Posted on 05/09/2013 7:58:17 AM PDT by Old Sarge
There are signs on the highways near Allentown that I-81 was closed near Harrisburg.
That would be Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion.
I've helped design tank farms and loading facilities. I am familiar with the cause of such events.
A BLEVE occurs when a vessel containing a superheated liquid (e.g., propane) catastrophically fails, usually as a result of external fire exposure (i.e., a pool fire under the vessel or a jet- or torch-type fire impinging on the vessel walls). The fire pressurizes the vessel, causing the relief valve to open, which allows the pressurized vapor to escape. As the liquid level in the vessel decreases, the flames impinge on the vessel wall above the liquid level. The vessel wall rapidly heats up due to the poor heat transfer provided by the vapor on the inner side of the vessel wall. The wall weakens and then tears, resulting in a sudden catastrophic failure of the vessel. BLEVE events have also been known to occur as a result of vessel failure from mechanical impact, corrosion, overpressurization, or metallurgical failure.
The consequences of a BLEVE event are (1) the overpressure blast wave that is generated as a result of the rapid expansion of the superheated liquid, (2) the fireball thermal radiation generated as a result of the rapid combustion of the released flammable material, and (3) the potential vessel fragments that may be propelled as missiles. BLEVE events have the potential for causing injury and/or facility damage at significant distances from the source of the BLEVE.
You are correct of course about BLEVE.
That’s what I get for posting from my mobile, like now ;-)
Very few people understand class B fires and fires vs. explosions from vapors (not liquids). I know years ago firefighters school was an eye opener for me.
Much rather attack a pool of burning fuel than a partially ruptured multi-compartmented vessel like that tanker; especially since there wasn’t a water source any where near to cool the metal and the fuel.
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