A comparative analysis between temperature and pressure measurements for early detection of runaway initiation

In this work, we have analysed the use of pressure instead of temperature measurements for the early warning detection of runaway initiation. This is possible due to the fact that our runaway criterion, i.e. div>0, does not depend specifically on which state space variable we are using for divergence calculation. A series of runaway experiments, carried out in a 250 l pilot-scale reactor, has been used to compare the results. In accordance with previous analysis, we show that by using temperature, early detection of runaway initiation is achieved. Analogously to temperature, pressure may be also used for runaway detection. By comparing the different types of reactive systems analysed (vapour and gassy), it can be observed that temperature works better, in terms of earlier detection, than pressure but the differences are more pronounced for vapour than for gassy systems.     

反应性液体紧急泄放面积设计进展

为防止反应失控造成爆炸事故,减少事故损失,在介绍模拟反应失控的实验装置ARC、VSP以及RSST等的基础上,针对不同的紧急泄放类型,如气相系统、蒸气系统和混合系统的紧急泄放研究进展,进行了分析论述,旨在发现解决反应失控紧急泄放问题的更好方法,从而为进一步研究反应失控的紧急泄放问题打下基础.     

A new prediction method for dust explosion venting at high static activation pressures

Venting is an effective way to prevent harmful dust explosions, but the existing prediction methods are imprecise and are suitable only for applications with low activation pressures. A new method is proposed for predicting pressures based on an analysis of energy losses at high activation pressures and verified by aluminum dust explosion experiments. Compared with the experimental results, the results of the new model are relatively stable under working conditions with different activation pressures and venting areas. Based on the analysis of energy losses, the changes in the energy loss rate, temperature, and venting velocity during venting are found to be asynchronous. The thermal energy loss, which accounts for over 80 percent of the total, is expected to be larger than the kinetic energy loss. The thermal energy loss rate changes rapidly during venting, while the kinetic energy loss rate remains relatively stable. The new model is more accurate than the NFPA68 standard, which fails to consider the thermal energy loss. Neglecting the thermal energy loss may result in an underestimation of the pressure reduction; this error increases with decreasing activation pressure.     

CFD simulation of pressure piling

The explosion of flammable mixtures in interconnected compartments is commonly defined as “pressure piling”. Peak pressures much higher than the predictable thermodynamic values are likely to be generated in this geometry, yielding the phenomenon of major interest in industrial safety. In this paper, a CFD model was implemented, aiming at understanding the major factors affecting pressure piling in two cylindrical interconnected vessels, by varying the volume ratio between the two interconnected vessels and the ignition position. A combustion model was specifically developed to follow the flame propagation in any combustion regimes as a function of the local conditions: laminar, flamelet and distributed reaction zone.The model was validated by comparison with experimental results. The agreement between the experiments and the simulations has allowed the interpretation of the pressure piling phenomenon and the understanding of the mechanisms involved. More precisely, the results have showed that the pressure peak intensity is mainly affected by the coupling between the pre-compression of the mixture in the secondary vessel and the violence of explosion in the same vessel as related to the venting time, the latest quantified by the turbulent Bradley number, Br_t i.e. by the reaction time to the venting time ratio.     

A simple design method of dust explosion venting size at elevated static activation pressure

To develop the application of explosion venting technology in high-pressure vessels, a new model for the design of dust explosion venting size was presented, which took the physicochemical phenomenon deriving from the elevation of the static activation pressure into account. Firstly, for confined pressure rise, the wall quenching effect originating from the dust flame thickness was considered by adopting the three-zone model. Secondly, for the venting pressure rise, the energy loss due to the discharge of high-energy burnt mixture (quantified as the specific surface area loss of the flame) was taken into account and the induced turbulence factor was introduced. Thirdly, for the venting pressure drop, a dynamic pressure relief capability evaluation model which takes into account the flame morphology evolution (tear-shaped flame) and the proportion of discharged mixture (relative volume ratio) at elevated activation pressure was proposed. The predicted maximum reduced pressure and venting size were checked against the PMMA explosion experiments and a more great performance was obtained compared with standards.     

Prediction of the relief of gas explosion in a tubular vessel by venting using a mathematical model

The relief of a gas explosion in a tubular vessel by venting can be predicted by using a mathematical model. In this model, the flame acceleration is represented by an increase in the burning velocity. The movement of a vent cover can be included. The model assumes that the vent is blocked by the vent cover prior to the explosion. the venting ratio was the most influential parameter in terms of relieving the pressure. In the case of a large venting ratio, the flame acceleration made a highly significant contribution, whereas for small venting ratios, the weight of the vent cover contributed to the relief more than the flame acceleration. When the pressure is required to be reduced significantly, the venting ratio, the vent open pressure and the weight of the vent cover must all be reduced.     

