CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

CKB 30103
CHAPTER 2
FIRE AND EXPLOSION PART 1
 OBJECTIVES

AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO:-

DESCRIBE THE PRINCIPLE OF FIRE AND EXPLOSION.
ESTIMATE THE EXPLOSION STRENGTH AND ITS EFFECTS
ANALYZE THE FIRE TRIANGLE.
DESCRIBE THE NATURE OF FIRE IN INDUSTRY.
EXPLAIN THE METHOD OF PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF
FIRE AND EXPLOSION.

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CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
 CHEMICAL PLANT
ACCIDENTS LOSSES FROM
INDUSTRIAL
INCIDENTS
FIRE
EXPLOSION
TOXIC RELEASE

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 EXPLOSION
EXPLOSION IS SUDDEN RELEASE OF TREMENDOUS ENERGY
RAPID EXPANSION OF GASES RESULTING IN A RAPIDLY
MOVING PRESSURE OR SHOCK WAVE
THE EXPANSION CAN BE MECHANICAL, E.G A SUDDEN
RUPTURE OF A PRESSURIZED VESSEL OR IT CAN RESULT OF
CHEMICAL REACTION)

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 EXPLOSION
GAS COMBUSTION WILL GENERATE TWO TYPES OF EXPLOSION
DETONATION
DEFLAGRATION

IN A DEFLAGRATION, THE FLAMMABLE MIXTURE BURNS SLOWLY FORMING A

SUBSONIC WAVE (~1M/S) WHICH IS SUPPLIED BY THE COMBUSTION.

IN A DETONATION, THE FLAMMABLE MIXTURE BURNS RAPIDLY FORMING A

SUPERSONIC SHOCK WAVE (2000 M/S) WHICH IS SUPPLIED BY COMBUSTION

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 EXPLOSION
TYPES OF EXPLOSIONS;
A) MECHANICAL EXPLOSION
B) CONFINED EXPLOSION
C) UNCONFINED EXPLOSION; E.G UNCONFINED VAPOR
CLOUD EXPLOSION (UVCE).
D) BOILING LIQUID EXPANDING VAPOR EXPLOSION (BLEVE).
E) DUST EXPLOSION

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 EXPLOSION
UNCONFINED VAPOUR CLOUD EXPLOSION (UVCE) OR ALSO
CALLED VCE-VAPOR CLOUD EXPLOSION
VERY HAZARDOUS EXPLOSION
FLAME SPEED 68 120M/S
DEFLAGRATION COULD CHANGE INTO DETONATION BUT THERE
MUST BE STRUCTURES CONFINING IT.

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 EXPLOSION

UNCONFINED VAPOUR CLOUD EXPLOSION (UVCE) OR ALSO CALLED

VCE-VAPOR CLOUD EXPLOSION SEQUENCE STEP
SUDDEN RELEASE OF A LARGE QUANTITY OF FLAMMABLE VAPOR.
DISPERSION OF THE VAPOR THROUGHOUT THE PLANT SITE WHILE
MIXING WITH AIR
IGNITION OF THE RESULTING VAPOR CLOUD

VCE possible candidates : Any process containing quantities of

liquified gases, volatile superheated liquid or high pressure gases.
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CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
 EXPLOSION
BOILING LIQUID EXPANDING VAPOUR EXPLOSION (BLEVE)
A VESSEL CONTAINING INFLAMMABLE LIQUID IS EXPOSED TO FIRE UNTIL THE
UPPER METAL WALLS BECOME WEAK AND COLLAPSE.
BOILING LIQUID AND EXPANDING VAPOUR ARE RELEASED AND IGNITED
PRODUCING A FIREBALL
BLEVE PRODUCE A A DETONATION WAVE, FLYING SHRAPNEL AND FIREBALL
TIME TO BLEVE AFTER VESSEL IS ENGULFED IN FIRE IS 5-30 MINUTES.

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 BOILING LIQUID EXPANSION VAPOUR EXPLOSION (BLEVE)

The step for BLEVE to occur

A fire develops adjacent to a tank containing liquid

The fire heats the walls of the tanks
The tank walls below liquid level are cooled by the liquid, increasing the
liquid temperature and the pressure in the tank
If the flames reach the tank walls or roof where there is only vapour and
no liquid to remove the heat, the tank metal temperature rises until it loses it
structural strength
The tank ruptures, explosive vaporizing its content

