Explosion venting hazards of temperature effects and pressure characteristics for premixed hydrogen-air mixtures in a spherical container

Abstract

Explosion venting can effectively reduce the damage effect caused by accidental gas explosions during industrial production. Determining how to eliminate secondary disasters during an explosion is therefore a challenge that can be addressed through the application of explosion venting. This paper discussed the temperature effects and pressure characteristics of premixed hydrogen-air mixtures (PHAMs) in the safety design of vent devices. Tests were designed for the behaviours of hydrogen explosion venting under different bursting pressures. The variation in pressure was controlled by a pressure sensor on the inner wall of a spherical container, and the safety design was assessed theoretically. A high-speed photography device and infrared thermal imaging device were employed to capture the real-time flame field and temperature field during the hydrogen explosion venting process. A comparison of the dimensions of both fields revealed that the high-temperature area was smaller than the flame area. An evaluation of the dynamic hazard of hydrogen explosion venting was then performed based upon pressure characteristics and temperature effects. It was concluded that the prediction results of explosion venting diameter is crucial for industrial safety design.