BLEVE: Safety distances estimation by simple models based on the Jakob number

Abstract

One of the most important points in the design of inherently safe processes is to estimate reliable distances among process units at preliminary stages of the plant project to minimize losses and damages caused by the potential occurrence of technological accidents. Therefore, in this paper the achievement of simple, general, dimensionless and reliable equations (Simple Dimensionless Models SDMs) for the direct estimation of safety distances considering the occurrence of BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion) event, is proposed. The developed models directly relate safety distances with critical design/operation variables (involved substance, vessel volume, target vulnerability and explosion temperature), which are easily accessible at early stages of the plant project. SDMs are achieved by analysing the influence of these simple variables on the safety distances, which are estimated using a selected rigorous model (Reference Model RfM). This task is simplified by the incorporation of the Jakob Number as an input variable, allowing to obtain dimensionless models and simultaneously an adequate representation of the explosion conditions and the involved substances. As result, the achieved SDMs demonstrate a particularly good fit with respect to the RfM estimations and, at the same time, reliability and versatility. As it is shown in the analysed study cases (involving critical decision variables for the process design and the system safety), the SDMs prove to be also accurate, general, and easily incorporable into more complex optimization problems (QRA analysis, design of emergency plans, safety distance estimation to minimize the probability of domino effects, optimal layout designs, among others).