Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion Dynamics

Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosions (BLEVEs) arise when a pressurised vessel containing a superheated liquid ruptures and the rapid phase change generates a powerful blast wave. Upon failure of the container wall, depressurisation drives immediate vapour formation from the liquid bulk, producing a high-velocity expansion front. The interaction of this expanding vapour with surrounding air creates an overpressure wave that can inflict structural damage, project fragments of the vessel and, in the case of flammable fluids, ignite secondary fires. The kinetics of liquid evaporation, the degree of superheat, vessel geometry and fill level govern the intensity and duration of the blast. Studies integrate experimental measurements, advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and emerging data-driven models to elucidate the interplay between thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and material failure. Understanding BLEVE dynamics is critical for the safe storage of liquefied gases—such as LPG, LNG and liquid hydrogen—in industrial, transport and energy infrastructure. Insights into scaling laws, near-field overpressure patterns and blast-structure interaction guide the development of risk-mitigation strategies, emergency response planning and regulatory standards worldwide.

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Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion Dynamics publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion dynamics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

BLEVE: Rapid vapour expansion and blast generated by vessel rupture and superheated liquid flashing.

Overpressure Wave: A shock front in air produced by sudden expansion of vapour, responsible for blast damage.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD): Numerical methods for simulating fluid flow, heat transfer and phase change in BLEVE scenarios.

Superheat: The temperature of a liquid above its boiling point at ambient pressure, driving violent vapour formation.

Two-Phase Flow: Concurrent flow of liquid and vapour phases during depressurisation and expansion.

References

1. Machine learning prediction of BLEVE loading with graph neural networks. Reliability Engineering & System Safety (2024).
2. Rethinking “BLEVE explosion” after liquid hydrogen storage tank rupture in a fire. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (2023).
3. Correlations to estimate the ground loading from small scale propane BLEVE experiments. Process Safety and Environmental Protection (2024).