Conference Papers
Enclosed chemical processes, laboratory facilities, boilers and reformer furnaces are typical examples of facilities and equipment where an internal VCE may be postulated to occur. The applied blast load history on the enclosure surfaces is required in order to assess the response of the enclosure to the postulated VCE. The internal blast pressure history and associated applied blast loads depend on a number of factors, such as: (1) the maximum flame speed attained in a flammable cloud, (2) the ratio of the cloud volume to the total enclosure volume, (3) the cloud location within the enclosure, and (4) the environment temperature. The purpose of work described in this paper was to investigate the dependence of internal blast pressure history and applied blast loads on the aforementioned factors. It was found that the applied loads on the enclosure surfaces can be roughly classified into two regimes: quasi-static and dynamic, depending on the combination of these factors. It can be important to identify the appropriate blast loading regime in order to properly analyze the structural response of the enclosure.
As the biofuels industry continues to expand in support of global decarbonization mandates and objectives, facility owners and developers are being challenged to balance production efficiency, operational reliability, and personnel safety.
As high hazard facilities, biofuels sites should focus on developing a fire protections strategy informed by performance-based analysis so strategies implemented meet the unique challenges found at each facility.
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