Technical documentation prepared for:
- Transport Canada
- Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs
- Propane Gas Association of Canada Inc.
This document is intended to go with the video of the same title, and will provide the viewer with additional technical information to support the content of the video. It is recommended that the video be viewed first, then this document should be read and discussed. This video and technical document have been prepared for emergency responders who may be called to a scene where a tank holding a pressure liquefied gas has been severely damaged by impact or by fire exposure. In this case a severe explosion is possible and the hazards can be far reaching. This document is not suggesting that all tanks in fires or other accidents will BLEVE. Tanks designed to carry pressure liquefied gases are very strong and safe. In recent experiments conducted to study the BLEVE it was very difficult to make the tanks BLEVE even though strong torch fires were applied to the tank vapour space wall area. However, if a fire is severe enough and long lasting enough, or if a tank has been weakened by impact or corrosion then a BLEVE can happen. The objective of this video is to provide some guidance as to the hazards involved if a BLEVE takes place. Suggestions are made regarding tactics so that responders are not exposing them-selves to unnecessary danger. This document in the format of questions and answers, and is organized in the following order:
i) general information about pressure liquefied gases
ii) what, why and hows of BLEVEs
iii) brief description of common safety devices
iv) hazards from BLEVEs
v) response tactics
vi) sample problems
CLICK HERE to download this training manual.