12/3/2019 Boiling-Liquid Expanding-Vapor Explosion (BLEVE)

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Boiling-Liquid Expanding-Vapor
Explosion (BLEVE)
Anas Elabbani Follow
Occupational Health & Safety Co… 22 1 2

Boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE) is one of the most severe accidents that can
occur in the process industry or in the transportation of hazardous materials. Strictly speaking,
these explosions do not necessarily imply thermal effects. However, in most cases the substance
involved is a fuel that causes a severe fireball after the explosion.
One of the best and simplest BLEVE definitions is " rapid phase transition in which a liquid
contained above its atmospheric boiling point is rapidly depressurized, causing a nearly
instantaneous transition from liquid to vapor with a corresponding energy release".
A BLEVE occurs when a tank containing liquefied gas ruptures, resulting in the instantaneous
release of the vapor, boiling liquid, missiles (tank fragments), and blast wave1. The most
common type of the BLEVE is caused when the external wall of the tank is exposed to a fire1. The
continuous heat transfer from the fire to the tank wall increases the temperature and pressure
inside the tank, until the tank fails. This sudden failure of the tank results in an explosive
vaporization of its contents.
One of the simplest examples of BLEVE is the phenomenon that occur when removing the
radiator cap of a vehicle with a hot engine which cause the ejection of boiling water.

Also, the cargo in the tanks of gas carrier is partially liquid and partially vapor in normal
condition. However, when the tank structure collapses, the vapor tries to escape or leak through

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12/3/2019 Boiling-Liquid Expanding-Vapor Explosion (BLEVE)

the opening, resulting in decrease in the pressure inside the tank. These drastic lowering of
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pressure inside the cargo tank results in rapid boiling of liquid and increase in vapor formation.
The pressure of the escaping vapor becomes very high and leads to a shock wave or explosion in
presence of a fire source, completely destroying the tanks structure and surrounding areas.
The Hazards of BLEVE
A BLEVE poses the following hazards:
Fireball with thermal radiation with some rainout forming pool fires.
Missiles and Major fragmentation
Rocketing vessel parts
Overpressure from minor shock waves
If the substance involved is not combustible, the pressure wave and the missiles will be the only
effects of the explosion. This could happen if a steam boiler (water steam) exploded. If the
substance is a fuel, however, as often happens in the process industry (for example, liquefied
petroleum gas, such as ethylene or propane), the mixture of liquid/gas released by the explosion
will probably ignite, giving rise to a fireball of approximately hemispherical shape, initially at
ground level.

 
Common Causes of BLEVE:
The most common reason which leads to BLEVE is fire near tanks containing gas cargo such as
propane.  Because of the high temperature of the surrounding, the tank temperature starts to
increase and the inside of the tanks gets over pressurised. The high pressure inside the tank will
be generally released by the relief valve.
However, if the pressure builds up rapidly because of high temperature and high rate of heating
in the surrounding, the tank will collapse at the weaker point, exposing pressurised and
flammable vapour to the naked flame and leading to Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion.
Reason for Failure of Tank Structure:
Improper maintenance of tanks
Corrosion of the tank structure
Relief valve of the tank is malfunction or stuck
Mechanical damage to the tank
Material failure
Tank structure severely exposed to flame or fire
 
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12/3/2019 Boiling-Liquid Expanding-Vapor Explosion (BLEVE)

Feyzin Explosion  Sign in Join now

The Feyzin disaster was the worst accident which had occurred in petroleum and petrochemical
plants in Western Europe, prior to the Flixborough disaster  in 1974. Since then, many
pressurised tanks containing liquefied gases have BLEVE'd. The hazards are now better
understood and storage spheres are protected from fire engulfment by better design. This is
known to be the first Large-scale Fire and Explosion Accident that shed light on the BLEVE
(Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion) phenomenon.

On Jan. 4, 1966, an operation to drain off an aqueous layer from a propane storage sphere was
attempted. Two valves were opened in series on the bottom of the sphere. When the operation
was nearly complete, the upper valve was closed and then cracked open again. No flow came
out of the cracked valve, so it was opened further. The blockage, assumed to be ice or hydrate,
cleared and propane gushed out. The operator was unable to close the upper valve and by the
time he attempted to close the lower valve this was also frozen open. The alarm was raised and
traffic on the nearby motorway was stopped. It is theorized that the resulting vapor cloud found
its source of ignition from a car about 525 feet (160 meters) away. The storage sphere was
enveloped in a fierce fire and upon lifting of the relief valve a stream of escaping vapor was
ignited. About 90 minutes after the initial leakage, the sphere ruptured, killing the men nearby. A
wave of liquid propane flowed over the compound wall and fragments of the ruptured sphere
cut through the legs of the next sphere, which toppled over. The relief valve on this tank began
to emit liquid. The fire killed 18 people and injured 81 others. Five of the storage spheres were
destroyed.

Anas Elabbani
Occupational Health & Safety Co… Follow

1 comment

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laura pope 2y
Union and political activist and custom chain blender

I have concerns about B.C. Ferries using LNG and fueling from tanker trucks. Given
some past accidents involving fuel trucks I feel a bleve accident seems not impossible.
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