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B.L.E.V.Es
I need some help guys! We're talking about BLEVEs at my next dept. meeting and honestly, I don't know what one is. Of course, I know the text book definition, but as a member of a rural dept., I've never dealt with one. If you feel like sharing, Please leave your experiences with these nasty little buggers..
Stay Safe,
Michelle
Stay Safe,
Michelle
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by FF Nick on
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Rural areas is where you may encounter BLEVE's more than city areas, unless your stacked with plants, factories, industrial areas. Alot of people keep propane tanks in sheds, barns, under porches, on them etc.
Here is great video of a rail car BLEVE. It shows the rail car being blown over half a mile from the tracks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf3WKTwHpIU&playnext_from=PL&...
5 gal portable tanks have the same effect, just on a smaller scale.
We've had one incident that I can recall on with a bleve, we had a barn catch fire out in a rural area that had some old propane tanks in it. All three we're empty and 2 of them split down the side. Luckily we were on defense that fire, nobody was hurt but it gave us a good scare. If your guys can't remember Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion. tell em it also means Big Loud Explosion Vaporizes Everything.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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Kingman Arizona is one of the more famous ones. From personal experience, a whole lot of heat and flames are given off in a very short burst of energy that also includes a pressure wave on top of the heat generated. It does get ones attention, right away considering that the noise is amazing as well. We try to prevent these things by using water to cool the exterior of the vessel, provided that you can do so safely. Practice your reverse lay unmanned monitor exercise and do it for time. Much safer to train where you are not on top of of the thing in case it blows... Good luck, bz
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Permalink Reply by Dennis Brown on
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Well back in the late 70 we had a gas tanker on fire the back end was fully involve when we got there after shuting down major highways and getting water on it the front end went boy talk about the biggest fire ball and sound you ran first and check everypart of your body to see if everthing was there the force put the tractor in the bld 1000 foot down the highway so i hope you never see one
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Permalink Reply by Michael Vito on
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Guys, this is a great topic for me. You have opened a door for me. For the last more than three years, in the Philippines. We notice the increase of Taxi's switching from gasoline / diesel to LPG fuel source because it much more cheaper and economical. I didn't thought of it in the beginning that what if those LPG powered cars caught fire? Is this kindaof of mini-BLEVE's but still... an explosion like that can still take out several cars beside it during traffic jam.
Guys, can you give me a best idea of tactics how to attack it beside doing it in a distance? thanks.
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Permalink Reply by Spanner 122 on
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We had one on a small scale one Christmas morning... two propane tanks under the patio, put a box of hot ashes on the patio, they smolder there way through, yada, yada, yada... when we arrived to find the back of the house fully involved, the second propane tank let go and went sailing into the air. Thankfully it went straight up and straight down... the tank did not explode, so much as become jet propelled.
They don't have to be huge to be dangerous.
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Permalink Reply by Jay Nicholson on
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5 gal portable tanks have the same effect, just on a smaller scale.
5gal propane tanks are not allowed anymore in multi-family(apt) dwellings. That's here and your mileage may vary.
I owned a p/u truck that ran on propane many years ago. And most of the city buses run on CNG now. As you can see, the opportunity for you to experience a bleve are many.
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Permalink Reply by Smoke Eater on
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How do you have a BLEVE on empty tanks? You have put down what it stands for. But according to the definition you have to have some type of liquid turning into a gas pushing outward on the container. Also the reason for this is that the heat on the tank has caused a failure in the metal. That mixed with the buildup of pressure inside the tank actually begins to rip the tank apart in a very violent explosion.
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Unfortunately, no. But we assume it has. Because the trend is almost majority of Taxis are LPG fueled. it's rare to see now taxis using conventional fuel because of high overhead expense. So LPG is an alternative source of fuel.
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Permalink Reply by Scott on
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Rarely are tanks that have ever been used "empty" they tend to have "residue". In some cases this can be several hundred gallons of product. It would depend on the type of tank and the product involved.
Early in my career I was at a fire that involved, as we were assured, an empty 3000 Gal Propane tank.
We could not put the fire out until a valve was closed. When all was said and done and the investigation was done the tank had been 1/2 to 3/4 full even though it had not been used in nearly 8 years. The tank was not visible until well into the fire because the property owner considering it "empty" piled all his other junk around and on top of it.
It was dumb blind luck we all weren't blown to the moon that night.
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