Dispersion of the vapour cloud in the Buncefield Incident

Dispersion of the flammable vapour cloud in the 2005 Buncefield Incident is examined. Footage from security cameras around the site is analysed and the results from Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations of the vapour dispersion are presented. It is shown that the shape of the terrain and the presence of obstacles significantly affected the dispersion of vapour from the overflowing tank. The CFD model is shown to produce similar qualitative behaviour to that observed in the incident, both in terms of the arrival time of the vapour cloud and its final depth.     

Evaluating the potential for overpressures from the ignition of an LNG vapor cloud during offloading

Ignition of natural gas (composed primarily of methane) is generally not considered to pose explosion hazards when in unconfined and low- or medium-congested areas, as most of the areas within LNG regasification facilities can typically be classified. However, as the degrees of confinement and/or congestion increase, the potential exists for the ignition of a methane cloud to result in damaging overpressures (as demonstrated by the recurring residential explosions due to natural gas leaks). Therefore, it is prudent to examine a proposed facility’s design to identify areas where vapor cloud explosions (VCEs) may cause damage, particularly if the damage may extend off site.An area of potential interest for VCEs is the dock, while an LNG carrier is being offloaded: the vessel hull provides one degree of confinement and the shoreline may provide another; some degree of congestion is provided by the dock and associated equipment.In this paper, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software FLACS is used to evaluate the consequences of the ignition of a flammable vapor cloud from an LNG spill during the LNG carrier offloading process. The simulations will demonstrate different approaches that can be taken to evaluate a vapor cloud explosion scenario in a partially confined and partially congested geometry.     

Numerical analysis of toxic cloud generation and dispersion: A case study of the ethylene oxide spill

The present study examined the accidental spill of ethylene oxide, and a sensitivity analysis of the corresponding consequences was conducted using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A validation of the gas dispersion CFD model against the experimental data sets included in the model evaluation protocol (MEP) was performed. The effect of the variability of the wind velocity on the extension of the hazardous areas and pool evaporation characteristics was evaluated. Additionally, the mitigation effects of the dike walls surrounding a spill were discussed. CFD simulation results have shown that the mitigation effect of dike walls is determined by their influence on both gas dispersion and pool evaporation and depends strongly on wind velocity in terms of toxic impact distances.     

Modeling the two-phase cloud evolution from instantaneous flashing release using CFD

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach has been successfully applied to simulate the small-scale instantaneous flashing release experiment by Pettitt. A model for dispersion of the release event is provided based on relevant theories and existing experimental data. An application of the CFD method to the dispersion simulation is illustrated. Furthermore, a new methodology based on discrete phase model for setting computational initial conditions is provided. An initial expansion and subsequent turbulence dispersion can be characteristically identified from both volume and temperature variation of the cloud obtained by the simulation. The possible mechanism for these phenomena has also been discussed and analyzed. The study deepens the understanding of the physical process of this event and provides one more reliable tool for relevant safety systems.