Risk Analysis of Pressurized Gas Release

Abstract

The study addressed one of the knowledge gaps in compressed gas safety, i.e., a predictive model to analyze explosive failure of  natural gas (CNG) cylinder. The predictive model is a numerical model tested using experimental data. It accounts for the real gas effects, physical energy and combustion of the flammable gas. One of the concerns comes from pressurized gas cylinder is energy associated with compression. An unintentional rupture of a compressed cylinder filled with the natural gas would generates a rapid energy release in the form of the pressure energy. The result of  release energy causes rapid mixing of released gas. The rapid mixing while may generate high overpressure, it may also cause flash fire. These effects are nuemriacally simulated and validated using experimental data. This study identify critical points for safer operation of complex CNG systems.