A Combustion Model for the TWA 800 Center-Wing Fuel Tank Explosion
Abstract
In support of the National Transportation Safety Board investigation of the TWA Flight 800 accident, a combined experimental/computational effort was conducted that focused on quarter-scale testing and simulation of the fuel-air explosion in the Boeing 747 center wing fuel tank. This report summarizes the modeling approach used at Sandia National Laboratories. In this approach approximations are introduced that capture the essential physics associated with turbulent flame propagation in multiple compartment fuel tanks. This model efficiently defines the pressure loading conditions during a jet-fuel air explosion in a fuel tank confinement. Modeling calculations compare favorably with a variety of experimental quarter-scale tests conducted in rigid confinement. The modeling describes well the overpressure history in several geometry configurations. Upon demonstrating a reasonable comparison to experimental observations, a parametric study of eight possible ignition sources is then discussed. Model calculations demonstrate that different loading conditions arise as the location of the ignition event is varied. By comparing the inferred damage and calculated impulses to that seen in the recovered tank, it maybe possible to reduce the number of likely sources. A possible extension of this work to better define tank damage includes coupling the combustion model as a pressure loading routine for structuralmore »
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (US); Sandia National Labs., Livermore, CA (US)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 702
- Report Number(s):
- SAND98-2043
TRN: AH200112%%12
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Resource Type:
- Technical Report
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 2 Oct 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 02 PETROLEUM; 42 ENGINEERING; COMBUSTION KINETICS; CHEMICAL EXPLOSIONS; AIRCRAFT; TANKS; JET ENGINE FUELS; ACCIDENTS; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; FLAME PROPAGATION
Citation Formats
Baer, M.R., and Gross, R.J. A Combustion Model for the TWA 800 Center-Wing Fuel Tank Explosion. United States: N. p., 1998.
Web. doi:10.2172/702.
Baer, M.R., & Gross, R.J. A Combustion Model for the TWA 800 Center-Wing Fuel Tank Explosion. United States. doi:10.2172/702.
Baer, M.R., and Gross, R.J. Fri .
"A Combustion Model for the TWA 800 Center-Wing Fuel Tank Explosion". United States.
doi:10.2172/702. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/702.
@article{osti_702,
title = {A Combustion Model for the TWA 800 Center-Wing Fuel Tank Explosion},
author = {Baer, M.R. and Gross, R.J.},
abstractNote = {In support of the National Transportation Safety Board investigation of the TWA Flight 800 accident, a combined experimental/computational effort was conducted that focused on quarter-scale testing and simulation of the fuel-air explosion in the Boeing 747 center wing fuel tank. This report summarizes the modeling approach used at Sandia National Laboratories. In this approach approximations are introduced that capture the essential physics associated with turbulent flame propagation in multiple compartment fuel tanks. This model efficiently defines the pressure loading conditions during a jet-fuel air explosion in a fuel tank confinement. Modeling calculations compare favorably with a variety of experimental quarter-scale tests conducted in rigid confinement. The modeling describes well the overpressure history in several geometry configurations. Upon demonstrating a reasonable comparison to experimental observations, a parametric study of eight possible ignition sources is then discussed. Model calculations demonstrate that different loading conditions arise as the location of the ignition event is varied. By comparing the inferred damage and calculated impulses to that seen in the recovered tank, it maybe possible to reduce the number of likely sources. A possible extension of this work to better define tank damage includes coupling the combustion model as a pressure loading routine for structural failure analysis.},
doi = {10.2172/702},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Oct 02 00:00:00 EDT 1998},
month = {Fri Oct 02 00:00:00 EDT 1998}
}
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