Estimation of turbulent flame speed during DME/air premixed gaseous explosions

DME is thought to be a good alternative fuel due to its cleanliness and more excellent fuel economy. Although the prediction and loss prevention of flammability hazard is very important for safety of DME installations, the evaluation method with sufficient accuracy has not been established. In this study, a numerical combustion model is constructed and a 3-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of a premixed DME/air explosion in a large-scale domain is conducted. The main feature of the numerical model is the solution of a transport equation for the reaction progress variable using a function for turbulent flame velocity which characterizes the turbulent regime of propagation of free flames derived by introducing the fractal theory. The model enables the calculation of premixed gaseous explosion without using fine mesh of the order of micrometer, which would be necessary to resolve the details of all instability mechanisms. The value of the empirical constant contained in the function for turbulent flame velocity is evaluated by analyzing the experimental data of LPG/air and DME/air premixed explosions. The comparison of flame behavior between the experimental result and numerical simulation shows good agreement.     

Flame extension length of inclined hydrogen jet fire impinging on a water curtain

The use of a water curtain system to prevent fire spread has been extensively investigated, but the case of an inclined jet fire inhibited with a water curtain is not involved. A series of experiments were conducted on inclined hydrogen jet fires with various fuel flow rates, nozzle diameters and inclination angles under the influence of a vertical water curtain. This study aims to explore the burning behaviors of inclined jet flames at the impingement area, specifically the flame extension lengths. The experimental results show that an increase in fuel flow rates or nozzle diameter leads to a larger flame extension length. With the increase of flame inclination angle, the flame extension length decreases and the influence of nozzle diameter on the flame extension length is attenuated. A new dimensionless heat release rate is proposed to correlate with the dimensionless flame extension length by incorporating an air entrainment coefficient. The model built in this study can be used to predict the flame extension length of jet flames with different diameters, fuel flows and inclinations under the influence of a water curtain, and is validated by data in the previous study.     

轻质油品罐区流淌火灾发展特征和危害研究

为了研究罐区储运过程中发生泄漏导致的流淌火事故,设计并搭建了流淌火燃烧试验平台。采用流淌火燃烧试验平台和CFD数值计算2种方法研究了汽油流淌燃烧特性,对比分析表明,流淌火实体试验与CFD数值计算的结果误差在可接受范围内。基于上述结论,以防火堤内储存汽油的4个2 000 m3汽油储罐罐组为研究对象,模拟计算输油管道泄漏至防火堤内引发流淌性火灾的危害特性,得到了流淌火灾蔓延发展过程以及流淌面积、温度场等特征参数的变化规律。研究结果表明:泄漏速率保持不变时,流淌面积逐渐增大直至趋于稳定,其增长速率不断减小;流淌火发展至稳定燃烧阶段时,临近储罐被火焰包围,其中高度为5 m处的罐壁温度和辐射强度最大,温度在1 300 ℃左右波动,辐射强度稳定在500 kW/m2左右。     

乙炔-空气预混火焰在狭窄通道中的传播与熄灭

针对预混火焰在狭窄通道中传播过程的研究是进行阻隔防爆技术研发的基础。本文首先通过数值计算模拟了预混乙炔一空气爆燃火焰在狭窄通道中的传播与熄灭过程,然后采用高速数字摄像技术对火焰的传播过程进行捕捉,分析临界火焰传播速度、狭缝高度和熄灭长度之间的关系。研究结果均表明,当狭缝高度一定时,临界火焰传播速度越大,熄灭长度越大,熄灭长度与临界火焰传播速度近似呈正比例关系。在相同的临界火焰传播速度条件下,随着狭缝高度的增加,熄灭长度值迅速增大,说明狭缝高度对预混火焰的传播与熄灭有显著影响。本文研究成果将可为工业阻火防爆装置的设计和实际应用提供参考依据。     

对称障碍物条件下瓦斯爆炸火焰与压力波耦合作用研究

为了研究对称障碍物条件下瓦斯爆炸压力波与火焰传播的耦合作用,在150 mm×150 mm×1 700 mm的有机玻璃瓦斯爆炸管道中,距离点火端不同距离安装0.5阻塞率的对称障碍物,进行8.5%甲烷体积分数的爆炸试验,采集瓦斯爆炸的超压信号并同步拍摄火焰传播图像。结果表明:火焰穿越板式对称障碍物的过程经历了火焰加速、火焰降速到火焰再加速的过程,火焰降速的时间仅为5 ms。距离点火焰源不同长度的对称障碍物在火焰加速过程中的作用存在明显差异,近点火源的障碍物作用主要为诱导湍流,远离点火源的障碍物作用主要为湍流增强。     

