Yes, absolutely. A BLEVE is not restricted to materials that are gases at standard temperature and pressure (STP), such as propane, butane, or anhydrous ammonia. Any liquid—even non-flammable ones like water, as seen in catastrophic boiler explosions—can BLEVE if the right thermodynamic conditions are met prior to vessel failure.
The four stages of a BLEVE.
The Mechanism for an STP Liquid
For a flammable liquid (like gasoline, toluene, or hexane) that is normally a liquid at STP to undergo a BLEVE, it must be subjected to a specific sequence of events that drastically alters its thermodynamic state:
Sealed Containment: The liquid must be trapped in a closed, sealed vessel.
External Heating: An external heat source (typically an engulfing pool fire) heats the liquid and the tank.
Superheating & Pressurization: As the liquid absorbs heat, its temperature reaches and then exceeds its normal atmospheric boiling point. Because the vessel is sealed, the liquid cannot freely boil away; instead, the vapor pressure inside the tank increases dramatically. The liquid is now superheated relative to atmospheric pressure, held in a liquid state only by the elevated pressure inside the tank.
Vessel Failure: The external fire continues to heat the metal of the tank. The metal in the vapor space—where there is no liquid to act as a heat sink and absorb the thermal energy—weakens significantly. Eventually, the metal loses its tensile strength, and the elevated internal pressure tears the vessel open.
Rapid Depressurization & Flashing: The instant the tank ruptures, the internal pressure drops to atmospheric pressure (1 atm) in milliseconds. Because the liquid is far above its atmospheric boiling point, a massive portion of it instantaneously changes phase from liquid to vapor (flashes).
Explosion and Fireball: This instantaneous phase change results in a violent volumetric expansion, creating a devastating shockwave. Because the liquid is flammable, the rapidly expanding vapor cloud immediately ignites from the external fire, creating a massive radiant fireball.
Why Liquefied Gases are the “Classic” BLEVE
While STP liquids certainly can BLEVE, liquefied gases (like LPG/propane) are the most common culprits for a very specific thermodynamic reason: their starting state.
A liquefied gas is already superheated at ambient room temperature. It is only held in liquid form by the pressure of its own container. If a propane tank is struck by a forklift and the valve shears off, causing rapid depressurization, the liquid can flash and BLEVE without any external fire adding heat (though a fire often causes the initial failure and ignites the resulting cloud).
An STP liquid, on the other hand, is not superheated at ambient conditions. For an STP liquid to BLEVE, it must be subjected to massive external heating first to drive its temperature above its normal boiling point and build the necessary pressure before the tank fails.