• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.26-34
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• 2018

Explosions of vapor cloud formed due to the leakage from installations with flammable fuels have often occurred in Korea and foreign countries. In this study, TNT equivalency method and Multi-Energy method for vapor cloud explosion blast modelling are described and demonstrated in a case study. As TNT equivalency method is simple and direct, it has been widely used for modelling a vapor cloud explosion blast. But TNT equivalency method found to be difficult to select a proper correlation between the amount of combustion energy produced from the vapor cloud explosion and the equivalent amount of TNT to model its blast effects. Multi-Energy method assumes that the strength of vapor cloud explosion blast depends on the layout of the space where the vapor cloud is spreading. Strictly speaking, the explosive potential of a vapor cloud is dependent upon the density of the obstructed regions. In this study, Flixborough accident are analyzed as a case study to assess the applicability of TNT equivalency method and Multi-Energy method. TNT equivalency method and Multi-Energy method found to be applicable if coefficient of TNT equivalency and coefficient of strength of explosion blast are selected properly.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.44-53
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• 2022

This study evaluates the applicability of the TNT Equivalency Method, Multi-Energy Method, and Baker-Strehlow-Tang (BST) Method, which are blast prediction models used to determine the overpressure of blast wave generated from vapor cloud explosion. It is assumed that the propane leaked from a propane storage container with a capacity of 2000 kg installed in an area where studio houses and shopping centers are concentrated causes a vapor cloud explosion. The equivalent mass of TNT calculated by applying the TNT Equivalency Method is found to be 4061 kg. Change of overpressure with the distance obtained by the TNT Equivalency Method, Multi-Energy Method, and BST Method is rapid and the magnitude of overpressure obtained by the TNT Equivalency Method and BST method is generally similar within 100 m from explosion center. As a result of comparing the overpressure observed in the actual vapor cloud explosion case with the overpressure obtained by applying the TNT Equivalent Method, Multi-Energy Method, and BST Method, the BST Method is found to be the best fit. As a result of comparing the overpressure with the distance obtained by each explosion prediction model with the damage criteria for structure, it is estimated that the structure located within 90 m from explosion center would suffer a damage more than partial destruction, and glass panes of the structure separated by 600 m would be fractured.

• Proceedings of the Korea Institute of Fire Science and Engineering Conference
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• 1996.11a
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• pp.37-42
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• 1996

The assessment of catastrophic accidents such as BLEVE, vapor cloud explosion, and toxic material releases in the chemical process industries(CPI) shall be carried out according to the Requirement of PSM/SMS enforced by Korea Government Agencies, but reasonable models are not proposed for the practical application. The traditional models, TNT Equivalency Model, are well-known and helpful for the assessment of vapor cloud explosion. However, the estimated-damage-area using the traditional model has much more deviations comparing to the real damage caused by vapor cloud explosion suffered before. These are why an expert system for the assessment of vapor cloud explosion has been developed, which is based on theoretical, statistical and experimental data, and it would be helpful for CPI to evaluate the damage-area in case of vapor cloud explosion.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.35-43
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• 2002

For the unconfined vapor cloud explosion accident by the continuous release of gas-liquid flow of various saturated liquids in a vessel at ground level, overpressures were estimated and analyzed with various release conditions and materials by TNT equivalency model with vapor dispersion. We found that at same release conditions, overpressure showed n-heptane > xylene > n-hexane > toluene > n-heptane > benzene, respectively and that overpressure was increased with increasing the hole diameter and the storage pressure, but it was increased with decreasing the wind speed, the interested distance, and the vessel thickness.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.64-70
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• 2003

For the unconfined vapor cloud explosion(UVCE) accident by the continuous release of gas-liquid flow of various saturated liquids in a vessel at ground level, overpressures were estimated by TNT equivalency model with two estimation methods, such as UVCE I model based on a constant release time and UVCEII model based on a real travel time of vapor by dispersion and analyzed with various release conditions. As a simulation result the simple, easy, and correct method of evaluation of consequences of the UVCE accident was proposed by using consequences of UVCE I model and correlation equations for differences of overpressures between UVCE models, so that this evaluation method could be used easily in the small and medium size enterprises without using the dispersion model.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.97-104
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• 1995

To evaluate readily the effect of unconfined vapor cloud explosion(UVCE) having high possibility of accident and risk in chemical industries, the expert system of UVCE was developed and its applicability on a real accident was analyzed. We found that the hazard of UVCE could be well evaluated from the TNT equivalency model and the empirical loss data produced by overpressure for chemical facilities. By using the developed expert system, the size of vapor cloud, the quantity of vaporization, the released energy, the overpressure range from explosion point, and the impact damage of each installation could be estimated respectively. Also, probable maximum loss and catastrophic loss potential for real accident( cyclohexane release in Flixborough Nypro company) were estimated and compared with damages of the accident. As a result, the developed expert system could be well applicable to real accident.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.33-43
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• 2000

The consequence analysis for the unconfined vapor cloud explosion(UVCE) accident by the continuous release of butane vapor was performed and effects of process parameters on consequences were analyzed in standard conditions. For the case of continuous release(87.8 kg/s) of butane vapor at 8 m elevated height in the debutanizing process of tile naphtha cracking plant operating at 877 kPa ＆ 346.75 K, we found that combustion ranges of dispersed vapor estimated by HMP model were 11.2~120.2 m and overpressures estimated by TNT equivalency model at 200 m were about 37.35~55.1 kPa. Also, overpressures estimated by Model UVCE I based on advective travel time to $X_{LFL}$ were smaller than those estimated by Model UVCE IIbased on real travel time between $X_{UFL}$ and $X_{LFL}$. At the same time, damage intensities at 200 m and effect ranges by overpressure could be predicted. Furthermore, simulation results showed that effects of operating pressures on consequences were larger than those of operating temperatures and results of accidents were increased with increasing operating pressures. At this time, sensitivities of overpressures for UVCE accident by the continuous release were about 5 kPa/atm.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.60-67
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• 2011

The interest about new and renewable energy is increasing to reduce the burden of problems by depletion of fossil fuels and air pollutions. For example, LNG/CNG and LPG are expected to be replaced, especially in transportation use, by HCNG mixture and DME-LPG mixture, respectively. Because these new energies are still flammable gases, it is not inherently safe from the explosion. In this research, the quantitative risk analysis for using alternative mixtures in existing recharging facilities has been studied by using three types of explosion models (TNT equivalency model, PHAST and CFD-based FLACS) to manage the risk effectively. The differences of results by models were compared against, and the practical ways of when and how to use these models were suggested. It was also predicted that conventional gas filling stations would be converted as new energy stations without additional explosion risk.