Overpressure liquid propane

The explosive phenomena produced by contact of liquefied gases with water were studied. Chlorodifluoromethane produced explosions when the liquid-water temperature differential exceeded 92°C, and propene did so at differentials of 96-109°C. Liquid propane did, but ethylene did not, produce explosions under the conditions studied [1], The previous literature on superheated vapour explosions has been critically reviewed, and new experimental work shows the phenomenon to be more widespread than had been thought previously. The explosions may be quite violent, and mixtures of liquefied gases may produce overpressures above 7 bar [2], Alternative explanations involve detonation driven by phase changes [3,4] and do not involve chemical reactions. Explosive phase transitions from superheated liquid to vapour have also been induced in chlorodifluoromethane by 1.0 J pulsed ruby laser irradiation. Metastable superheated states (of 25°C) achieved lasted some 50 ms, the expected detonation pressure being 4-5 bar [5], See LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS, SUPERHEATED LIQUIDS, VAPOUR EXPLOSIONS... 

Liquid propane spills into 341 K water. Explosive vaporization always occurred and the delay between the start of the spill and the event was typically 0.2 sec. Strain-gauge pressure transducers were located 7.6 cm under the water interface and also in the air, 1.38 m from the spill container. The overpressure data are shown in Table I. The highest overpressure measured in the water was 410 kPa (60 psi) and the highest... 

Fuel - Fuel supplies to boilers, furnaces, gas turbine and engine drivers, etc., are designed with features such as multiple fuels, propane vaporizer backup, and a liquid fuel surge tank, to promote reliabihty. The failure of any one fuel to a process unit or utihty generation facihty is used as the basis for evaluating a potential overpressure. 

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