Experimental study of low‐concentration gas explosion in large‐scale pipeline

Abstract

Abstract Low‐concentration gas is one of the most realistic and reliable supplementary or alternative energy sources of conventional natural gas, which has a wide range of applications. However, this gas is flammable and explosive during pipeline transportation and easily causes an explosion. In order to achieve safe transmission, the explosion characteristics and propagation law of low‐concentration gas are systematically studied through a large‐scale pipeline experimental system. We found that the peak pressure of low‐concentration gas explosion in pipeline has a quadratic function relationship with the propagation distance. Moreover, the peak pressure of gas explosion initially decreases from the explosion source, and then a turning point appears after a certain distance of propagation, which is followed by a sharp increase of peak pressure of gas explosion. The explosion pressure becomes maximum at the outlets of a pipeline. The arrival time of explosion flame is logarithmically relevant to propagation distance, while the speed of flame propagation gradually increases along with the increase of propagation distance. The flame propagation is faster at the exit point. In addition, the diameter of pipeline has also an important influence on the explosion propagation process of low‐concentration gas. So, the larger the diameter, the higher the explosion pressure. The explosion pressure of DN700 pipeline is obviously higher than that of DN500, and the explosion pressure rises faster; the speed of flame propagation of gas explosion in DN700 pipeline is also higher than that in DN500 pipeline. This study provides a theoretical reference for the prevention and control of explosion accidents in low‐concentration gas pipelines.

Keywords

• explosion characteristic
• flame propagation
• large‐scale pipeline
• low‐concentration gas