MODELING & SIMULATION OF VAPOUR-CLOUD FORMATION DURING ACCIDENTAL RELEASE OF VOLATILE COMPOUND

Abstract

The vapour cloud explosion can generate after a incidental release of a flammable gas or volatile liquid which upon ignition will explode if surrounding will favour an explosion. In recent years the vapor cloud explosion at chemical or petro-chemical industries are the pre-dominant cause of the losses. There are many gaps in the knowledge on vapour cloud explosions and no satisfactory theoretical model is available to explain it, although much progress has been made in vapour cloud explosion modeling. Work on fundamental models has been described by a number of authors. Other work has been directed to the correlation of experimental results and to develop the semi-empirical models. Some major accidents due to vapour cloud explosions give lessons that there is still much to be learned systematically from past accidents if new technologies or chemical plants are to be designed regard to safety. The list of vapour cloud explosions from the past indicates that the presence of a quality of fuel constitutes a potential explosion hazard. If a quantity of fuel is released, it will mix with air and a flammable cloud may result. If the cloud meets an ignition source, the flammable mixture will be consumed by a combustion process which, under appropriate conditions, may develop an explosive intensity and heavy blast. Therefore, safety measures are desirable. In the present work the empirical model has been used to predict over pressure generated by vapour cloud explosion, which is the most causative factor. The Over pressure is determined by TNT — equivalency method and Multi — energy method.