Experimental study of the initial pressure effect on methane‐air explosions in linked vessels

Abstract

This study experimentally addresses the pressure evolution during the closed and vented explosion progress of a methane‐air mixture ([CH4 = 10%]) in different vessel‐pipeline configurations at ambient initial temperature and different initial pressures. Based on the experimental measurements, it is found that the maximum values of both closed and vented explosion pressure increase linearly with the initial pressure in isolated and linked vessel scenarios. Compared with a vented explosion, the initial pressure has a greater impact on the explosion overpressure in an isolated vessel and a single spherical vessel connected to a pipe during a closed explosion. For the configuration of two spherical vessels connected by a pipe, the explosion overpressure in the primary vessel is always lower than that in the secondary vessel during both closed and vented explosions at each initial pressure. According to Chapman‐Jouget Detonation Theory (C‐J detonation theory), when the ignition is located in a large vessel, detonation is observed in the secondary vessel at an initial pressure of 0.08 MPa. The vent position and ignition position both have an influence on the extent of variation of the pressure differential between two vessels with a given initial pressure. For the configuration of a single vessel connected to a pipe, the initial pressure influences the maximum explosion pressure and vented explosion overpressure least in a small vessel when the ignition position is located in the small vessel. These conclusions can provide references for the safety design of chemical equipment. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Process Saf Prog 37:86–94, 2018

Numerical investigation of the in situ gas explosion fracturing and the enhancement of the penetration in coal seam boreholes

“…After the borehole is filled with oxidizer, the initial pressure in the borehole ranges between 0.1 and 1 MPa. Experimental results have shown that the initial pressure has a significant effect on the maximum pressure of the gas explosion and the rate of surge development 19–22 . Therefore, this paper is based on practice, in the pressure range of 0.1–1 MPa in six groups to carry out experimental studies to obtain pressure, surge variation, and other data.…”

Numerical simulation of the effect of diaphragm orifice diameter in a flameproof enclosure with an interconnected structure during pressure piling

“…Numerous experimental and numerical studies on pressure piling have focused on a connected device and considered the initial pressure, container-length-to-diameter ratio, and pipe diameter as boundary conditions. Razus et al studied connected devices consisting of cylindrical vessels of volumes 1180 and 170 cm 3 and pipes of lengths 4.35 cm (inner diameter: 3.0-8.3 cm) and revealed that the pipe diameter was the primary factor affecting the explosion of the connected device, and the explosion pressure increased with the decrease in the pipe diameter [8,9]. Zhen et al investigated the influence of the initial pressure on the explosion pressure of the connected pipes using a connected device composed of spherical vessels with volumes of 0.113 and 0.022 m 3 and two pipes of lengths 2 m and inner diameter 0.06 m. The experimental results revealed that the explosion pressure increased linearly with the increase in the initial pressure [10].…”

Numerical simulation of explosive properties of ethylene-air in flameproof enclosure with interconnected structure under pressure piling

“…The results demonstrated that changes in the structure of flameproof products could lead to pressure piling and interconnected structure, so that the explosion pressure increased instantly, flameproof enclosure internal structural changes would significantly change the explosion pressure. Chen et al [8] investigated the effect of wiring cavity on the explosion pressure of an flameproof motor. Through experimental analysis, the rotation state of the flameproof motor enhanced the turbulence.…”