乙醇及自由基引导对甲烷预混火焰结构影响的数值模拟

本文使用了详细化学反应动力学机理计算模拟了混合有乙醇及典型自由基引导的甲烷预混火焰结构.该反应机理由Marinov研究组研究发表,包含有56个组分以及372个反应.本文的计算使用了CHEMKIN-3以及预混火焰代码,热力学及输运部分的计算基于Sandia国家实验室和Marinov研究室发布的数据库.火焰结构中主要产物的变化,关键中间产物和次要组分的计算结果显示加入乙醇和自由基都可以减少着火延迟.本文计算了三种不同条件下的火焰结构,分别为预混CH4/O2/N2火焰;预混甲烷/乙醇火焰;和加入引导自由基在甲烷/乙醇混合燃料中.此外还有含有自由基的甲烷火焰和加入乙醇的甲烷火焰比较.     

3m直径煤油池火灾火焰特性的数值研究

为了预测油池火灾的火焰特性,采用CFD模拟技术开展静风状态下3 m直径煤油液池的火灾场景模拟,探讨火焰温度、火焰羽流速度、辐射热通量、燃烧产物质量分数等油池火焰特性参数随高度的变化关系;并结合火焰形态分布,提出一种4区域模型,即将湍流扩散火焰划分为油气混合燃烧区、燃烧火焰区、烟尘区和热烟气区来分析燃烧气流在不同高度的实际物理化学特性。此外,通过经验公式和CFD模拟2种方法分别计算出3 m直径煤油池火灾的火焰高度、火焰表面的辐射通量及热辐射破坏半径,并对计算结果进行比较分析,结果表明:2种方法可互相补充完善,有助于池火灾的热辐射危害性评估。     

A study on the effect of trees on gas explosions

The downstream as well as the upstream oil and gas industry has for a number of years been aware of the potential for flame acceleration and overpressure generation due to obstacles in gas clouds caused by leaks of flammable substances. To a large extent the obstacles were mainly considered to be equipment, piping, structure etc. typically found in many installations. For landbased installations there may however also be a potential for flame acceleration in regions of vegetation, like trees and bushes. This is likely to have been the case for the Buncefield explosion that occurred in 2005 (Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board, 2008), which led to the work described in the present paper. The study contains both a numerical and an experimental part and was performed in the period 2006–2008 (Bakke and Brewerton, 2008, Van Wingerden and Wilkins, 2008).The numerical analysis consisted of modelling the Buncefield tank farm and the surrounding area with FLACS. The site itself was not significantly congested and it was not expected to give rise to high overpressures in case of a hydrocarbon leak. However, alongside the roads surrounding the site (Buncefield Lane and Cherry Tree Lane), dense vegetation in the form of trees and bushes was included in the model. This was based on a site survey (which was documented by video) performed in the summer of 2006.A large, shallow, heavier-than-air gas cloud was defined to cover part of the site and surroundings. Upon ignition a flame was established in the gas cloud. This flame accelerated through the trees along the surrounding roads, and resulted in high overpressures of several barg being generated by FLACS. This is to the authors’ knowledge the first time a possible effect of vegetation on explosions has been demonstrated by 3D analyses.As a consequence of these results, and since the software had been validated against typical industrial congestion rather than dense vegetation, a set of experiments to try to demonstrate if these effects were physical was carried out as well. The test volume consisted of a plastic tunnel, 20 m long with a semi-circular cross-section 3.2 m in diameter allowing for representing lanes of vegetation. The total volume of the tent was approximately 80.4 m³. The experimental programme involved different degrees of vegetation size, vegetation density (blocking ratio) and number of vegetation lanes (over the full length of the tunnel). The experiments were performed with stoichiometric propane–air mixtures resulting in continuously accelerating flames over the full length of the tunnel for some of the scenarios investigated.The main conclusions of the study are that trees can have an influence on flame acceleration in gas–air clouds, and that advanced models such as FLACS can be used to study such influence. More research is needed, however, because even if FLACS predicts flame acceleration in dense vegetation, no evidence exists that applying the code to trees rather than rigid obstacles provides results of acceptable accuracy.     

