A scheme for the classification of explosions in the chemical process industry.
All process industry accidents fall under three broad categories-fire, explosion, and toxic release. Of these fire is the most common, followed by explosions. Within these broad categories occur a large number of sub-categories, each depicting a specific sub-type of a fire/explosion/toxic release. But whereas clear and self-consistent sub-classifications exist for fires and toxic releases, the situation is not as clear vis a vis explosions. In this paper the inconsistencies and/or shortcomings associated with the classification of different types of explosions, which are seen even in otherwise highly authentic and useful reference books on process safety, are reviewed. In its context a new classification is attempted which may, hopefully, provide a frame-of-reference for the future.
Centre for Pollution Control & Energy Technology, Pondicherry University, Kalapet, Puducherry 605014, India.
Tasneem
T
Abbasi
H J
HJ
Pasman
S A
SA
Abbasi
D002617:Chemical Industry; D005107:Explosions