Modeling explosions and fires of flammable chemicals using several simple methods
A review of accident history indicates that flammable substances have been involved in many accidents, and, in many cases, fires and explosions of flammable substances have caused deaths and injuries. Accidents involving flammable substances may lead to vapor cloud explosions, vapor cloud fires, boiling liquid expanding vapor explosions (BLEVEs), pool fires, and jet fires, depending on the type of substance involved and the circumstances of the accident. The primary hazard of BLEVEs, pool fires, and jet fires is thermal radiation; the potential effects of thermal radiation generally do not extend for as great a distance as those of blast waves. The authors carried out consequence modeling for fires and explosions of a number of flammable substances using several PC-based modeling systems and hand calculation methods. Modeling results were used to estimate the greatest distance at which people potentially could be killed or injured by explosions or fires of flammable gases or liquids. Additional modeling was carried out based on actual vapor cloud explosions, and the results were compared with the results of the actual incidents.
- OSTI ID:
- 287598
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950927--; ISBN 0-8169-0660-2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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