This paper presents results of small-scale experiments and calculations of rapid depressurization and evaporation of pressurized liquefied carbon dioxide (CO2) in vertical ducts. The motivation was to quantify the damage potential of a sudden CO2 release that originates from scenarios such as the boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE). The primary aim was to determine characteristic velocities and properties behind the evaporation wave as a function of the thermodynamic states ahead of the wave. Upon diaphragm rupture, a shockwave propagated outward, and a rarefaction wave propagated through the CO2. An evaporation wave followed behind the rarefaction wave. The measured evaporation wave velocities were in the range 35–42 m/s. The expansion of the vapor headspace produced a shockwave that had a peak overpressure in the range 15–20 kPa. A Rankine-Hugoniot model that treated the phase transition as an evaporation wave calculated the fluid properties behind the wave. The model showed good qualitative agreement with the experimental results. The experimental results seemed to approach a Chapman Jouguet (CJ) solution. Typically, the calculated vapor mass fraction behind the evaporation wave was in the range from 0.21 to 0.23. The calculated vapor mass fraction was used in estimations of the energy release from a CO2 explosion.

International Seminar on Fire and Explosion Hazards (9; 2019; Saint Petersburg, Russia). Proceedings of the Ninth International Seminar on Fire and Explosion Hazards [Электронный ресурс]: 21-26 April 2019, Saint Petersburg, Russia. Vol. 1 / Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Autonomous Non-Profit Organization "Fire and Explosion Safety", Gefest Holding Ltd ; [edited by A. Snegirev [et al.]. — Электрон. текстовые дан. (1 файл : 118 Мб). — Saint Petersburg, 2019. — Загл. с титул. экрана. — Свободный доступ из сети Интернет (чтение, печать, копирование). — Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0. — <URL:http://elib.spbstu.ru/dl/2/k19-45.pdf>. — <URL:http://doi.org/10.18720/SPBPU/2/k19-45>.