Fflammable gases and liquids are widely used in industrial processes but present significant explosion risks during storage, transportation and use. Since these gases are often transported through pipelines, suppressing the propagation of explosions within pipelines is critical to safety.
A team from Wuhan University of Technology's School of Safety Science and Emergency Management has investigated the potential of flame-retardant polyurethane foam to extinguish gas explosions in pipelines. They used a self-built gas explosion test platform to observe the impact of the location and length of foam filling in closed pipes on its explosion suppression performance.
They found that low-density polyurethane foam, with its uniform pores, had excellent flame retardant properties in the test pipes. After igniting the methane-air mixture inside a sealed pipe, at least 5 cm of porous material is sufficient to completely extinguish the flame during its propagation. They also found that the suppression effect was best when the infill length was 20 cm. The maximum explosion pressure was reduced by 86%.
They say the 3D network structure of the foam forces the flame to split into smaller flames, and the high surface area of the porous material ensures that the flame makes good contact with the material as it propagates into the pores. This allows more heat to be transferred to the pore structure, lowering the flame temperature and extinguishing it.
They believe it could have applications in chemical processing and oil and gas storage, including gas stations and storage tanks.
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