Section 3
Blast Dampers
Overview
Wozair manufacture two types of Blast
Damper:
Wozair Type BRD –
Blast Resistant Damper
Designed as a robust heavy duty
device used as an HVAC louvre on a
module or building blast wall. Although
the device is structurally designed to
withstand a blast, it provides a limited in
reduction of the over pressure.
Wozair Type BPD –
Blast Protection Damper
This is a unique (Patent Pending)
device that, in conjunction with a
Wozair Blast Resistant Damper is
designed to not only maintain integrity
after a blast event but also to reduce
over pressurisation to a safe level,
protecting personnel and equipment.
Blast Dampers are primarily designed
to protect inhabitants in an enclosed
area against resulting over pressure
from a blast penetrating through the
openings of a structure such as the
HVAC duct system. The transient
over pressure loads generated by a
blast event can cause severe human
biological effects such as ear and lung
injuries as well as damage to sensitive
equipment and internal fittings.
Incorporating blast dampers into the
HVAC system should be considered
mandatory where risks related to
explosion have been identified.
Physics of a Blast
An explosion releases energy into the
atmosphere. Pressure increases almost
instantaneously from ambient to a
peak pressure (also referred to as
Peak Overpressure) forming
a pressure shock wave with highly
Dampers
compressed air known as the
Incident Blast Wave. The
minuscule rise time from ambient
to peak pressure is referred as the
Blast Duration. The blast wave
rapidly expands into the atmosphere
spherically until equilibrium is reached,
thereafter pressure decays with time
and displacement. A negative pressure
phase is also formed in the process as
shown below. The negative pressure
phase is longer in duration and is not
considered critical in designing blast
resistant and blast proof structures.
+ Pressure
Positive Phase
Peak
Pressure
Atmospheric Time
Pressure
Blast
Duration
- Pressure
Negative Phase
Pressure Transient
23
 Section 3
When the Incident Blast Wave
impinges on a surface it is reflected
and amplified and is referred to as the
Reflected Blast Pressure. The
amplification depends on the Incident
Angle of the pressure shock front.
Maximum pressure is experienced by a
surface if the blast wave impinges on it
perpendicular to the direction in which
Dampers
it travels. If the surface is parallel only
the incident pressure is experienced,
therefore reflected pressure is always
greater than incident pressure at the
same distance from the blast epicentre.
The peak reflected pressure is a
function of the incident angle and
the incident blast pressure which is a
function of the blast source (explosive
material, weight etc) and distance.
24
Blast Damper Rating
In order to establish a correct selection
of a blast damper it is important for
the system designers to specify the
Reflected Blast Pressure (typically
between 0.35 barg/35 kPa and 1.0
barg/100 kPa) and Blast Duration
(typically between 7ms and 22ms).
Incident pressure is not considered
when rating blast dampers as other
structural elements may constitute
reflection of the blast wave further
increasing blast pressure.
Design of Wozair Blast
Dampers
From conceptual to final design
Wozair has extensively utilized
Computational Fluid Dynamics
(CFD) modelling (provided by BMT
Fluid Mechanics Ltd) to analyse the
behaviour of blast waves. Typical
offshore blast scenarios were simulated
in the virtual environment to optimize
the performance of the blast dampers
both in normal operating as well as
blast conditions. Results obtained from
the CFD simulations have been verified
by Det Norske Veritas (DNV).
 Section 3

Blast Resistant
Damper
Wozair type BRD
Introduction

Designed for the offshore and onshore

oil and gas industries the Wozair Blast
Resistant Damper is a robust heavy

Dampers
duty device used as an HVAC louvre on
a module or building blast wall.

Description

Materials
Wozair Blast Resistant Dampers are
available manufactured in stainless
steel throughout.