Explosions in closed pipes containing baffles and 90 degree bends

There is a general lack of information on the effects of full-bore obstacles on combustion in the literature, these obstacles are prevalent in many applications and knowledge of their effects on phenomena including burning rate, flame acceleration and DDT is important for the correct placing of explosion safety devices such as flame arresters and venting devices. In this work methane, propane, ethylene and hydrogen–air explosions were investigated in an 18 m long DN150 closed pipe with a 90 degree bend and various baffle obstacles placed at a short distance from the ignition source. After carrying out multiple experiments with the same configuration it was found that a relatively large variance existed in the measured flame speeds and overpressures, this was attributed to a stochastic element in how flames evolved and also how they caused and interacted with turbulence to produce flame acceleration. This led to several experiments being carried out for one configuration in order to obtain a meaningful average. It was shown that a 90 degree bend in a long tube had the ability to enhance flame speeds and overpressures, and shorten the run-up distance to DDT to a varying degree for a number of gases. In terms of the qualitative effects on these parameters they were comparable to baffle type obstacles with a blockage ratios of between 10 and 20%.     

Large eddy simulation and experimental study of the effect of wire mesh on flame behaviours of methane/air explosions in a semi-confined pipe

Preventing the propagation of flames in a pipeline is an effective measure for avoiding gas explosion accidents and reducing losses. To evaluate the effect of wire mesh, acting as a porous media, experimental and simulation studies are conducted to determine the influence of the wire mesh on the dynamics of premixed methane/air flame propagation in a semi-closed pipe. Four different kinds of wire mesh with different numbers of layers are chosen in the experiments and simulation, and the mechanism of wire mesh quenching of the flame is investigated. The experimental and simulation results are consistent. Flames are quenched when 4 layers of 40-mesh or 3 layers of 60-mesh wire mesh are used; however, once the flame propagates through the wire mesh, the risk of methane combustion may increase. The wire mesh becomes the key factor causing flame folds and acceleration, and the greater the number of layers or the larger the mesh size is, the more obvious the folds after the flame passes through the wire mesh. Moreover, the combination of heat absorption and disruption of the continuous flame surface by the mesh causes flame quenching. Wire mesh can effectively attenuate the flame temperature during premixed flame propagation in a pipe, and the attenuated maximum rate reaches approximately 79% in the case of adding 3 layers of 60-mesh wire mesh.     

Effect of scale on freely propagating flames in aluminum dust clouds

The majority of experimental tests done on combustible dusts are performed in constant volume vessels that have limited or no optical access. Over the years, McGill University has been developing alternative experimental techniques based on direct observation of dust flames, yielding reliable fundamental parameters such as flame burning velocity, temperature and structure. The present work describes two new experimental set-ups allowing direct observation of isobaric and freely propagating dust flames at two sufficiently different scales to test the influence of scale on dust flame phenomena. In the laboratory-scale experiments, a few grams of aluminum powder are dispersed in transparent, 30 cm diameter latex balloons that allow for full visualization of the spherical flame propagation. In the field experiments, about 1 kg of aluminum powder is dispersed by a short pulse of air, forming a conical dust cloud with a total volume of about 5 m³. High-speed digital imaging is used to record the particle dispersal and flame propagation in both configurations. In the small-scale laboratory tests, the measured flame speed is found to be about 2.0 ± 0.2 m/s in fuel-rich aluminium clouds. The burning velocity, calculated by dividing the measured flame speed by the expansion factor deduced from thermodynamic equilibrium calculations, correlates well with the previously measured burning velocity of about 22–24 cm/s from Bunsen dust flames. Flame speeds observed in field experiments with large-scale clouds, however, are found to be much higher, in the range of 12 ± 2 m/s. Estimations are presented that show that the presumably greater role of radiative heat transfer in larger-scale aluminium flames is insufficient to explain the six-fold increase in flame speed. The role of residual large-eddy turbulence, as well as the frozen-turbulence effect leading to large-scale dust concentration fluctuations that cause flame folding, are discussed as two possible sources for the greater flame speed.     

