Flashback Flame Arrester Devices for Fuel Cargo Tank Vapor Vents

摘要

An experimental program was conducted to evaluate the flame quenching capability of four types of flame arresting devices suitable for installation on the fuel cargo tank vents aboard marine transport vessels. The four types of flame arresters included a single 30-mesh screen, a dual 20-mesh screen, a spiral-wound, crimped metal ribbon and a packed bed of Ballast rings. The testing in a 15.2-cm (6.0-in) diameter pipe facility simulated open environment flashback flame conditions as closely as practical. Both photographic and optical flame sensors were used to determine flame speed and flame penetration of bulk cargos were tested. These included: acetaldehyde, butane, ethylene, diethyl ether, gasoline, methanol, propane, and toluene. All four of the test arrestors successfully quenched a minimum of three flashback flames from all eight fuels with one exception--high speed ethylene flames penetrated the dual 20-mesh screen arrester on three tests. All four of the test arresters successfully withstood the sustained flame from a propane/air mixture for a test duration of 30 minutes. However, none of the arresters tested withstood the sustained flame from an ethylene/air mixture for more than 7 minutes.