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Boilers building internal explosion

Boilers building internal explosion

Boilers building internal explosion

(OP)
I am modeling an internal explosion (natural gas) in a boiler building using Baker Strehlow explosion method. Any comments on how we should set the parameters, e.g degree of confinement( flame expansion) and obstacle density in a boiler building. building full of natural gas is considered souce of explosion.
Many thanks,
 

RE: Boilers building internal explosion

a matter to ponder . . .

"building full of natural gas is considered source of explosion" - not an explosive mixture until the molecule of O2 & ignition source are present.

not sure about "Baker Strehlow" method, but there are plenty examples of explosion in homes, commercial, and industrial complexes.

good luck!
-pmover

RE: Boilers building internal explosion

Boilers (power plant sized - I've not worked with smaller industrial/heater boilers) are either very, very loosely constrained by a much larger sheetmetal building around the boiler with an air gap that contains essentially "nothing" for several dozens of feet; or free-standing structures with no external sheetmetal (rare) weather coverings, or have a building outer steel very close to the boiler walls and insulation.  

Go visit three or four.   

The restraint against an internal explosion will be the boiler water walls and superheater pipe walls.  a continuous double wall of extremely thick-walled high-strength pipe welded between each adjacent pipe.  That pipe (if cold - the most likely time for a gas buildup and then explosion!) will be substantially below its high-temp yield strength and will offer both a large volume to hold the expanding gas as it tries to blow out and up the chimney, and a large "expansion" as it tries to deform from a four-sided flat-walled waterwall container into a balloon.  

Gas expansion modelling of the explosion forces trying to get through the superheater tubes and the feedwater heaters/heat recovery system and exhaust dust collectors will be difficult.

Then again, if you have a natural gas explosion potential, you not likely to have a (coal) dust collection system.

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