• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.319-327
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• 2023

This study analyzes the risks of explosions of small LPG storage tanks installed at highway rest areas. For this purpose, the ranges of the effect of thermal radiation and overpressure caused by the BLEVE(Boiling Liquid Expansion Vapor Explosion)and VCE(Vapor Cloud Explosion) of a 2900-kg small LPG storage tank installed at highway rest areas were quantitatively evaluated by applying the Areal Location of Hazardous Atmospheres program. The ranges of influence of the derived explosion overpressure and thermal radiation were found to have a maximum radii of 336 m and 423 m, respectively. The study determined that those within 269 m could be severely injured by an explosion overpressure of 3.5 psi, and fatalities from thermal radiation of 10 kw/m² could occur within 192 m of the exploded storage tank. The safety management plan for the LPG storage tank was discussed while considering the auxiliary facilities of highway rest areas and the extent of the damage impact. These research results will help improve safety accident prevention regulations considering the environment and facilities of the rest areas as well as the safety management of small LPG storage tanks installed at highway rest areas.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2019

BACKGROUND: Hydrogen fluoride is one of the 97 accident preparedness substances regulated by the Ministry of Environment (Republic of Korea) and chemical accidents should be managed centrally due to continual occurrence. Especially, hydrogen fluoride has a characteristic of rapid diffusion and very toxic when leaking into the environment. Therefore, it is important to predict the impact range quickly and to evaluate the residual contamination immediately to minimize the human and environmental damages. METHODS AND RESULTS: In order to estimate the accident impact range, the off-site consequence analysis (OCA) was performed to the worst and alternative scenarios. Also, in order to evaluate the residual contamination of hydrogen fluoride in crop, the samples in accident site were collected from 15-divided regions (East direction from accident sites based on the main wind direction), and the concentration was measured by fluoride ($F^-$) ion-selective electrode potentiometer (ISE). As a result of the OCA, the affected distance by the worst scenario was estimated to be >10 km from the accident site and the range by the alternative scenario was estimated to be about 1.9 km. The residual contamination of hydrogen fluoride was highest in the samples near the site of the accident (E-1, 276.82 mg/kg) and tended to decrease as it moved eastward. Meanwhile, the concentrations from SE and NE (4.96~28.98 mg/kg) tended to be lower than the samples near the accident site. As a result, the concentration of hydrogen fluoride was reduced to a low concentration within 2 km from the accident site (<5 mg/kg), and the actual damage range was estimated to be around 2.2 km. Therefore, it is suggested that the results are similar to those of alternative accident scenarios calculated by OCA (about 1.9 km). CONCLUSION: It is difficult to estimate the chemical accident-affecting range/region by the OCA evaluation, because it is not possible to input all physicochemical parameters. However simultaneous measurement of the residual contamination in the environment will be very helpful in determining the diffusion range of actual chemical accident.