Steam evolution rate from quenched metal and peak chamber pressure

[visualbill]

I have a process vessel that normally runs in a vacuum (about 15 torr). It is a double jacketed water cooled vessel containing molten metal (Silicon). Since the vessel is under vacuum, the vessel is not required to be ASME. However, because it has a cooling water jacket under pressure, and because the equipment contains a lot of stored energy, and because an extreme failure could potentially result in molten metal in contact with cooling water, we require that the vessels be designed per ASME methods and techniques.

We require that a potential steam explosion be mitigated by controlled release of the steam through over-pressure vents, but in the case where the over-pressure vents are overwhelmed we require the equipment flanges to open and vent the excess in a safe way.

My question is this - where can I find references for the following topics:
1) Evolution rate of steam when quenching molten metal.
2) Conservative technique for calculating peak pressure for vessel during a steam explosion.
3) Calculation of Cv or pressure drop through a large diameter flange separation.

Thanks.

 

[cloa]

Hopefully others can skip the little part that Silicon is not a metal.

 

[visualbill]

Technically - true - it is a semiconductor, but at elevated temperature it behaves as a metal ( electrically conductive, magnetic permeability, etc.) and the temperatures are comparable to steel or other metals.

As far as steam generation is concerned - no difference other than the material properties.