When dealing with pressurised vessels, it is typically necessary to assume a defensive stance until the heat source is eliminated. We tend to link boiling liquid expanding vapour explosions, also known as BLEVEs, with occurrences involving hazardous goods, such as train cars or big propane fixed tanks located inside a business or industrial facility. On the other hand, the truth is that we may end up in one of these predicaments everywhere there are pressurised cylinders.
The residential address is a single-story, which indicates that there is a good chance that each of the backyards of the individual units contains more than one propane tank. In the accompanying video, we see a situation in which there are many oxygen cylinders present within the residential structure. Additionally, there is a grill outside the building with a propane cylinder attached to it.
BLEVE BASICS
An update on the BLEVEs in a nutshell. A BLEVE is a pressure vessel containing liquid fuel-like propane. The liquid is under pressure while it is in its normal state. Still, the pressure vessel ensures that it is kept safely contained within the vessel. As soon as a heat source, such as a fire, is introduced to the pressure vessel, it begins to boil the liquid within, resulting in a rise in pressure.
As the liquid evaporates, there will be a rise in the pressure inside the container, which will cause it to exert more force against the vessel’s walls. At the same time, the heat source is thinning the walls of the vessel, and in the future, the vessel’s structure will break, which will result in an explosion.
BLEVEs are exceedingly harmful. They can produce enormous fireballs that radiate heat across the surrounding area. They are also capable of producing shrapnel, which has the potential to cause severe injuries to firemen.
The removal of the trigger results in a shift in battlefield tactics.
This pressurised vessel holds a pressured gas; in this example, it is pure oxygen. It is not a liquid inside an oxygen cylinder; it is pure oxygen. The explosions are not the consequence of a BLEVE but instead of the same trigger, which is a heat source.
The heat source must first be eliminated to stop this chain reaction as it is the first domino. This entails employing massive water streams from a considerable distance, such as deck guns or ground monitors, to extinguish the fire and cool the cylinders. If the source of heat is removed, there will no longer be a precipitating event for the failure of the pressure vessels.
On many occasions, we see firefighters putting together a defensive strategy to put out the fire, cool down the environment, and protect both the fire crew and the general public. After the initial threat has been removed, teams can revert to an offensive mode to finish the duties of search, fire extinguishment, and overhaul, respectively.
When pressurised vessels are present, you should not be afraid to assume a defensive position, remove the source of heat, and then finish off the remaining enemies.
Become familiar with configuring master streams on a pressure vessel and supplying water for some time; With the ERG’s help, what kind of fireball will result from the various pressure vessels in the response district and their respective sizes.