• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.114-122
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• 2016

This study is to analyze the explosion and fire risks due to high temperature and short circuit current of Lithium batteries. This study selected the typical types of Li-polymer batteries and Li-ion batteries as the test samples. The result of explosion risk assessment due to the high temperature showed that, while a Li-polymer battery had $170^{\circ}C$ explosion on average, a Li-ion battery had $187^{\circ}C$ explosion. The measurement result of temperature increase due to short circuit current revealed that, in case that protection circuit module (PCM) was normally working, there was little of temperature increase due to over-current limitation. However, in case that PCM was out of order, the temperature of a Li-polymer battery increased up to an average of $115.7^{\circ}C$ and the temperature of a Li-ion battery increased up to an average of $80.5^{\circ}C$, which showed the higher risks of fire and burn.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.111-120
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• 2016

This is an experimental study to analyze the explosion and fire hazards of mobile phone batteries. Using the lithium-ion batteries currently used on smart phone as the experiment samples, the experiments were conducted by overcharging, internal and external short circuit, and thermal shock with the potential of explosion and fire caused by careless use or abnormal conditions. The experiment results showed that, in the case of overcharging and external short circuit, there was no explosion and fire hazard in the normal operation of the protection circuit module (PCM), but there were big risks when the PCM faulted conditions were assumed. In the case of the experiments by internal short circuit and thermal shock, such risks varied depending on a battery charge state. In other words, it could be verified that there were low risks of explosion and fire in a full discharge state, but there were high risks in a full charge state. These experiment results suggest that to minimize the explosion and fire hazards of mobile phone batteries, an alarm device is necessary when the PCM fault occurs. In addition, a solid battery case should be made and safety equipment, such as a cooling device to avoid high temperature, is needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.9-21
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• 2024

Static-electricity-induced fires and explosions persistently occur every year, averaging approximately 80 and 20 cases annually according to fire statistics provided by the National Fire Agency and industrial accident statistics provided by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, respectively. Despite the relatively low probabilities of these accidents, their potential risks are high. Consequently, effective risk assessment methodologies and accident investigation strategies are essential for efficiently managing static-electricity hazards in fire- and explosion-prone areas. Accordingly, this study aimed to identify the causal variables essential for accident investigations, thereby facilitating risk assessments and the implementation of effective recurrence prevention measures to mitigate static-electricity hazards in fire-and explosion-prone regions. To this end, industrial accident statistics recorded over the past decade (2012 to 2021) by the Ministry of Employment and Labor were analyzed to identify major fire and explosion incidents and related industrial accidents wherein static electricity was identified as a potential ignition source. Subsequently, relevant investigation reports (63 cases) were thoroughly analyzed. Based on the results of this analysis, existing electrostatic fire and explosion risk assessment techniques were refined and augmented. Moreover, factors essential for investigating electrostatic fire and explosion disasters were delineated, and the primary causal variables necessary for effective risk assessments and scientific investigations were derived.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.58-63
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• 1993

Recently, a large amount of flammable or explosive materials have been handled or stored in chemical industries. H the equipments fail or the materials release in consequence of operation errors, fire and explosion could occur to them. Thus, risk assessment using quantification of risks is very important when design of processes and modifications of installed processes are performed. The purpose of this study is to develop the program for fire and explosion index in order to quantify the expected damage of fire and explosion incidents in chemical plants, to identify equipment that would be likely to contribute to the creation or escalation of an incident, to comunicate the potential fire and explosion risk to management and to account of damage cost.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.63-70
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• 2014

There has been an increase in fire/explosion accidents caused by chemical substances used in new small/medium sized construction, reconstruction, or extension sites. There is vast room for improvement, especially in safety training, safety inspection, and selection of countermeasures because training, technicality, and management systems regarding fire/explosion risks in small/medium sized construction sites are very immature in most cases. The purpose of this study is to propose a differentiated technical, educational, and management application plan for preventative management of fire/explosion accidents caused by chemical substances used in small/medium sized construction sites.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.94-100
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• 2021