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CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
 EXPLOSION
BLAST DAMAGE FROM EXPLOSION OCCUR ON FLAT SURFACE.
ZE = SCALED DISTANCE (FT/LB1/3 OR M/KG1/3)
R = DISTANCE FROM THE EXPLOSION
M = MASS OF TNT
r
Ze
m1/ 3TNT
THE SCALED OVERPRESSURE PS IS GIVEN BY
PS = P0/PA
WHERE PS - THE SCALED OVERPRESSURE (UNITLESS)
- PEAK SIDE-ON EVERPRESSURE
- THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE

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CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
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 EXAMPLE
1)ONE KILOGRAM OF TNT IS EXPLODED. COMPUTE
THE OVERPRESSURE AT A DISTANCE OF 30 M FROM
THE EXPLOSION.
2)BASED ON THE RESULT IN (1) STATE:
THE EFFECT ON BUILDING STRUCTURE AND
TO HUMAN.

CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

 SOLUTION
THE VALUE OF THE SCALING PARAMETER IS DETERMINED USING EQUATION6-21:
r
Ze
m1/ 3TNT
= 30M
(1.0KG)1/3
= 30 M/KG1/3

FROM FIGURE 6-23THE SCALED OVERPRESSURE IS 0.055. THUS, IF THE AMBIENT PRESSURE IS
1ATM, THEN THE RESULTING SIDE-ON OVERPRESSURE IS ESTIMATED AT (0.055)(101.3KPA) = 5.6
KPA (0.81 PSI).

FROM TABLE 6-9 THIS OVERPRESSURE WILL CAUSE MINOR DAMAGE TO HOUSE STRUCTURES.

CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

 EXPLOSION
TNT EQUIVALENCY

IS A SIMPLE METHOD FOR EQUATING A KNOWN ENERGY OF

A COMBUSTIBLE FUEL TO AN EQUIVALENT MASS OF TNT.

Formula to estimate TNT Equivalency is

on page 270 - CROWL & LOUVAR,
Yellow colored book.
CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
 TNT EQUIVALENCY

CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

 EXAMPLE
ONE THOUSAND KILOGRAMS OF METHANE ESCAPES FROM A
STORAGE VESSEL, MIXES WITH AIR, AND EXPLODES. DETERMINE
(a)THE EQUIVALENT AMOUNT OF TNT AND
(b)THE SIDE-ON PEAK OVERPRESSURE AT A DISTANCE
OF 50 M FROM THE BLAST.
[ASSUME AN EXPLOSION EFFICIENCY OF 2%]

CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

 A. EQUATION 6-24 APPLIES. THE ENERGY OF EXPLOSION FOR
METHANE IS FOUND IN APPENDIX B. SUBSTITUTING INTO EQUATION
6-24, WE OBTAIN

CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

 B. EQUATION 6-21 IS USED TO DETERMINE THE SCALED DISTANCE

From Figure 6-23(or Equation 6-23), the scaled overpressure is 0.25. Thus the
overpressure is

This overpressure will demolish steel panel buildings

CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
 EXPLOSION: EFFECT TO HUMAN
EXPLOSION

THE PROBIT Y IS COMPUTED USING THIS

TO CALCULATE USE FORMULA ON FORMULA
PAGE 49.
EQUATION 2-5.
Y= K1 + K2 ln P
REFER TO TABLE 2-4 FOR VALUE
OF K1 AND K2 USE TABLE 2- 4 TO ESTIMATE THE
DAMAGE TO HUMAN

CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
 ESTIMATING EXPLOSION STRENGTH & ITS IMPACTS

THE PROCEDURE TO ESTIMATE THE DAMAGE ASSOCIATED WITH AN EXPLOSION USING THE TNT
EQUIVALENCY METHOD IS AS FOLLOWS:
1. DETERMINE THE TOTAL QUANTITY OF FLAMMABLE MATERIAL INVOLVED IN THE EXPLOSION.
2. ESTIMATE THE EXPLOSION EFFICIENCY,AND CALCULATE THE EQUIVALENT MASS OF TNT USING
EQUATION 6-24.
3. USE THE SCALING LAW GIVEN BY EQUATION 6-21 AND FIGURE 6-23 (OR EQUATION 6-23) TO
ESTIMATE THE PEAK SIDE-ON OVERPRESSURE.
4. USE TABLE 6-9 TO ESTIMATE THE DAMAGE FOR COMMON STRUCTURES AND PROCESS EQUIPMENT.
5. GIVEN BY EQUATION 2-5, DETERMINE THE PERCENTAGE OF DAMAGES TO HUMAN (IN TERM EAR
DRUM RUPTURE AND / OR LUNG HEMORRHAGE) USING TABLE 2-4 AND TABLE 2-5

CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

 EXPLOSION
ESTIMATION OF VARIOUS ENERGY OF EXPLOSION.

