Effect of the geometric shape of an exploding cloud and the location of initiation of combustion on the parameters of the blast wave

Abstract

When burning gases accidentally flow out into an unbounded space, a dangerously explosive cloud, whose shape depends on the conditions of outflow, the meteorological conditions, and the properties of the gas, forms [i]. Gases such as propane, propylene, butadiene, and others whose density i~ greater than that of air form an oblate cloud, whose height is less than its transverse dimensions. If the source of burning gas operates continuously and a wind is blowing, then a prolate cloud, characterized by the fact that one dimension (length) is much greater than the other dimensions, can form. Other forms of dangerously explosive clouds can also form: Thus, in the case when gas flows out of a pipeline or a reservoir a jet forms with an internal distribution of the concentration of hot gas such that a dangerously explosive cloud whose shape is close to that of an ellipsoid of revolution with the ratio between the axes depending on the velocity of outflow and the size of the source forms.