skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Energetics of smelt/water explosions

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5036182

The purpose of this work was to obtain data on the energy conversion efficiency (thermal to mechanical) of steam explosions in large scale systems by analysis of smelt-water explosions in kraft paper pulp mill recovery boilers and dissolving tanks. Fifty recovery boiler explosions which occurred during the period from 1966 through 1985 were examined and energy conversion efficiencies were determined for 18. One dissolving tank explosion was also analyzed. Energy conversion efficiencies calculated as the ratio of the mechanical energy in the deformed structure to the thermal energy in the smelt were very low. The highest efficiency was 0.37%. Only four other explosions had energy conversion efficiencies greater than 0.1%. The remainder covered a 20 to 1 range from 0.005% to 0.1%. The kraft industries experience is thus that smelt-water explosions are inherently low efficiency events on a global basis.

Research Organization:
Institute of Paper Chemistry, Appleton, WI (USA); IIT Research Inst., Chicago, IL (USA)
OSTI ID:
5036182
Report Number(s):
NUREG/CR-4745; ON: TI87900071
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English