ENERGY OF CHEMICAL EXPLOSION

(FORMULA 6.21 & 6.22)
EXAMPLE 6-8
TNT EQUIVALENCY (FORMULA 6.24)
EXAMPLE 6-9 & 6-10
TNO MULTI ENERGY METHOD (FORMULA 6.25)
EXAMPLE 6-10
BLAST DAMAGE TO PEOPLE (FORMULA BLAST DAMAGE FROM SECTION 2-5
PAGE: 49)
EXAMPLE 6-11

PLEASE REFER TO EXAMPLE IN CROWL &

CKB 30103 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH LOUVAR, PAGE 265-281.
 DUST EXPLOSION

WHEN FLAMMABLE DUST SUSPENDED IN AIR IGNITES, A DUST

EXPLOSION OCCURS [IT ONLY REQUIRES OF MINIMUM IGNITION
ENERGY (MIE) BELOW 25MILLIJOULE (MJ).

THE FIRST EXPLOSION COULD SUSPEND MORE DUST AND

ANOTHER DUST EXPLOSION COULD OCCUR AGAIN

THE EFFECT OF EXPLOSION IS CAUSED BY RAPID RELEASE OF HEAT

ENERGY FOLLOWED BY TREMENDOUS EXPANSION

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 DUST EXPLOSION
When dust ignited,
produced a fireball 8 10
larger from the original
cloud.

CONFINEMENT
If dust ignited in confined area, the pressure rise to 8-10 of the original pressure.

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 DUST EXPLOSION
DUST EXPLOSIBILITY IS MEASURED BY HARTMAN APPARATUS EXPLOSIBILITY DEPENDS
ON:-

1. THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF DUST PARTICLES

DUST CONTAINING THE GROUPS COOH, OH, NH2, NO2, C=N, AND N=N MORE EXPLOSIVE
METAL POWDER COULD ALSO EXPLODE (E.G ALUMINIUM)

2. THE SIZE
DUST SIZE BETWEEN >500 MICRON CANNOT EXPLODE.

3. EXPLOSIBILITY DECREASES WITH HUMIDITY.

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 DUST EXPLOSION CLASSES

Dust Typical Dust Kst (bar m/s)- Explosion characteristics

explosion Dust explosibility
class
St 0 Non explosive 0 No explosion
dust
St 1 Grain dust > 0-200 Weak

St 2 Organic dye dust 201 - 300 Strong

St 3 Fine metal powder > 300 Very strong

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 EXPLOSION PROTECTION AND MINIMIZATION EFFECT

CONTAINMENT THROUGH

BLAST PROOF WALL

[FIRE RESISTANT WALL SHOULD BE TO BEAR OVERPRESSURE OF EXPLOSION UP TO
800MBAR, COMPARED TO NORMAL FACTORY WALL, <70MBAR]

SEPARATION OF TANK OR EQUIPMENT

Structure Failure overpressure (mbar)

Glass window 20-70

Wooden door 20-30

Gypsum wall 20-50

Hollow block wall 40-50

Unsupported brick wall 70-150

Unreinforced concrete wall 25cm 100-375

thick
Brick wall 25cm thick 200-685
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 EXPLOSION PROTECTION AND
MINIMIZATION EFFECT

AUTOMATIC EXPLOSION SUPPRESSION THROUGH INERTING USING INERT MATERIAL TO

REDUCE OXYGEN CONCENTRATION.

CONSIST OF
FAST PRESSURE DETECTOR
FAST INERT MATERIAL SPRAYER

INERT MATERIAL FREQUENTLY USED NITROGEN, CARBON DIOXIDE, HALOGENATED

HYDROCARBON AND WATER.

EFFECTIVENESS SUPPRESSANT FOR GAS EXPLOSION;

NITROGEN < CARBON DIOXIDE < HALOGENATED HYDROCARBON

NITROGEN IS VERY EFFECTIVE FOR DUST EXPLOSION.

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 EXPLOSION PROTECTION AND
MINIMIZATION EFFECT
RELIEF AND VENTING
VENTING PANEL, E.G. ENCLOSED BUILDING AND DUST EXPLOSION
BURSTING DISC, E.G. CHEMICAL REACTORS
PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE, E.G. CHEMICAL REACTORS

AUTOMATIC EXPLOSION ISOLATION;

[COULD BLOCK THE SPREAD OF EXPLOSION FROM ONE
EQUIPMENT TO THE OTHER. CONSIST OF FAST PRESSURE
DETECTOR AND FAST CLOSING VALVE ON THE PIPE
CONNECTING EQUIPMENT].

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, E.G. DUST EXPLOSION

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