Numerical study on the internal and external flow field of dust explosion venting

Explosive pressure relief is often used in process industries to reduce the hazardous effects of dust explosion in the conveyance pipeline. The effectiveness of venting and the conditions associated with the explosive dust cloud and venting area, however, have not been studied. In this research, aluminum dust explosion venting was modeled by a two-dimensional (2D) rotational-axis symmetric computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model. The simulations focused on the effect of vent size on the pressure development and flame behavior inside and outside the pipeline. The internal pressure and temperature decreased sharply with venting. The internal pressure rose after the explosion venting, but this increase was reduced as the venting coefficient K-v (K-v = S-v/S-p) increased. The external explosion damage range caused by the venting pressure expanded as K-v increased. The applied simulation method and results of this study provide critical information for dust explosion venting design safety and protection in chemical engineering.