(44bv) Dust Flame Propagation in Industrial Scale Piping - Part 2: CFD Study of a Conveying Vessel-Pipeline System

Dust Flame Propagation in Industrial Scale Piping - Part 2: CFD Study of a Conveying Vessel-Pipeline System

Jim Vingerhoets¹, Thomas M. Farrell², Jef Snoeys¹

¹ Fike Europe, Toekomstlaan 52, BE-2200 Herentals, Belgium

² Fike Corporation, 704 SW 10th Street, Blue Springs, MO 64015, USA

The use of pipes to connect vessels and transport hazardous materials, such as flammable gases or dusts, is a common practice in the process industry. The potential of fires and explosions has been recognized for decades and is addressed in standards NFPA 68 [1] and NFPA 69 [2].  The experimental evidence on dust flame propagation is scarce, and specific attention is given to expand the knowledge in this field. The purposes of this paper are to present the results of a parametric CFD study validated by experimental evidence and to further develop a detailed understanding of combustion propagation in industrial scale piping.

A first paper [3] presented the results of a current research program conducted to develop a detailed understanding of dust flame propagation, using a piping system connected to a 5 m³ vented initiating vessel.  

In order to study the application beyond the experimental tested configurations, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used. CFD enabled confirmation and expansion of the knowledge on and insights in the effects of vessel volume and pressure, fuel characteristics and flow conditions.

Upstream and downstream explosion propagation behavior are studied as function of fuel reactivity and type, vessel fuel concentration,  pipeline fuel concentration, flow velocity, vessel volume, vent area, vent location, vent burst pressure, ignition location, pipe diameter and length.

REFERENCES

1. NFPA 68, Standard on Explosion Protection by Deflagration Venting, 2007
2. NFPA 69, Standard on Explosion Prevention Systems, 2008
3. T. M. Farrell, J. Vingerhoets, J. Snoeys, J. E. Going, Dust Flame Propagation in Industrial Scale Piping - Part 1: Experimental Study in a Conveying Vessel-Pipeline System, Submitted for 9^th Global Congress on Process Safety, San Antonio, April 28 - May 1, 2013