Citation

Tschirschwitz R, Krentel D, Kluge M, Askar E, Habib K, Kohlhoff H, Krüger S, Neumann PP, Rudolph M, Schoppa A, Storm SU, Szczepaniak M. J. Hazard. Mater. 2018; 367: 1-7.

Affiliation

Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Berlin, Deutschland, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jhazmat.2018.12.026

PMID

30583112

Abstract

Compressed natural gas (CNG) is a widely used automotive fuel in a variety of countries. In case of a vehicle fire where the safety device also malfunctions, a failure of the CNG automotive cylinder could occur. Such a cylinder failure is associated with severe hazards for the surrounding environment. Firstly, a comprehensive analysis is given below, summarizing various accidents involving CNG automotive cylinders and their consequences. In an extensive experimental program, 21 CNG automotive cylinders with no safety device were tested. Of the 21, burst tests were carried out on 5 Type III and 5 Type IV cylinders. Furthermore, fire tests with 8 Type III and 3 Type IV cylinders were conducted. Apart from cylinder pressure, inner temperature and cylinder mantle temperature, the periphery consequences, such as nearfield blast pressure and fragmentation are documented. The maximum measured overpressure due to a Type III cylinder failure was p = 0.41 bar. Each traceable fragment was georeferenced. All-in-all, fragment throw distances of d > 300 m could be observed. As one key result, it can be stated that the tested Type IV CNG cylinders showed less critical failure behavior then the Type III cylinders under fire impingement.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

CNG; Composite cylinder; Fragments; Gas cylinder; Tank failure