Essay Sample on BLEVE: A Potentially Devastating Chemical Industry Accident

Introduction

A Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion (BLEVE) is deemed as the most destructive accident that can be experienced in a chemical processing industry (Planas & Casal, 2016). BLEVE is experienced in terms of container failure, which leads to a release of energy that may happen violently and rapidly. In the process, a gas is released to the atmosphere, and the container propels because of overpressure rupture ("BLEVE: Facts, Risk Factors, and Fallacies," 2020). Notably, a BLEVE can be experienced in different forms. If the liquid inside a container is pressurized and the temperature rises more than that of a boiling point, a BLEVE is caused.

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When the vessel cannot withstand the pressure exerted inside as a result of high temperature, the container fails mechanically, leading to explosions (Lees, 2012). In most instances, BLEVE occurs based on some factors that are present at the time of its occurrence. One of the conditions is that the vessels have to be under pressure and the other factors include the need for ensuring that the pressure within the container has to be more than the strength of the container. A BLEVE occurs when the vessel is weakened through the fire, corrosion, or any impact.

From the video, the BLEVE can be seen through the fire flames. In the context of a BLEVE caused through the fire, it is hard to tell the time of occurrence based on limited exposure to fire. The ultimate aim of the first responder is to know the time the container was exposed to the tank. At very high speed, the fragment of the container is projected from the explosion center, causing severe damage with operators, facilities, property, and fatalities in industrial activities (Planas & Casal, 2016). For that reason, the explosion can be extremely hazardous to human life and can cause various disorders.

BLEVE Incident in Kingman, Arizona

On 5th July 1973, a catastrophic BLEVE incident occurred at Kingman, Arizona, which led to the demised of 11 firefighters ("City of Kingman, AZ," n.d.). The BLEVE occurred as a result of a fire that escalated out of transferred propane from a railroad care to a storage vessel. Across the world, the explosion at Kingman has formed to classical studies in fire department training program.

Before the incident, the Kingman Fire Department comprised of combined workforce 36 volunteers and six career firefighters working within and outside the two stations. Such that, a career firefighter was to be on duty on the two stations at the same time. At the time of the explosion, the equipment included a rescue vehicle and four engines.

At the time of the explosion, the storage tank was carrying approximately 33,500 gallons (LPG) that were intended to be transferred to two above-ground storage tanks situated about 70 yards away from the station ("City of Kingman, AZ," n.d.). During the transfer process, there were two men present. One of the men noticed a small leakage in one of the connections of the tanks during the transfer process. Thus, it was discovered that in normal operation, links should be tightened by using a non-sparking brass-alloy wrench to strike them. However, in the incident of Kingman, the workers were using an aluminum-alloy wrench where the leak continued the sparks caused the liquefied propane gas to ignite ("Kingman Rail Car BLEVE," 2016). As a result, the workers were thrown out of the car, receiving severe injuries, burns, and even death. The flame shot was estimated to be within the range of 70 and 80 feet into the air.

Kingman Firefighters were first called at around 1: 57 but arrived at the scene after three minutes ("Kingman Rail Car BLEVE," 2016). Discovering that they were not fully equipped, they sorted to keep the tank cool to avoid a further explosion. Sheriff's Office deputies, highway patrol, and Kingman police officers block the roads with an attempt to control the gathered people. Fire department member's setup unmanned nozzles to raise the amount of water flowing into the vessel.

Causal Factor

The BLEVE occurred as a result of a fire that escalated out of transferred propane from a railroad care to a storage vessel. The report estimated that fire burned for about ten minutes before the workers used water to cool the propane cars. In essence, water cannot fully extinguish burning propane, but the Department of Fire had no equipment that they could use to prevent a further explosion ("City of Kingman, AZ," n.d.). The flame popped out and vanished into the car twice. During this incident, large transfer horses were sending burning propane against every side of the tank car. If water was effectively applied to flame, the shell temperature could not rise above 212F, which is below the failure of steel temperature.

Debris and flames were sent for about 200 feet away. More than 100 people received burn during the incident ("City of Kingman, AZ," n.d.). The rained debris that was weakened by the flaming propane cause damages to the building and the spectators in the area. In the immediate neighborhood, many buildings were ignited by the burning propane.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the incident of BLEVE caused many damages to human life, landscape, and properties. However, as a result, researchers have developed standard procedures to handle a BLEVE. The Fire department is offered core lessons on how to prevent BLEVE and provided with the right equipment, which was not offered before.

References

BLEVE: Facts, Risk Factors, and Fallacies. (2020, January 16). Fire Engineering. https://www.fireengineering.com/2002/04/01/245469/bleve-facts-risk-factors-and-fallacies/#gref

City of Kingman, AZ. (n.d.). City of Kingman, AZ. https://www.cityofkingman.gov/government/departments-a-h/fire-department/bleve-memorial#ad-image-0

The Kingman Rail Car BLEVE. (2016, January 13). Firehouse. https://www.firehouse.com/rescue/article/10544591/the-kingman-rail-car-bleve

Lees, F. (2012). Lees' Loss Prevention in the Process Industries: Hazard Identification, Assessment and Control. Butterworth-Heinemann.

Planas, E., & Casal, J. (2016). BLEVE-Fireball. Handbook of Combustion, 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1002/9783527628148.hoc093