An experimental study of flame acceleration and deflagration to detonation transition in representative process piping

The paper summarizes the results of experimental tests and accompanying analyses to investigate the factors that govern flame acceleration and potential transition to detonation in a relatively long unobstructed piping system. The overall aim of the work was to obtain sufficient experimental data so as to be able to develop and evaluate methodologies for classifying and predicting potential detonation flame acceleration and deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) hazard in industrial process pipes and mixtures. The present results show that the flame acceleration process in an unobstructed pipe exhibit three distinct phases: an initial establishment phase; a second rapid acceleration phase and a final transition to detonation phase. Test results with ethylene indicate that the acceleration process is not sensitive to initial pressure (all other parameters remaining constant) but can be sensitivity to initial pipe wall temperature or possibly mixture humidity. The presence of bends increases the local rate of turbulent combustion, an effect attributed to the additional turbulence generated downstream of the bend. For straight pipes, detonation was only observed to develop for hydrogen–air and ethylene–air mixtures. Detonation was not observed with methane, propane or acetone as fuel in the present piping apparatus.     

Experimental investigation of hydrogen–air deflagrations and detonations in semi-confined flat layers

This paper presents results of an experimental investigation on the deflagration and deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) in an obstructed (blockage ratio BR = 50%), semi-confined flat layer filled with uniform hydrogen–air mixtures. The effect of mixture reactivity depending on flat layer thickness and its width is studied to evaluate the critical conditions for sonic flame propagation and the possibility for detonation onset. The experiments were performed in a transparent, rectangular channel with a length of 2.5 m. The flat layer thickness was varied from 0.06 to 0.24 m and the experiments were performed for different channel widths of 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 m. The experimental results show flame velocity vs. hydrogen concentration for different thicknesses and widths of the semi-confined flat layer. Three different flame propagation regimes were observed: slow subsonic flame (M << 1), sonic deflagration (M ～ 1) and detonation (M >> 1). It is shown that flame acceleration (FA) to sonic speed is independent of the width of the flat layer. The critical expansion ratio for effective flame acceleration to sonic speed was found to be linearly dependent on the reciprocal layer thickness.     

A method for simulation of vapour cloud explosions based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD)

The effectiveness of the application of CFD to vapour cloud explosion (VCE) modelling depends on the accuracy with which geometrical details of the obstacles likely to be encountered by the vapour cloud are represented and the correctness with which turbulence is predicted. This is because the severity of a VCE strongly depends on the types of obstacles encountered by the cloud undergoing combustion; the turbulence generated by the obstacles influences flame speed and feeds the process of explosion through enhanced mixing of fuel and oxidant. In this paper a CFD-based method is proposed on the basis of the author’s finding that among the various models available for assessing turbulence, the realizable k-? model yields results closer to experimental findings than the other, more frequently used, turbulence models if used in conjunction with the eddy-dissipation model. The applicability of the method has been demonstrated in simulating the dispersion and ignition of a typical vapour cloud formed as a result of a spill from a liquid petroleum gas (LPG) tank situated in a refinery. The simulation made it possible to assess the overpressures resulting from the combustion of the flammable vapour cloud. The phenomenon of flame acceleration, which is a characteristic of combustion enhanced in the presence of obstacles, was clearly observed. Comparison of the results with an oft-used commercial software reveals that the present CFD-based method achieves a more realistic simulation of the VCE phenomena.     

Thermal effects of a sonic jet fire impingement on a pipe

Although the effects of jet fires are often limited to rather short distances, if their flames impinge on a pipe or a vessel collapse can occur in very short times. In such cases, the heat flux on the affected equipment is very high and wall temperature can increase very rapidly. This can happen in parallel pipelines, if a release occurs and impinges on another one. Nevertheless, jet fire impingement has been scarcely studied. In this communication the results obtained from an experimental set-up are presented. Sonic jet fires impinged on a pipe containing stagnant air or water. The temperatures of the flames impinging on it were measured for the worst case (flame front-bright zone), as well as the evolution with time of the pipe wall temperature at different locations. Initial temperature increases up to around twenty °C/s were registered for the air inside, with maximum values of up to 600 °C reached in 2.5 min, and 800 °C in approximately 9 min. In the case of pipe containing water, in the zone of the wall in contact with the liquid the heating rates were much lower, the maximum temperature reached being up to approximately 150 °C. From the temperatures of the jet flames and of the pipe, the heat fluxes reaching the pipe and the corresponding heat transfer coefficients were obtained. The results obtained emphasized that safe distances are essential in pipelines, together with fire proofing and other safety measures.     

