What is an Explosion? Which Environments are Explosive?
What is an Explosion? Which Environments are Explosive?
WHAT IS AN EXPLOSION? It is a chemical reaction or change that occurs with a very rapid gas expansion and generally the release of heat. The explosion creates a shock wave in the surrounding environment. Generally, explosions occur in enclosed
WHAT IS AN EXPLOSION?
An explosion is a rapid gas expansion resulting from a sudden combustion process. This expansion causes a sudden increase in pressure by creating an explosion wave. Explosions are generally characterized by high temperature, pressure, and noise.
For explosions to occur, three factors called the explosion triangle must come together: oxygen, fuel, and an ignition source. These three factors initiate the combustion reaction necessary for explosions to take place.
Explosions can occur in different environments, for example in containers or facilities filled with explosive gases, dusts, liquids, and other materials. Explosions often cause serious injuries, deaths, significant damage, and fires
Generally, explosions occur in enclosed spaces. When there is a flammable gas or vapor of a combustible liquid inside a tank or building in an enclosed space, it ignites with a very small spark. Starting from the ignition point, the flame rapidly spreads inside the enclosed volume. The temperature of the gas inside increases, and the gas expands. The expanding gas moves forward in the form of pressure waves, compressing the gas in front of the flame, and the gas heats up further as a result of compression. When the flame reaches this compressed section, it continues to combust at a high speed. Since the combustion area is partially or completely enclosed, the explosion occurs at the moment the combustion reaches its highest speed.
Solid particles in dust form also have explosive characteristics with air (oxygen) at certain ratios. If there is an ignition source, these particles start to burn explosively and can turn into a series of explosions by igniting dust and air mixtures in the surrounding area.
For a dust to explode, it must be combustible; however, not every combustible dust will explode. There are certain concentration limits inside an explosion similar to the flash in combustion, called explosive limits. Explosions do not occur at concentrations below or above these limits.
As understood from the definitions, the combustion and explosion characteristics of substances depend on their flash points.
Flash points are important because it is the vapor of the liquid, not the liquid itself, that creates the fire hazard. As the flash point decreases, the fire hazard increases. Liquids with flash points lower than atmospheric temperature generate large amounts of vapor when heated.
WHAT IS AN EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERE?
Explosive atmospheres are places where explosive, flammable, and combustible gas, dust, or vapor mix with air to a point that becomes explosive. For explosive atmospheres to form and pose a danger, three elements must come together.
A. ; Explosive, flammable and combustible gas, vapor, or dust
B: Air (Oxygen)
C: Energy, a spark or power source that will ignite the explosion.
If one of these three elements is eliminated, there is no explosion hazard.
