Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

The release of hazardous substances into the atmosphere is one of the major factors of danger in modern industry. Vapour clouds of flammable substances resulting from the accidental release, may be ignited, burn, explode or detonate. The consequent pressure waves, high-velocity fragments, fire and fireballs emitting strong heat fluxes may destroy properties and cause human casualties. Major accidents, such as those at Flixborough (1974, UK), Mexico City (1984) and Ufa (1989, former USSR), are extreme examples of how dangerous the releases of liquefied hydrocarbons into the atmosphere are. Over the past decades increasing awareness of hazards posed by accidental fuel releases has stimulated worldwide research into formation, evolution, combustion, explosion of fuel clouds and their consequent effects. Large-scale fires and explosions following hydrocarbon releases into the atmosphere are analysed with the emphasis on the role of fluid dynamics. Recent results obtained in the Centre for Research in Fire and Explosion Studies, are used to discuss the following issues.