Numerical study on premixing characteristics and explosion process of starch in a vertical pipe under turbulent flow

Fire and explosion accidents are frequently caused by combustible dust, which has led to increased interest in this area of research. Although scholars have performed some research in this field, they often ignored interesting phenomena in their experiments. In this paper, we established a 2D numerical method to thoroughly investigate the particle motion and distribution before ignition. The optimal time for the corn starch dust cloud to ignite was determined in a semi-closed tube, and the characteristics of the flame propagation and temperature field were investigated after ignition inside and outside the tube. From the simulation, certain unexpected phenomena that occurred in the experiment were explained, and some suggestions were proposed for future experiments. The results from the simulation showed that 60–70 ms was the best time for the dust cloud to ignite. The local high-temperature flame clusters were caused by the agglomeration of high-temperature particles, and there were no flames near the wall of the tube due to particles gathering and attaching to the wall. Vortices formed around the nozzle, where the particle concentration was low and the flame spread slowly. During the explosion venting, particles flew out of the tube before the flame. The venting flame exhibited a “mushroom cloud” shape due to interactions with the vortex, and the flame maintained this shape as it was driven upward by the vortex.     

Flameless venting of dust explosion: Testing and modeling

Flameless venting is a sort of dual mitigation technique allowing, in principle, to vent a process vessel inside a building where people are working without transmitting a flame outside the protected vessel. Existing devices are an assembly of a vent panel and a metal filter so that the exploding cloud and the flame front is forced to go through the filter. Within the frame of ATEX Directive, those systems need to be certified. To do so a standard (NF EN 16009) has been issued describing which criteria need to be verified/measured. Among them, the “efficiency” factor as defined earlier for standard vents. This implies that flameless venting systems are basically considered as vents. But is it really so? This question is discussed on the basis of experimental results and some implications on the practical use and certification process are drawn. The practical experience of INERIS in testing such systems is presented in this paper. Schematically, with a flameless vent the pressure is discharged but not the flame so that combustion is proceeding to a much longer extent inside the vessel than with a classical vent so that the physics of the explosion is different. In particular it is shown that besides the problem of the unloading of the confined explosion, there is a highly complicated fluid mechanics problem of a fluid-particle flow passing through a porous media (the flameless device grids arrangement in the filter), which passing surface is progressively reduced. To characterize Flameless venting the problem can be addressed sequentially, considering separately the vent panel and the flameless mesh. A model is proposed to estimate the overall venting efficiency of the flameless vent. However, it does not address the flame quenching issue, which is a different problem of heat exchange between the devices and the evacuated burnt products.     

Influence of calorimetric approximations on the design of emergency relief systems

The design of an emergency relief system (that is, a pressure safety valve or a rupture disk) for vessels, which may involve runaway reactions, requires knowledge of the chemical kinetics of the reactions involved. When safety-related problems are considered this is usually achieved using calorimetric tests, coupled with some suitable approximations on the kinetics of the reacting system. In this work we have analysed the extent to which the precise knowledge of the chemical kinetics influences the size of the relief system device for different reaction conditions. Decision criteria are proposed to identify situations where approximations in the kinetic mechanism lead to underestimation in the venting area.     

Model-based hazard identification in multiphase chemical reactors

Chemical productions operated in extreme conditions (high pressure, high temperature) require a detailed analysis of all potentially dangerous situations that can lead to a major industrial accident and thus cause a loss of life and property. Many accidents in the near or distant history underline the need of a detailed safety analysis in process industries, not only in the phase of plant design but also during the operation of the plant. It would be shown that simulation of a chemical unit using an appropriate mathematical model and the nonlinear analysis theory can be a suitable tool for safety analysis. This approach is based on mathematical modeling of a process unit where both the steady-state analysis, including the analysis of the steady states multiplicity and stability, and the dynamic simulation are used. Principal objective of this paper is to summarize problems regarding the model-based hazard identification in processes. A case study, focused on phenomena of multiple steady states in ammonia synthesis reactor will be presented. The influence of the model complexity and model parameters uncertainly on the quality of safety analysis would be underline.     

Modeling and optimization of a sono-assisted photocatalytic water treatment process via central composite design methodology

This work focuses on modeling and optimization of a sono-assisted photocatalytic decolorization process of a model pollutant, azo dye C.I. direct red 16 (DR16). In the process, a high temperature thermal decomposition nano synthesized titanium dioxide (TD-TiO₂) was applied as photocatalyst. Central composite design (CCD) methodology was used for designing the experiments, modeling and optimization of the process. A quadratic model was established to describe dependency of the decolorization efficiency (DE), as the model response, to some effective operational parameters, i.e. the catalyst dosage, pH and the dye initial concentration. The ANOVA analysis confirmed that all of the variables have significant influence on the model response. Under the established optimum conditions, 92.4% DE was achieved after 45 min; however, to access desirable mineralization efficiency, the process should be continued up to 120 min. All withdrawn samples from the reaction media during the process showed no antibacterial activity, which indicates safety of the treated effluent for disposal into the environment. Also studies showed that the process proceeds via two parallel branches of photolysis and photocatalysis, where propagation of the ultrasonic waves into the reaction media plays a vital promoting role on the latter branch.     

