Lecture10-UniMAPPortal.pptVIP

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * FIRES AND EXPLOSION LECTURE 10 Fire Triangle Fuels: Liquids:gasoline,acetone Solids: plastic,wood dust,fibers Gases: acetylene,propane,hydrogen Oxidizers: Gases: oxygen,fluorine,chlorine Liquids:hydrogen peroxide,nitric acid Solids: metal peroxides,ammonium nitrite Ignition sources: Sparks,flames,static electricity,heat Difference between fires and explosions Rate of energy release Fires release energy slowly, explosions release energy rapidly Fires can result from explosions, explosions can result from fires Analogy example: automobile tire. Compressed air within tire contain energy. If energy is released slowly through nozzle, tire is harmlessly deflated. But if tire ruptures suddenly and all energy within the compressed tire releases rapidly, the result is dangerous explosion Definition Combustion or fire: chemical reaction which a substance combines with an oxidant and releases energy Ignition: ignition of a flammable mixture may be caused by flammable mixture coming in contact with a source of ignition with sufficient energy or the gas reaching a temperature high enough to cause the gas to autoignite Autoignition temperature: a fixed temperature above which adequate energy is available in the environment to provide an ignition source Flash point: flash point of a liquid is the lowest temperature at which it gives off enough vapor to form an ignitable mixture with air Flammability limits: Vapor-air mixtures will ignite and burn only over a well-specified range of compositions. Mixtures will not burn when composition is lower than the lower flammable limit (LFL). Mixture is also not combustible when it is above the upper flammable limit (UFL). Mixture is flammable only when the composition is between LFL and UFL Explosion:rapid expansion of gases resulting in a rapidly moving pressure or shock wave. The expansion can be mechanical or can be the result of a rapid chemical reaction Deflagration: an explosion in wh