• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2024

This study analyzed cases of hydrogen (H₂) and natural gas (CH₄) leakage from a hydrogen-blended natural gas pipeline to determine a range of leakage characteristics, including leakage type, pipe material, pipe diameter, pressure, and damage size. Based on the results of this analysis, five hydrogen-blended natural gas leakage scenarios were selected. The national vision for a carbon-neutral society by 2050 is a very important strategic objective and promotes environmentally sustainable economic development in the age of the climate crisis. Accordingly, zero-carbon and low-carbon policies are being promoted in various fields, including energy production, consumption, and industrial processes. Hydrogen-blended natural gas is eco-friendly and is considered an important step towards carbon neutrality, with various countries including the United States and several European countries conducting empirical research to further investigate its potential. In Korea, a national research project commenced in April 2023 to verify and demonstrate the life cycle safety of blending hydrogen into the natural gas network. The results of this study will provide important data for the analysis of the damage impacts caused by the leakage of hydrogen-blended natural gas, such as the diffusion of gas clouds, fires, and gas explosions.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.91 no.1
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• pp.103-121
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• 2024

The smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method is a numerical technique used in dynamic analysis to simulate the fluid-like behavior of materials under extreme conditions, such as those encountered in explosions or high velocity impacts. In SPH, fluid or solid materials are discretized into particles. These particles interact with each other based on certain smoothing kernels, allowing the simulation of fluid flows and predict the response of solid materials to shock waves, like deformation, cracking or failure. One of the main advantages of SPH is its ability to simulate these phenomena without a fixed grid, making it particularly suitable for analyzing complex geometries. In this study, the structural damage to a masonry arch bridge subjected to blast loading was investigated. A high-fidelity micro-model was created and the explosives were modeled using the SPH approach. The Johnson-Holmquist II damage model and the Mohr-Coulomb material model were considered to evaluate the masonry and backfill properties. Consistent with the principles of the JH-II model, the authors developed a VUMAT code. The explosive charges (50 kg, 168 kg, 425 kg and 1000 kg) were placed in close proximity to the deck and pier of a bridge. The results showed that the 50 kg charges, which could have been placed near the pier by a terrorist, had only a limited effect on the piers. Instead, this charge caused a vertical displacement of the deck due to the confinement effect. Conversely, a 1000 kg TNT charge placed 100 cm above the deck caused significant damage to the bridge.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.92 no.2
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• pp.207-226
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• 2024

Recently, the phenomenon of disproportionate structural failure caused by blast load has grown more common in the field of engineering design. Blast-resistant analyses and designs have been developed by many structural techniques and methodologies to forecast the loads produced by a high explosive charge on structures with complicated geometry. These techniques are based on a good understanding of blast phenomena to analyze structures exposed to blast load. This paper provides a current state-of-the-art review of blast prediction and simulation methods to predict the design blast loads that are used to assess the structural response and damage level to an existing or new building. The damage criteria from the general design approach relevant to civil design applications in forecasting blast loads as well as structural system responses will be provided. Identifying the structures' expected damage class would aid in providing extra reinforcing or strengthening for damaged elements to meet the acceptance criteria or minimize damage by a suitable blast mitigation strategy. Based on identifying the damage class expected of a structure subjected to an explosion, blast mitigation strategies could be used to minimize damage and maximize the ability of the structure to function even after the explosion.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.572-579
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• 2009

This study is to investigate experimentally the flame structure and propagation mechanism in dust explosions and to provide the fundamental knowledge. Upward propagating laminar dust flames in a vertical duct of 1.8 m height and 0.15 m square cross-section are observed and flame front is visualized using by a high-speed video camera. Also, the thicknesses of preheated and reaction zone have been determined by a schlieren, electrostatic probe and thermocouple. The thickness of preheated zone in lycopodium dust flame is observed to be 4~13 mm, about several orders of magnitude higher than that of premixed gaseous flames. From the experimental results by a PIV(Particle Image Velocimetry) system, a certain residence time of the unburned particle in preheated zone is needed to generate combustible gas from the particle. The residence time will depend on preheated zone thickness, particle velocity and flame propagation velocity.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.225-236
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• 2012

