APPLICATION OF TURBULENT COMBUSTION MODELS TO EXPLOSION SCALING

Current turbulent combustion correlations, that have been used to deri ve explosion scaling methodologies, are based on data with little or n o variation of scale and with relatively low turbulence levels. In thi s paper some direct evidence of the effects of scale on the burning ra te is presented. Previous approaches to explosion scaling are critical ly reviewed. On the basis of a new turbulent combustion correlation an explosion overpressure scaling model is derived in terms of the obsta cle shape, pressure loss characteristics, scale of the experiment (or application) and a number of mixture properties. It is demonstrated th at from a single laboratory-scale experiment, wide ranging predictions covering most aspects of interest can be carried out, on the basis of the model, and the results are shown to be in good agreement with the experimental data.