Assessment of Gas Cylinder Destruction from the Action of the Flame of a Horizontal Torch when Calculating Fire Risk



Annotation:

The paper considers potential hazard of block placement of the cylinders with hydrogen and acetylene at the open technological site. The piping of the cylinders of the unit and shut-off and reducing valves are not considered. Analysis of the possibility of cylinders destruction in the block from the action of a horizontal torch during a jet outflow of gas from an emergency cylinder is presented. At the design stage, the prerequisites are considered for excluding from the fire risk calculation the scenario associated with the cascaded destruction of neighboring gas cylinders from the action of a horizontal torch. In the calculation of fire risk, the action of a horizontal torch on the adjacent cylinders leads to their destruction along the entire length of the burning torch. The main parameters of the jet outflow of hydrogen and acetylene from the holes of various diameters in the cylinder body are calculated. Graphical dependences of the maximum value of the thermal radiation of horizontal and vertical torches during the combustion of hydrogen and acetylene at different distances from the source were obtained by a numerical method. Based on the video material of the fire in the warehouse of acetylene cylinders, a qualitative assessment of the duration of the onset of cascaded destruction of cylinders in blocks is presented. Various methods of testing and fire effects on gas cylinders are analyzed to identify the minimum duration before the hull depressurization. The factors that can cause damage to the acetylene cylinder body without destruction are presented. The parameters of the acetylene-oxygen flame used for cutting metals of various thicknesses are evaluated and compared with the flare outflow from the cylinder. The minimum duration of flame exposure to the cylinder body, for through-burning, is substantiated, depending on the design and the stored gas. Additional ways of protecting gas cylinders in the block from possible exposure to the flame of a horizontally flowing gas jet are proposed.

References:
1. On the approval of the methodology for determining the calculated values of fire risk at the production facilities: order of the EMERCOM of Russia of July 10, 2009 № 404. Available at: https://www.mchs.gov.ru/dokumenty/667 (accessed: October 10, 2021). (In Russ.).
2. Tarasov V.V. Calculation of the Ideal Gas Outflow Time from the Reservoir of Constant Volume into the Environment with a Constant Pressure at an Adiabatic Process. Vestnik Tyumenskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Fiziko-matematicheskoe modelirovanie. Neft, gaz, energetika = Tyumen State University Herald. Physical and Mathematical Modeling. Oil, Gas, Energy. 2016. Vol. 2. № 2. pp. 84–95. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.21684/2411-7978-2016-2-2-84-95
3. ALOHA. Example Scenarios. Available at: https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/ALOHA_Examples.pdf (accessed: October 10, 2021).
4. Welding gas tanks explode near Dallas. Available at: https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna19954072 (accessed: October 10, 2021).
5. In the USA, the store selling acetylene exploded due to outdated equipment. Available at: https://www.1tv.ru/n/205193 (accessed: October 10, 2021). (In Russ.).
6. Miller S.A. Acetylene, its properties, preparation, and application. In 2 volumes. Vol. 1. Leningrad.: Khimiya, 1969. 680 p. (In Russ.).
7. Hooker Ph., Hodges J., Geary B., Wakefield Sh. Investigation of an acetylene cylinder explosion incident. Available at: https://www.icheme.org/media/11834/hazards-26-paper-06-investigation-of-an-acetylene-cylinder-explosion-incident.pdf (accessed: October 10, 2021).
8. Miller S.A., Penny E. Hazards in handling acetylene in chemical processes particularly under pressure. Available at: https://www.icheme.org/media/8404/i-paper-13.pdf (accessed: October 10, 2021).
9. GOST Р 55559—2013. Composite cylinders for liquefied petroleum gases at pressure up to 2,0 MPa. General technical requirements. Test methods. Available at: https://docs.cntd.ru/document/1200105250 (accessed: October 10, 2021). (In Russ.).
10. Salamonowicz Z., Polka M., Batko P. The explosion of acetylene cylinders — case study. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320556360_The_explosion_of_acetylene_cylinders_-_case_study (accessed: October 10, 2021).
11. Amigud D.Z. Handbook of a young gas welder and gas cutter. 2-e izd., ispr. i dop. Moscow: Vysshaya shkola, 1977. 184 p. (In Russ.).
12. GOST 949—73. Small and medium volume steel cylinders for gases for Рр ≤ 19,6 MPa (200 kgf/sm2). Specifications. Available at: https://docs.cntd.ru/document/1200001921 (accessed: October 10, 2021). (In Russ.).
DOI: 10.24000/0409-2961-2022-1-71-76
Year: 2022
Issue num: January
Keywords : fire risk gas cylinder horizontal torch jet outflow
Authors:
  • Batmanov S.V.
    Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Assoc. Prof., svbatmanov@gmail.com Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, Moscow, Russia