基于1 m3泄爆装置的墨粉爆炸泄压机制研究*

为了研究墨粉在爆炸泄压过程中燃烧与流动的变化机制,通过改变泄爆片尺寸、墨粉浓度以及泄爆片的惯性力等参数对爆炸泄放过程中反应釜中压力以及外场火焰形态变化进行试验研究,同时与完全封闭空间内不同墨粉浓度的压力曲线对比。研究结果表明:相同泄爆开口尺寸下,粉尘浓度与受控爆炸压力（采用爆炸泄压保护措施后工业腔体内产生的压力）负相关;开口尺寸增加可以提升泄压效率;结合外场火焰形态的变化情况揭示声动火焰不稳定性对反应釜中压力发展的影响;通过无惯性泄爆试验的对比证明泄爆片惯性对受控爆炸压力的影响不可忽视。     

Characteristics of dust explosion venting pressure and flame under high activation pressure

A 20 L spherical explosive device with a venting diameter of 110 mm was used to study the vented pressure and flame propagation characteristics of corn dust explosion with an activation pressure of 0.78–2.1 bar and a dust concentration of 400∼900 g/m³. And the formation and prevention of secondary vented flame are analyzed and discussed. The results show that the maximum reduced explosion overpressure increases with the activation pressure, and the vented flame length and propagation speed increase first and then decrease with time. The pressure and flame venting process models are established, and the region where the secondary flame occurs is predicted. Whether there is pressure accompanying or not in the venting process, the flame venting process is divided into two stages: overpressure venting and normal pressure venting. In the overpressure venting stage, the flame shape gradually changes from under-expanded jet flame to turbulent jet flame. In the normal pressure venting stage, the flame form is a turbulent combustion flame, and a secondary flame occurs under certain conditions. The bleed flames within the test range are divided into three regions and four types according to the shape of the flame and whether there is a secondary flame. The analysis found that when the activation pressure is 0.78 bar and the dust concentration is less than 500 g/m³, there will be no secondary flame. Therefore, to prevent secondary flames, it is necessary to reduce the activation pressure and dust concentration. When the dust concentration is greater than 600 g/m³, the critical dust concentration of the secondary flame gradually increases with the increase of the activation pressure. Therefore, when the dust concentration is not controllable, a higher activation pressure can be selected based on comprehensive consideration of the activation pressure and destruction pressure of the device to prevent the occurrence of the secondary flame.     

灭火泄爆门的研制（QVD）

研制了一种能够重复使用的泄爆装置──灭火泄爆门，在１５升改进型哈特曼装置中对玉米淀粉和硅钙粉作了粉尘爆炸泄爆实验。结果表明，泄爆过程中火焰完全被捕集住，泄爆门开启压力在０．００１～０．０５ＭＰａ间，可按用户的需要调节，虽然这种灭火泄爆门灭焰捕集部分体积较小，但其泄瀑效率可高达７％。     

Flame behaviors and pressure characteristics of vented dust explosions at elevated static activation overpressures

Dust explosion venting experiments were performed using a 20-L spherical chamber at elevated static activation overpressures larger than 1 bar. Lycopodium dust samples with mean diameter of 70 μm and electric igniters with 0.5 KJ ignition energy were used in the experiments. Explosion overpressures in the chamber and flame appearances near the vent were recorded simultaneously. The results indicated that the flame appeared as the under-expanded free jet with shock diamonds, when the overpressure in the chamber was larger than the critical pressure during the venting process. The flame appeared as the normal constant-pressure combustion when the pressure venting process finished. Three types of venting processes were concluded in the experiments: no secondary flame and no secondary explosion, secondary flame, secondary explosion. The occurrence of the secondary explosions near the vent was related to the vent diameter and the static activation overpressure. Larger diameters and lower static activation overpressures were beneficial to the occurrence of the secondary explosions. In current experiments, the secondary explosions only occurred at the following combinations of the vent diameter and the static activation overpressure: 40 mm and 1.2 bar, 60 mm and 1.2 bar, 60 mm and 1.8 bar.     

