Abstract
Propylene is used for manufacturing commonly used raw materials and synthetic materials for petrochemical processes. However, it is a volatile and flammable material that poses fire and explosion risks. Nitrogen is inexpensive and can lower the propylene explosion limit because of the dilution effect when used as an inert gas. This study measures the explosion limit, minimum oxygen concentration (MOC), explosion pressure, explosion pressure rise rate, and deflagration index (Kg) values for propylene and nitrogen at 25 °C. Results showed that the lower explosion limit of the explosion range did not significantly change with an increase in pressure from 0.10 MPa to 0.25 MPa; however, the upper explosion limit increased significantly. Furthermore, the MOC decreased as pressure increased at 25 °C, while both the maximum explosion pressure and maximum explosion pressure rise rate increased, thereby increasing the explosion risk. The risk of propylene was predicted by the Kg values determined using the maximum explosion pressure rise rate and volume based on the experimental data. Therefore, through this study, we provide basic data on safety references for preventing fire and explosion accidents.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
A. Corma, F. V. Melo, L. Sauvanaud and F. Ortega, Catal. Today, 107–108, 699 (2005).
M. G. Sleenko, J. M. Boojdan, V. S. Beskov and I. D. Yemelyanov, J. Catal., 1(2), 197 (1962).
T. S. Lee, J. Y. Sung and D. J. Park, Fire Saf. J., 49, 62 (2012).
B. B. Bazalan, Effect of pressure on the fammability limits of acetylene, Bachelors thesis report, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, 11 (2012).
F. Van den Schoor, Influence of pressure and temperature on fammability limits of combustible gases in air, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 64–72 (2007).
G. Cui, S. Wang, Z. Bi and Z. Li, Fuel, 233, 159 (2018).
M. Mitu, M. Prodan, V. Giurcan, D. Razus and D. Oancea, Process Saf. Environ. Prot., 102, 513 (2016).
J. Casillas, O. Cordón, F. H. Triguero and L. Magdalena, Interpretability issues in fuzzy modeling, Springer, New York (2013).
S. Kundu, J. Zanganeh and B. Moghtaderi, J. Loss Prev. Process. Ind., 40, 507 (2016).
X. Shen, B. Zhang, X. Zhang and G. Xiu, J. Loss Prev. Process. Ind., 45, 102 (2017).
Y. Li, M. Bi, B. Li, Y. Zhou and W. Gao, Fuel, 233, 269 (2018).
V. Giurcan, M. Mitu, C. Movileanu, D. Razus and D. Oancea, Fire Saf. J., 111, 102939 (2020).
M. G. Zabetakis, Flammability characteristics of combustible gases and vapors, Bureau of Mines, Washington DC (1965).
M. Mitu and E. Brandes, Fuel, 203, 460 (2017).
Y. Koshiba, T. Takigawa, Y. Matsuoka and H. Ohtani, J. Hazard. Mater., 183, 746 (2010).
Z. Luo, L. Liu, F. Cheng, T. Wang, B. Su, J. Zhang, S. Gao and C. Wang, J. Loss Prev. Process. Ind., 58, 8 (2019).
T. S. Lee, J. Y. Sung and D. J. Park, Fire Saf. J., 49, 62 (2012).
X. Li, Q. Yu, N. Zhou, X. Liu, W. Huang and H. Zhao, Adv. Mech. Eng., 11(5), 1 (2019).
X. Yu, X. Yan, W. Ji, C. Luo, F. Yao and J. Yu, J. Loss Prev. Process. Ind., 59, 100 (2019).
American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM E918-83: Standard Practice for Determining Limits of Flammability of Chemicals at Elevated Temperature and Pressure, West Conshohocken, PA (2011).
Y. A. Cengel and J. M. Cimbala, Fluid mechanics: fundamentals and applications 4th Ed. in SI units, McGraw-Hill, New York (2019).
Y. A. Cengel and M. A. Boles, Thermodynamics an engineering approach 8th Ed., McGraw-Hill, New York (2014).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Choi, YJ., Choi, JW. Effects of inert gas addition, oxygen concentration, and pressure on explosion characteristics of propylene. Korean J. Chem. Eng. 38, 337–341 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-020-0699-7
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-020-0699-7