gas loss by flow from the intact pipe
36
10.5 Vapor cloud explosion

A vapor cloud explosion (VCE) results from the
ignition of a flammable mixture of vapor, gas,
aerosol, or mist, in which flame speeds accelerate
to sufficiently high velocities to produce significant
overpressure.
VCEs are generally associated with the release of a
sufficient quantity of flammable gas or vaporizing
(flashing) liquid from a storage tank, process
or transport vessel, or piping system.
37
10.5 Vapor cloud explosion

Conditions present before a VCE with damaging overpressure can occur:
1. The released material must be flammable or within

the flammable range for the material.
2. A cloud of sufficient size must be formed prior to
ignition.
3. The vapor cloud must sufficiently mix with air to
produce a sufficient mass in the flammable range.
4. An ignition source. Higher-energy ignition sources
can lead to a more severe explosion than do lowerenergy sources.
5. The speed of flame propagation as the vapor cloud
burns. Without this acceleration, only a flash fire will
result.
38
On the March 23, 2005, a hydrocarbon vapour

cloud explosion occurred at the ISOM
isomerization process unit at BP's Texas City
refinery in Texs City, Texas.
<video>
39
40
Group Project Case Study on Significant Disasters

Prepare a Case Study on Significant Disasters:
The following topics shall be discussed:
The Incident (15%)
The sequence of events leading to the incident (15%)
The After Effects of the incident (15%)
Recommendations about how safety should be improved (35%)
(provide an in-depth study based on your chemical process knowledge)
Quality of Presentation (20%)
(flow of ideas, clarity etc. )
NOTE : Video may be shown but marks are not allocated to the video
41
Group Project Case Study on Significant Disasters

Topics
1.
Piper Alpha disaster which killed 167 workers on 6 July 1988 off the
coast of Aberdeen which is the world's deadliest ever oil rig accident.
2.
Bhopal gas tragedy which was gas leak incident in India, 2-3 Dec 1984,
considered the world's worst industrial disaster.
3.
Flixborough explosion which happened in June 1974. It had a major
impact on Chemical Engineering in UK.
4.
Fukushima nuclear disaster - following a major earthquake, a 15-metre
tsunami disabled the power supply and cooling of three Fukushima
Daiichi reactors, causing a nuclear accident on 11 March 2011; the
worst nuclear incident since Chernobyl.
42

Lecture 10 Explosion

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ECE 4353

Chemical Process Safety

Explain the government-industrys responsibility for

Evaluate the nature of hazards posed by materials

Identify and quantify common industrial methods to

Last Updated:1 December 2015

LMS SEGi education group

Rapid phase transition

Vapor cloud explosion

Last Updated:1 December 2015

LMS SEGi education group

Last Updated:1 December 2015

LMS SEGi education group

OSION is defined as a phenomenon where a blast

(pressure or shock) wave is generated in air by a rapid release

The resulting blast wave is largely responsible for the damage

Last Updated:1 December 2015

LMS SEGi education group

Heat and mass transfer

Rate of transfer of energy

Slow (propagating rates

Very rapid (propagating

Shock wave forms slowly Shock front develops

Last Updated:1 December 2015

LMS SEGi education group

Last Updated:1 December 2015

LMS SEGi education group

The amount of explosion overpressure is

Last Updated:1 December 2015

LMS SEGi education group

Last Updated:1 December 2015

LMS SEGi education group

Last Updated:1 December 2015

LMS SEGi education group

10.2 Vessel rupture

Physical Explosion is caused by a sudden release of

A vessel rupture explosion occurs when a process

Last Updated:1 December 2015

LMS SEGi education group

Last Updated:1 December 2015

LMS SEGi education group

Last Updated:1 December 2015

LMS SEGi education group

Last Updated:1 December 2015

LMS SEGi education group

Factors in pressure vessel failures

Operation > maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP)

Last Updated:1 December 2015

LMS SEGi education group

Pressure Vessel Laws

The first Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code

LMS SEGi education group

Pressure Vessel Laws according to ASME VIII

Vessel approved for installation with the submission of drawings,

Operating at pressures < MAWP

Repairing or altering only according to a plan approved by an

Last Updated:1 December 2015

LMS SEGi education group

10.3 Rapid phase transition

LMS SEGi education group

10.3 Rapid phase transition

Last Updated:1 December 2015

LMS SEGi education group

Last Updated:1 December 2015