The fire hazard of explosive regimes of liquefied ­natural gas evaporation

Introduction. The fire hazard of explosive regimes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) evaporation was analyzed on the basis of the published research findings. These regimes include the rollover and the rapid phase transition (RPT).

Characteristics of explosive regimes of LNG evaporation. Rollover occurs in LNG storage tanks in case of spontaneous mixing of LNG layers having different temperatures and densities. These layers emerge when the “fresh” product is loaded into a vessel containing the residual amount of product stored there before. A rapid increase in the LNG evaporation rate accompanies a pressure rise inside the tank, which can exceed an allowable pressure of the tank. RPT occurs at a contact of LND and water in the case of a release of liquefied natural gas onto a water surface. An explosive evaporation of LNG can cause in this case a formation of a shock wave and a large-scale vapor cloud.

Investigations of rollovers. It was mentioned that a stratification of LNG in a storage tank is a necessary condition of a rollover. Two layers with different temperatures and densities are formed during this stratification. A superheating of a lower layer occurs at a heat exchange between the LNG and tank walls with a decrease of a density of this layer. A preferential evaporation of light components of LNG (methane, nitrogen) takes place in the upper layer, and the density of this layer increases. When the densities of these layers are equalized a spontaneous mixing of these layers occurs with an explosive evaporation of the product in the lower superheated layer. A time delay of rollover can reach 60–70 hours after the supply of the “fresh” product into the tank with “old” product.

Investigations of a rapid phase transition. An energy released at the explosive evaporation and a pressure in a shock wave depend on many factors such as a LNG release rate, a position of a source of the LNG release — over or under a water level, a product composition, water temperature etc. It was found that a pressure hazardous for buildings and structures can take place at distances 250–500 m from the point of the release. The empirical correlation was proposed connecting a water temperature at the RPT occurrence and the superheating tempe­rature of LNG at which a boiling takes place in the regime of a homogeneous nucleation.

Conclusions. It was shown that a realization of the explosive regimes of the LNG evaporation increases a fire hazard of objects for a storage and a transportation of liquefied natural gas. Recommendations for a prevention of such regimes are formulated.

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