Casing Linkage Auto Reset

This is a continuously welded channel
section 250mm deep formed from 5mm
thick material. Flange drillings are in
accordance with Wozair standard or
to specific client requirements. Casings
are provided with 20mm diameter lifting
holes as standard.
Debris Catcher
At the inlet face to the Blast Resistant
Damper is fitted a Debris Catcher that
consists of 30mm x 3mm interlocking
flat bars on edge arranged as a welded
grid.
Louvre Blades
The louvre blades are single skin
formed from 5mm thick material and
are welded to 25.4mm diameter solid
shafts. Louvre blades rotate in oil
impregnated sintered bronze bearings
fitted into the damper frame and
retained with welded thrust discs. 5mm
top and bottom blade stops are welded
into the casing.
Dampers with multiple blades are
fitted with a linkage to provide a
parallel motion. Robust blade links
are welded to the louvre blade shafts
and connected together by flat bar
and stainless steel pins. The linkage
arrangement is contained within the
flanges of the damper frame.
Controls Options
Wozair Blast Resistant Dampers can
be supplied with the following control
options, both fitted into a robust 3mm
enclosure with removable cover,
mounted on the damper side frame
directly connected to the louvre blade
drive shaft.
Louvre blades are held at
approximately 45° open position by a
torsion spring pack, selected to close
upon the specified blast pressure
and then return the blades to the
open position once the blast pressure
subsides.
Manual Reset
Louvre blades are held at
approximately 45° open position by
a spring loaded latching mechanism,
selected to close upon the specified
blast pressure and then remain closed
until manually reset.
Options
Materials: Stainless Steel 304L
(1.4307), 316L (1.4404) and 316L
(1.4432) Mo > 2.5%

25
 Section 3

Dimensional Limits

The minimum size is 200mm wide

x 200mm high. The maximum
single module size is 1200mm wide
x 1200mm high. For larger sizes
multiple dampers can be supplied
for bolting together at site or building
into site support framework. Specific
requirements should be discussed with
Dampers

Wozair engineers.

Performance

Pressure Drop vs Velocity - BRD

350

300

250
Pressure Drop (Pa)

200

150

100

50

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Velocity (m/s)

Weights

Unit weights (kg) for indicative sizes are

detailed below, for other sizes please
contact Wozair.

( )
)
(

26
 Section 3

Blast Protection
Damper
Wozair type BPD
Introduction

Designed for the offshore and onshore

oil and gas industries the Wozair Blast
Protection Damper is a unique (Patent

Dampers
Pending) design, static blast absorption
device, used on the HVAC inlet or
exhaust penetration through a module
or building blast wall. Dimensional Limits

Correctly selected and in conjunction The minimum size is 200mm wide

with Wozair Blast Resistant Damper
the arrangement reduces a blast wave
to an acceptable over pressure that
prevents injury to personnel or damage
to equipment within the module or
building.
Description
x 200mm high. The maximum
single module size is 1200mm wide
x 1200mm high. For larger sizes
multiple dampers can be supplied
for bolting together at site or building
into site support framework. Specific
requirements should be discussed with
Wozair engineers.

Materials Performance
Wozair Blast Protection Dampers are
available manufactured in stainless
steel throughout. Pressure Drop vs Velocity - BPD
900

Casing 800

This is a continuously welded channel 700

section 600mm deep (for a pressure 600

Pressure Drop (Pa)

up to 0.5barg) and 1200mm deep (for

a pressure up to 1.0barg) formed from
500

5mm thick material. Flange drillings are 400

in accordance with Wozair standard or 300

to specific client requirements. Casings

200
are provided with suitable lifting lugs as
100
standard.
0

Deflection Tubes
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Velocity (m/s)

A series of strategically positioned

tubes are welded across and down the
length of the casing section to deflect
and dissipate the blast pressure. The
tubes also perform the function of a
debris catcher.

Options
Casing Materials: Stainless Steel 304L
(1.4307), 316L (1.4404) and 316L
(1.4432) Mo > 2.5%

27
 Section 3

Weights

Unit weights (kg) for indicative sizes are

detailed below, for other sizes please
contact Wozair.
Dampers

Installation Options

DUCT DUCT FLANGE SUPPORT FRAME DUCT FLANGE DUCT

BLAST DAMPER

BULK HEAD / BLAST WALL

SLIP ON FLANGE
CENTRE FLANGE FOR BULKHEAD MOUNTING

DUCT

DUCT

DUCT
DUCT FLANGE
FLANGE

BLAST DAMPER

BULKHEAD / BLAST WALL

DUCT FLANGE

DUCT DUCT FLANGE

BLAST DAMPER DUCT

28