Use of isoperibolic calorimetry for the study of the effect of water concentration,temperature and reactor venting on the rate of hydroxylamine thermal decomposition

Hydroxylamine, NH₂OH, thermal decomposition has been responsible for two serious accidents. However, its reactive behavior and the synergy of factors affecting the rate of its decomposition are not understood. In this work, isoperibolic calorimetric measurements were performed in a metal reactor, in the temperature range 130–150 °C, employing 30–80 ml solutions containing 1.4–20 g of pure hydroxylamine (2.8–40 g of the supplied reagent). The calorimetric measurements were performed in order to assess the effects that NH₂OH concentration, temperature and reactor venting has on NH₂OH rate of decomposition. The measurements showed that increased concentration or temperature, results in faster reactions and probably higher pressure generation per mass of reactant, with concentration having a more pronounced effect. However, when both factors work synergistically the result is dramatically worse in terms of reaction rate. The pressure generation is also different, thus indicating that different reaction pathways predominate each time. Venting the produced gases in stages resulted in the highest mass loss of the solution.     

高层建筑电梯活塞效应及烟气控制分析

在电梯运行活塞效应及其对火灾烟气影响理论分析基础上,分析电梯井和前室加压及压力波动情况;结合高层建筑烟控系统的原理,通过合理的压差设计,可保证电梯系统在最大容许压差和最小容许压差之间正常工作。通过对活塞效应及其对电梯与建筑空间之间压差影响的分析发现,极限状态下烟气可能卷入电梯井和前室,对人员的疏散造成威胁,提出了控制活塞效应影响的上限临界压差。研究表明,合理的排气泄压系统、气压式挡烟系统、可变送风系统及火灾层带通风排烟设施的系统等均能对火灾烟气进行有效控制,提高电梯疏散的安全性。研究所得的结论为火灾中利用电梯进行疏散提供了理论指导及一种烟气控制的方法。     

Study of the propagation of kerosene explosions inside a partitioned vessel

The aim of this work is to present a simple modelling in order to predict the evolution of the thermodynamical characteristics of the combustion of kerosene droplets in each compartment of a closed or a vented vessel.A simple representation of the combustion phenomena based on energy transfers and the action of specific molecular species is presented.The fuel ratio of the mixture is defined by the experimental determination of the partial pressure of the kerosene vapors. The total mass rate of gaseous substances due to the difference of pressure between adjacent compartments or the surrounding atmosphere is calculated by the standard orifice equations. A calculation methodology is developed to simulate the transmission of the explosion from one compartment to another adjacent compartment in simple structures with a possible extension to complex multi-partitioned structures. The model allows the study in each compartment of the influence of various parameters such as the fuel ratio of the mixture, the size of the inner openings or the venting effects.Calculation and experimental results show that in all cases, overpressures appear in the adjoining areas to the ignition compartment.     

Dynamics of explosion venting in a compartment with methane-air mixtures

A series of experiments on explosion venting of methane-air mixtures are performed to scrutinize the pressure evolution as well as the flame dynamics and morphology at various vent conditions. Specifically, a premixed flame is ignited at the center of a polycarbonate cylindrical compartment, with three various vent areas considered (with negligible vent relief pressure). As expected, the highest maximum pressure is observed in the case of the smallest vent area. For all three cases, the pressure evolution experiences two major peaks, associated with the instants (i) when the maximum flame front surface area in the chamber is reached and (ii) when an external explosion occurs due to venting of unburned gases, respectively. For the fuel-rich mixtures, a flashback is observed subsequent to the external explosion, constituting the key outcome of the present work. The flame tip velocities show two general trends, namely, exponential acceleration towards the vent, while a flame propagates towards the blocked side of the compartment with no acceleration, which is important to know in the fire/explosion safety applications.     

Pressure relief sizing of reactive system using DIERS simplified methods and dynamic simulation method

Incidents involving uncontrolled chemical reactions continue to result in fatality, injury and economic loss. These incidents are often the result of inadequate pressure relief system designs due to a limited knowledge of the chemical reactivity hazard. A safe process design requires knowledge of the chemical reactivity of desired as well as undesired chemical reactions due to upset conditions. Simplified, cost effective methods to relief system sizing are presented by The Design Institute of Emergency Relief Systems (DIERS). They require multiple experiments, and sizing is only valid for the system composition and thermal inertia represented by the small scale experiments. Results are often conservative, especially for gassy systems. Detailed, dynamic computer simulation is highly accurate and can be used for iterative design and multiple scenario evaluation.In this study, an accelerating rate calorimeter (ARC^®) and a low thermal inertia calorimeter (automatic pressure tracking adiabatic calorimeter – APTAC™) were used to collect chemical reactivity data for the dicumyl peroxide and toluene system. Results of the pressure relief system sizing using the dynamic simulation method are presented and compared with DIERS simplified methods.