Buncefield: A violent, episodic vapour cloud explosion

Damage caused by the 2005 Buncefield explosion indicates pressures in excess of 2000 mbar over all of the area covered by the vapour cloud. Such high overpressures are normally associated with high (super-sonic) rates of flame spread. On the other hand, evidence from witnesses, building damage analysis and CCTV cameras all suggest the average rate of progress of the explosion flame front was only around 150 m/s.The high overpressures in the cloud and low average rate of flame advance can be reconciled if the rate of flame advance was episodic, with periods of very rapid combustion being punctuated by pauses when the flame advanced very slowly. The widespread high overpressures were caused by the rapid phases of combustion; the low average speed of advance was caused by the pauses.Mechanisms of flame spread through radiative ignition of particulates ahead of the flame front provide possible explanations for such unusual episodic behaviour.The first part of this paper reviews a wide range of empirical evidence on average flame speed and rate of blast pressure increase.The second part explores the theoretical consequences of forward radiation and how the new theory might be developed into a practical means of assessment.

► We review of evidence on average flame speed and rate of blast pressure increase in the Buncefield explosion.
► High overpressures and low average rate of flame advance can be reconciled if the rate of flame advance was episodic.
► Flame spread through radiative ignition ahead of the flame front provide a possible mechanism.
► We consider how the new theory might be developed into a practical means of assessment.