Ithough there is a wide range of explosions types, vapor cloud explosions are a ry concem in the petrochemical industry. Because there are no codes or ry standards for determining what blast overpressures should be used, the 1 blast loads are usually supplied by the facility owner. Considering the wide y of processes, it is easy to understand why these overpressures will be different fone owner to the next and even for different locations within a single facility owners have several hazard levels which are used to classify different plant These hazard levels are based on the material handled and the process used. ae actual design overpressures may be stated to the design engineer in two The simplest is a set blanket statement such as; “All buildings shall be designed for a peak reflected overpressure of X psi (kPa), a peak side-on overpressure of Y psi (kPa), and duration of Z milliseconds.” 1 4 | t FIGURE 3.4: Idealized Equivalent Pressure Loadb. A further refinement is to specify overpressures and durations based on distance between the structure and a potential source. The distances ma given in stepped blocks or a continuous function. The building engi would then determine design loads based on the appropriate distance The basis for the above design criteria may have been developed from a xific study, from commonly used criteria, or from historical data, A site specific study is the most comprehensive approach. Site specific studic ntify and quantify explosion hazards are usually conducted by the owner's pro ety Specialist or by specialty consultants. There are several steps which need t en, each of which may be done in a variety of ways. The steps are outlined bc h some of the available methods. More detailed information is available in C ilding Guidelines and API RP 752. 1. Define the release: This step may be based on a worst possible case base the maximum amount of material within a process loop, or a worst prob (credible) case selected from a hazards review . Formation of an explosive cloud: This step is often done using two comp models. The first is a source emissions model which calculates what hap, at the interface between the contained material and the atmosphere into w it is being released. The second is a dispersion model which calculates the released material disperses and mixes with the air. 3. Amount of energy coniributing to the explosion: This may be based « fraction of the total amount of material available or by determining the 1 of the cloud that is within the flammable limits. It may be further refine looking at the level of confinement within the area of the cloud. 4. Caleulation of blast overpressure parameters: There are three in use today. One is the TNT Equivalency Method which results for vapor cloud explosions. The other two methods are the Strel Curves from Baker and the Multi-Energy Method from TNO 1985. | provide a family of curves based on flame speed or explosion strength. T curves are used to select dimensionless parameters which are then unscal determine the actual overpressures. jajor met! Overpressures may be determined at the point of the structure closest to urce and then applied to the entire structure. If the structure is large, the ave srpressure on the surface or the overpressure at the centroid of the surface ma ad. Normally a building should be designed considering the potential blast v m any horizontal direction, but not all directions simultaneously, Commonly used criteria includes SG-22 (withdrawn), and Cid (being revi: th documents specify at least two blast overpressures for buildings spaced 100 ' meters) from a vapor cloud explosion hazard as follows:High pressure, short duration, triangular shock loadi of 10 psi (69 kPa) with a duration of 20 milliseconds. Side-on overpri Low pressure, long duration, triangular loading: Side-on overpressure of (21 kPa) with a duration of 100 milliseconds. ese blast loadings have been widely used in the past for blast resistant hout the industry. However, many owners have developed specific \g criteria more in line with their spec umstances, With advances ling of vapor cloud explosions (Baker, CCPS Explosion Guidelines), the tr d the use of WCE based blast loads. ast overpressures are specific to compat processes and sites and ‘ore impractical to quantify a uniform minimum er maximum blast overpre ‘vey of the blast resistant design practices of some operating companie ictors within the industry shows that blast resistant design is considers ngs 50 to 1,200 feet (15 to 365 meters) from vapor cloud explosion ha ver, most industry standards cover buildings in the 100 to 400 foot (30 t ) range. The blast loading specified varies considerably depending on spacing and model used to quantify the explosion. Overall, the specified used for di n have side-on overpressures ranging from 1.5 to 15 psi ( Pa) with positive phase duration ranging from 20 to 200 ms. These loads a ngs spaced from 100 t© 200 feet (30 10 60 meters) from an explosion st ally, the greater the 5 g, the lesser the overpressure and impulse, b tthe duration of the blast leading. istorical data from industrial explosions are hard to accurately quantify as mly be approximated by back calculating from observed deformatio ures. Blast overpressures from vapor cloud explosions are especially diffi ify because they tend to be directional, come from multiple sources, anc site conditions. Additionally, there is less information available than for sives. In one company’s review of five recent vapor cloud explosion inci rasured at a range of 200 to 1,000 fect (60 to 300 meters), peak ref ares in the range from 2 psi (14 kPa) with a 35 ms duration to 12 psi (82 a 33 ms duration have occurred. These pressures correspond to si ressures ranging from | psi (7 kPa) to 5.5 psi (38 kPa). An extensive list ¢ fexplosion data is ineluded in Lenoir.