Thermal radiation assessment of fireballs using infrared camera

• Published in: Journal of loss prevention in the process industries Vol. 54; pp. 246 - 253
• Main Authors: Blankenhagel, Paul, Wehrstedt, Klaus-Dieter, Mishra, Kirti Bhushan, Steinbach, Jörg
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2018
• Subjects: Fireball; Infrared camera; Organic peroxide; Safety distances; Thermal radiation; Fireball; Thermal radiation; Safety distances; Infrared camera; Organic peroxide
• ISSN: 0950-4230
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jlp.2018.04.008

The thermal radiation impact of organic peroxide fireballs is experimentally assessed using an infrared camera. Fireballs are generated while liquid peroxide filled steel drums are subjected to gas burner fire at different heating rates. Three large burning clouds are observed with varying flame characteristics. Thermal radiation properties are assessed by infrared images with the presented methods. Despite of the two-dimensional temperature fields, the flames are treated and characterized as three-dimensional objects. Fireball diameters and heights are calculated based on a representing radiating sphere with the same cloud volume. By the use of the solid flame model and assumptions for emissivity and transmissivity, heat fluxes and thermal radiation doses against distance are predicted. Thermal safety distances are presented based on the maximum irradiance and the allowed exposure time. The validation of the maximum and time-dependent radiation fields is achieved through heat flux sensors in varying distances to the fireball. The results prove the use of an infrared camera and a volume based size calculation to fully assess the thermal radiation hazards of fireballs. •A modified thermal radiation assessment of 3D fireballs by using 2D infrared images is described.•The differences of a 2D and 3D treatment are highlighted.•The theory is proved with experimental data of three large peroxide fireballs.