Limitations of Gas Explosion Venting Due to Accelerated Flame Propagation and Elevated Initial Pressure

Abstract

Many industrial processes include a gas explosion hazard. If safety measures are not adequate to prevent a potentially explosive atmosphere or to avoid effective ignition sources in enclosures, at least the effects of an explosion can be limited e.g. by gas explosion venting systems. For the design of gas explosion venting systems for confinements only little guidance is given when considering the constructional boundary conditions or process conditions. For this reason conservative assumptions are prevalent in practice and in many cases the protective systems become significantly oversized. From safety perspective such safety margins in venting areas can lead to a critical acceleration of the pressure rise. Moreover, a gas explosion venting at turbulent conditions caused by over sizing or by obstacles rather leads to an under-sized system. The present investigation was focused especially on the influence of certain obstacles as well as the influence of elevated initial pressures on explosion venting behaviour of quiescent hydrogen, methane or ethylene in air.