Evaluation of BLEVE risks of tank wagons carrying flammable liquids

Risto Lautkaski

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The behaviour in an engulfing fire of tank wagons loaded with petrol or crude oil has been simulated with the ENGULF II code. The base case was a 30-min pool fire with a black body temperature of 850 °C. In a sensitivity analysis, the black body temperature was reduced to 800 °C or the flames were assumed to engulf half the tank surface. The tank wagon was assumed to be overturned or the seal of the loading hatch was assumed to blow out. The survival of a Finnish petrol tank wagon was found to be sensitive to minor changes in tank or fire parameters and thus difficult to predict in accident situations. A Russian crude oil tank wagon would become shell full of liquid early into a fire and probably survive a 30-min pool fire. The different behaviour of simulated tank wagons loaded with petrol and crude oil is supported by accident data.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)117-123
JournalJournal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries
Volume22
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2009
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

Keywords

  • crude oil
  • fire engulfment
  • petrol
  • simulation
  • tank wagons

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