Comparative analysis of BLEVE mechanical energy and overpressure modelling

The mechanical effects of a BLEVE are overpressure and ejection of fragments. Although fragments reach much longer distances, peak overpressure can be very strong over a certain area. Diverse authors have proposed methodologies for the estimation of the explosion energy and peak overpressure from these type of explosions, based on different thermodynamic and physical assumptions. Here these methodologies are commented and compared. Their predictions, which show an important scattering, are checked by comparison with two sets of experimental data taken from the literature. The results obtained indicate that none of the models take into account Reid's theory. The models based on ideal gas behaviour and constant volume energy addition, isentropic expansion and isothermal expansion give quite conservative (i.e., high) values of both energy released and overpressure, while those assuming real gas behaviour and adiabatic irreversible expansion give lower values, much closer to the real/experimental ones. The diverse uncertainty factors affecting the prediction of peak overpressure are also commented. (C) 2017 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.