Safety Aspects of Combustible Gases and Vapours

The critical energy E* of direct initiation of detonation wave (DW) is accepted as the main criterion parameter of detonation hazards of gaseous mixtures. The blast explosion approximation is proposed to use at experimental definition of E*. This technique is identically suitable both to various mixtures and various initiators with of large distinctions in the spatial-temporary energy-release characteristics (flame igniters, electrical or laser spark, exploding wire, explosive, high-speed bullet…). The priority at theoretical definition of critical detonation energy is given up to «multi-points» initiation model (MPI) based on DW transverse waves collisions as the microinitiators of a detonation («hot» points). The hazard parameters were calculated with the help of Computer Code «SAFETY». The basic parameters of detonation and explosive hazards of some typical fuels (interesting from scientific and practical points of view) are presented in a wide range of its concentration in mixtures with oxygen and air, and at dilution of inert gases. The dependence of critical initiation energy E* on percentage of fuel in a mixture allows to find out comparative detonation hazards of various combustible systems at plane, cylindrical and spherical initiation. Calculated results are in a good agreement with experimental data.

Keywords: detonation, explosive, combustion, catastrophes, ecology, safety, initiation