In general, the industrial complex is a place where factories of various industries are concentrated. It is only as efficient as it is designed. However, the risks vary as there are various industries. These features are also associated with various types of disasters. The dangers of natural disasters such as a typhoon, flood, and earthquake, as well as fire and explosions, are also latent. Many of these risks can make stable production and business activities difficult, resulting in massive direct and indirect damage. In particular, decades after its establishment, the vulnerabilities increase even more as aging and small businesses are considered. In this sense, it is significant to assess the vulnerability of the industrial complex. Thus analysing fire and explosion hazards as stage 1 of the vulnerability evaluation for the major potential disasters for the industrial complex. First, fire vulnerabilities were analyzed quantitatively. It is displayed in blocks for each company. The assessment block status and the fire vulnerability rating status were conducted by applying the five-step criteria. Level A is the highest potential risk step and E is the lowest step. Level A was 11.8% in 20 blocks, level B was 22.5% in 38 blocks, level C was 25.4% in 43 blocks, level D was 26.0% in 44 blocks, and level E was 14.2% in 24 blocks. Levels A and B with high fire vulnerabilities were analyzed at 34.3%. Secondly, the vulnerability for an explosion was quantitatively analyzed. Explosive vulnerabilities were analyzed at 4.7% for level A with 8 blocks, 3.0% for level B with 5, 1.8% for level C with 3, 4.7% for level D with 8, and 85.8% for level E with 145. Levels A and B, which are highly vulnerable to explosions, were 7.7 %. Thirdly, the overall vulnerability can be assessed by adding disaster vulnerabilities to make future assessments. Moreover, it can also assist in efficient safety and disaster management by visually mapping quantified data. This will also be used for the integrated control center of the N-Industrial Complex, which is currently being installed.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.22-33
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• 2023

The number of fire and explosion accidents caused by pyrolysis oil and gas at waste plastic pyrolysis plants is increasing, but accident status and safety conditions have not been clearly identified. Therefore, the aim of the study was to identify the risks of the waste plastic pyrolysis process and suggest appropriate safety management measures. We collected information on 19 cases of fire and explosion accidents that occurred between 2010 and 2021 at 26 waste plastic pyrolysis plants using the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) database and media reports. The mechanical, managerial, personnel-related, and environmental problems within a plant and problems related to government agencies and the design, manufacturing, and installation companies involved with pyrolysis equipment were analyzed using the 4Ms of Machines, Management, Man, and Media, as well as the System-Theoretic Accident Model and Processes (STAMP) methodology for seven accident cases with accident investigation reports. Study findings indicate the need for establishing legal and institutional support measures for waste plastic pyrolysis plants in order to prevent fire and explosion accidents in the pyrolysis process. In addition, ensuring safety from the design and manufacturing stages of facilities is essential, as are measures that ensure systematic operations after the installation of safety devices.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.356-361
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• 2020

Propylene is widely used in petrochemical manufacturing at over 200 ℃. However, since propylene is a flammable gas with fire and explosion risks, inert nitrogen is injected to prevent them. In this study, experiments were conducted using propylene-nitrogen-oxygen upon pressure changes at 200 ℃. At 21% oxygen, as pressure increased from 0.10 MPa to 0.25 MPa, lower explosion limit (LEL) decreased from 2.2% to 1.9% while upper explosion limit (UEL) increased from 14.8% to 17.6%. In addition, minimum oxygen concentration (MOC) decreased from 10.3% to 10.0%, indicating higher risks with the expanded explosive range as pressure increased. With increase of pressure from 0.10 MPa to 0.25 MPa, explosion pressure increased from 1.84 MPa to 6.04 MPa, and the rate of rise of maximum explosion pressure increased drastically from 90 MPa/s to 298 MPa/s. It is hoped that these results can be used as basic data to prevent accidents in factories using propylene.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.20 no.1 s.61
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• pp.6-14
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• 2006

The data of city gas accidents has been collected and analysed for not only predictions of the fire and explosion accidents but also the criteria of societal risk. The accidents of the recent 11 years have been broken up into such 3 groups roughly as "release", "explosion", "fire" d 16 groups in detail. Owing to the Poisson probability distribution functions, 'careless work-explosion-pipeline' and 'joint loosening & erosion-release-pipeline' items respectively have turned out to record the lowest and most frequency among the recent 11-years accidents. And thus the proper counteractions must be carried out. In order to assess the societal risks tendency of the fatal gas accidents and set the more obvious safety policies up, the D. O. Hogon equation and the regression method has been used to range the acceptable range in the F-N curve of the cumulative casualties. The further works requires setting up successive database on the fire and explosion accidents systematically to obtain reliable analyses. Also the standard codification will be demanded.

• Journal of Auto-vehicle Safety Association
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.73-80
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• 2021

Recently, Korea has established a plan for the supply of hydrogen vehicles and is promoting the expansion of the supply. Risk factors for hydrogen vehicles are hydrogen leakage, jet fire, and explosion. Therefore Safety measures are necessary for this hazard. In addition, risks in semi-closed spaces such as tunnels, underground roads, and underground parking lots should be analyzed. In this study, an explosion experiment was conducted on a hydrogen tank used in a hydrogen vehicle to analyze the risk of a hydrogen vehicle explosion accident that may occur in a semi-closed space. As results, the effect on the structure and the human body was analyzed using the overpressure and impulse values for each distance generated during the explosion.