Experimental study of flame acceleration and the deflagration-to-detonation transition under conditions of transverse venting

Results of experiments on critical conditions for flame acceleration and the deflagration-to-detonation transition in tubes with transverse venting are presented. Tests were made with hydrogen mixtures in two tubes (inner diameter of 46 and 92 mm) with obstacles. Ratios of vent area to total tube area were 0.2 and 0.4. Venting was shown to influence flame acceleration significantly. The greater the vent ratio, the more reactive the mixture necessary for development of fast flames. Critical conditions for flame acceleration in tubes with venting, expressed through a critical mixture expansion ratio σ_cr, were found to be σ_cr/σ₀1+2, where σ₀ is the critical value for a closed tube. Critical conditions for detonation onset in a vented tube were found to be very close to those in a closed tube with similar configuration of obstacles.     

The influence of inert gas on limiting experimental safe gap of fuel-air mixtures at various initial pressures

The Maximum Experimental Safe Gap (MESG) is an important criterion to assess the propagation of flames through small gaps. This safety-related parameter is used to classify the flammable gases and vapors in explosion groups, which are fundamental to constructional explosion protection. It is used both, for the safe design of flameproof encapsulated devices as well as for selecting flame arresters appropriate to the individual application. The MESG of a fuel is determined experimentally according to the standard ISO/IEC 80079-20-1:2017 at normal conditions (20 °C, 1.0 bar) with air as oxidizing gas. The aim of this work is to investigate the effect of inert gas addition on the MESG in order to assess the effectiveness of inertization in constructional explosion protection. The term limiting experimental safe gap (S_G) is used for the result of these measurements. The fuel-air mixtures (fuels: hydrogen, ethylene, propene, methane) used as representatives for the explosion groups in flame arrester testing were chosen and diluted with inert gas (nitrogen, carbon dioxide) before testing. The dependence of the limiting experimental safe gap on the total initial pressure, amount and nature of inert additive is discussed. The initial pressure was varied up to 2.0 bar to include increased pressure conditions used in flame arrester testing. Apart from the well-known reciprocal dependence on the initial pressure, the added inert gas results in an exponential increase of S_G. This effect depends on the inertizing potential of the gas and is therefore different with nitrogen and carbon dioxide. The ranking of the fuels is the same as with MESG. As a result, various mixtures of the same limiting experimental safe gap can now be chosen and tested with an individual flame arrester to prove the concept of a constant and device-related limiting safe gap. The work was funded by BG-RCI in Heidelberg (PTB grant number 37056).     

预混乙炔-空气爆燃火焰在平板狭缝中传播与熄灭的实验研究

通过对预混乙炔-空气爆燃火焰在平板狭缝中的传播与熄灭过程进行试验研究,分析临界火焰传播速度、狭缝高度和熄灭长度之间的关系。实验结果表明,当狭缝高度一定时,临界火焰传播速度越大,熄灭长度越大,熄灭长度与临界火焰传播速度近似呈正比例关系。在相同的临界火焰传播速度条件下,随着狭缝高度的增加,熄灭长度值迅速增大,说明狭缝高度对预混火焰的传播与熄灭有显著影响。     

Experimental study on vented gas explosion in a cylindrical vessel with a vent duct

A study of vented explosions in a length over diameter (L/D) of 2 in cylindrical vessel connecting with a vent duct (L/D = 7) is reported. The influence of vent burst pressure and ignition locations on the maximum overpressure and flame speeds at constant vent coefficient, K of 16.4 were investigated to elucidate how these parameters affect the severity of a vented explosion. Propane and methane/air mixtures were studied with equivalence ratio, Φ ranges from 0.8 to 1.6. It is demonstrated that end ignition exhibited higher maximum overpressures and flame speeds in comparison to central ignition, contrary to what is reported in literature. There was a large acceleration of the flame toward the duct due to the development of cellular flames and end ignition demonstrated to have higher flame speeds prior to entry into the vent due to the larger flame distance. The higher vent flow velocities and subsequent flame speeds were responsible for the higher overpressures obtained. Rich mixtures for propane/air mixtures at Φ = 1.35 had the greatest flame acceleration and the highest overpressures. In addition, the results showed that Bartknecht's gas explosion venting correlation is grossly overestimated the overpressure for K = 16.4 and thus, misleading the impact of the vent burst pressure.