Large-scale Fireball from Accidental Explosions

Abstract

This paper reviews the features and hazards of large-scale fireball generated by accidental explosions. A catastrophic failure of storage vessel of flammable materials in a fire can lead to a fireball. The estimation of diameter and duration of fireball based on various experiments are discussed. The results calculated by empirical equations agreed reasonably well with the experimental data. The results demonstrated that the size and duration of the fireball depend on the mass of fuel. Additionally, in this article, the experimental investigations on fireball dynamics after rupture of 35 MPa and 70 MPa high-pressure hydrogen tank in a fire are described, and the results were used to validate the development of CFD model.