The Fukushima-Daiichi accident shook the world, as a well-known plant design, the General Electric BWR Mark I, was heavily damaged in the tsunami, which followed the Great Japanese Earthquake of 11 March 2011. Plant safety functions were lost and, as both AC and DC failed, manoeuvrability of the plants at the site virtually came to a full stop. The traditional system of Emergency Operating Procedures (EOPs) and Severe Accident Management Guidelines (SAMG) failed to protect core and containment, and severe core damage resulted, followed by devastating hydrogen explosions and, finally, considerable radioactive releases. The root cause may not only have been that the design against tsunamis was incorrect, but that the defence against accidents in most power plants is based on traditional assumptions, such as Large Break LOCA as the limiting event, whereas there is no engineered design against severe accidents in most plants. Accidents beyond the licensed design basis have hardly been considered in the various designs, and if they were included, they often were not classified for their safety role, as most system safety classifications considered only design basis accidents. It is, hence, time to again consider the Design Basis Accident, and ask ourselves whether the time has not come to consider engineered safety functions to mitigate core damage accidents. Associated is a proper classification of those systems that do the job. Also associated are safety criteria, which so far are only related to 'public health and safety'; in reality, nuclear accidents cause few casualties, but create immense economical and societal effects-for which there are no criteria to be met. Severe accidents create an environment far surpassing the imagination of those who developed EOPs and SAMG, most of which was developed after Three Mile Island - an accident where all was still in place, except the insight in the event was lost. It requires fundamental changes in our present safety approach and safety thinking and, hence, also in our EOPs and SAMG, in order to prevent future 'Fukushimas'.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.165-173
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• 2016

On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale and subsequent 10-.14 m waves struck the Fukushima Daiichi (FD) Nuclear Power Plant. The main and backup electric power was damaged preventing the cooling system from functioning. Fuel rods overheated and led to hydrogen explosions. If heat in the fuel rods is not dissipated, the nuclear fuel coating material (e.g., Zircaloy) reacts with water vapor to generate hydrogen at high temperatures. This hydrogen is released into the containment area. If the released hydrogen burns, the stability of the containment area is significantly impacted. In this study, researchers performed an explosion analysis in a high-risk explosion area, analyzing the hydrogen distribution in a containment building [1] and the effects of a hydrogen explosion on containment safety. Results indicated that a hydrogen explosion was possible throughout the containment building except the middle area. If an explosion occurs at the top of the containment building with more than 40% of the hydrogen collected or in the bottom right or left side of the of containment building, safety of the containment building could be threatened.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.49-53
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• 2020

This study aimed to identify the characteristics of 40 chemical accidents that occurred in Jeollabuk-do from 2004 to 2019. During this time, there were 2.5 accidents per year on average in the province; their types were classified as spill/leak, fire, explosion, adverse reaction, and complex. There were 34 leaks and six explosions, and they are categorized as follows: 12 by worker error, 16 from facility defects, and 12 by transport vehicle accidents. The substances involved in these accidents were ammonia (15%), sulfuric acid (12.5%), and silicon tetrachloride (7.5%). Notably, the rate of chemical accidents (75%) is the highest during spring and summer. In order to reduce chemical accidents, first, there should be compliance with the relevant laws. Second, the quality of safety education and training of workers should be improved. Finally, valuable government support is also necessary to improve facilities.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.629-637
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• 2017

Severe dust explosions occurred frequently in food processing industries and explosion damage increase by flame propagation in pipes or plants. However there are few fire explosion data available due to various powder characteristics. We investigated the characteristics of ignition and explosion on sugar, cornstarch and flour dust with high frequency accidents and high social demand. The measurements showed the median diameter of 27.56, 14.76, $138.5{\mu}m$ and ignition temperature has been investigated using by thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The maximum explosion pressure ($P_m$) and dust explosion index ($K_{st}$) of sugar, cornstarch and flour are 7.6, 7.6, 6.1 bar and 153, 133, 61 [$m{\cdot}bar/s$], respectively. The flame propagation time in duct was calculated in order to evaluate the damage increase due to flame propagation during dust explosion. The explosion hazard increase due to flame propagation was higher in the order of sugar, flour and cornstarch dust.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.618-622
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• 2017

Gasoline is a widely used product as a source for energy in homes, the automotive industry, and for industrial power generation, and it is also a product with a high risk of fire and explosion. In this study, to examine the risk for explosion for gasoline, PG, MG and RG, which are categorized according to octane number, were used as test specimens to measure their explosion limit according changes in oxygen concentration. The explosion limit for 21% oxygen concentration in air were confirmed to be 1.5~10.9%, 1.4~8.1%, and 1.3~7.6%, respectively, and the MOC for each of the test sample were confirmed to be 10.9%. The explosion limit measured in the test performed in this study confirmed between a 1.2%~7.6% wider explosion limit for the currently accepted MSDS for gasoline, and therefore it is considered that the results of this study can provide significant reference for preventing fires and explosions for process used gasoline.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.73-78
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• 2017

In this paper, the fire risk using a bimetal type thermometer for construction installation is presented. Because construction equipment is used widely in the field and the site is exposed to explosions and fire by combustible gas or fume, strong restrictions on the structure and usage are applied. Moreover, the risk of fire increases as precise temperature measurements are poorly conducted via an inner temperature sensor inside construction furnace. Therefore, this paper presents the results of structural analysis of a bimetal temperature sensor which is used widely in construction installation and temperature measurement experiments relative to the material property of the target object. The results revealed the relatively precise temperature of the liquid object, whereas those of the gas and solid object showed a lower temperature compared to the real temperature. This shows that bimetal-type temperature sensor is more suitable for measuring a liquid state object than measuring a gas or solid state object.