Prediction of Deflagrative Explosions in Variety of Closed Vessels

Abstract

In this paper the multi-phenomena deflagration model is used to simulate deflagrative combustion of several fuel–air mixtures in various scale closed vessels. The experimental transient pressure of methane–air, ethane–air, and propane–air deflagrations in vessels of volume 0.02 m3, 1 m3, and 6 m3 were simulated. The model includes key mechanisms affecting propagation of premixed flame front: the dependence of laminar burning velocity of concentration, pressure, and temperature; the effect of preferential diffusion in the corrugated flame front or leading point concept; turbulence generated by flame front itself or Karlovitz turbulence; increase of the flame front area with flame radius by fractals; and turbulence in the unburned mixture. Laminar velocity dependence on concentration, pressure, and temperature were calculated using CANTERA software. Various scale and geometry of used vessels induces various combustion mechanism. Simulations allow insight into the dominating mechanism. The model demonstrated an acceptable predictive capability for a variety of fuels and vessel sizes.

Keywords

• explosion
• deflagration
• closed vessel
• CFD modeling
• multi-phenomena deflagration model
• computational fluid dynamics