Iranian Journal of Mechanical Engineering Transactions of ISME

Iranian Journal of Mechanical Engineering Transactions of ISME

Comparison of predictive models of air-fuel cloud shock wave parameters

Authors
Abstract
Fuel-air cloud explosion is one of the most serious threats to chemical and petrochemical industries. The objective of this study is to compare the overpressure, due to a vapor cloud explosion, that is predicted by different models. TNT equivalency, Multi Energy (ME), and Baker-Strehlow-Tang Models are studied. In this work the predictions of the models are compared with observed data for the explosion of Air- cyclohexane cloud in Flixborough plant.This study shows that the TNT equivalency model often overestimates the explosion overpressure near the explosion center. Moreover, the fuel-air cloud volume have minor effect on the overpressure predicted by BST and ME methods, while the reactivity of the mixture and obstacles density have profound effects.
ME and BST models predict approximately similar consequences.
Keywords

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Volume 14, Issue 4 - Serial Number 29
Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer
Winter 2012
Pages 55-75

  • Receive Date 19 February 2013