[Digestion] Studies/Investigations into AD explosions

[Dr Stephen P Etheridge]

I was involved in assessing the aftermath of the Glorietta Mall explosion in
Manila in 2007 on behalf of the Ayala Corporation (you can google all the
reports etc.). I controversially concluded that it was not a biogas
explosion from accumulated "sewer gas" etc. In the process of doing this I
reviewed all the information I could find on biogas explosions and found
little peer reviewed information. There were one or two reported cases from
Germany as has been described. Most reports were from sewer explosions where
air is prevalent.
 
I did find one outstanding paper on this topic which I keep in my archives:

"Explosion characteristics of synthesised biogas at various temperatures". L
Dupont and A Accorsi, Journal of Hazardous Materials B136 (2006) 520-525,
Elsevier.

It emphasised to me that Biogas was more difficult to cause an explosion
that I had previously appreciated. The oft quoted 5-15% LEL-UEL range is
significantly reduced (methane in air) when an inert gas (CO2) is
introduced.

There is an outstanding German Biogas safety manual which has probably been
updated several times since I last saw it : "Sicherheitsregeln für
landwirtschaftliche Biogasanlagen". There was even a UK one in the early
1980s when the first farm digesters were being installed there (British
Anaerobic and Biomass Association - BABA code of practice). The UK water and
mining industries had some outstanding publications on biogas safety before
privitisation 20 years ago and they forgot everything "technical".

In the late 1970s/early 1980s the first flexible liner reactors were being
developed at Cornell University (triggering the subsequent lagoon reactor
craze which we now see all across asia). One concern then, was that FLR
digesters might cause explosions. One was purposely set alight (with fire
brigade support etc.). There was no explosion. It was difficult to catch on
fire and it burned slowly from one end to the other.

 
Stephen Etheridge 


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Today's Topics:

   1. Re: Studies/Investigations into AD explosions	(Edgar
      Blanco-Madrigal) (en2wgm at bath.ac.uk)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 09:33:08 +0000
From: en2wgm at bath.ac.uk
To: For Discussion of Anaerobic Digestion
	<digestion at lists.bioenergylists.org>
Cc: edgarb at summerleaze.com
Subject: Re: [Digestion] Studies/Investigations into AD explosions
	(Edgar	Blanco-Madrigal)
Message-ID: <20110128093308.g6lh4yjyo8k8gw4k at webmail.bath.ac.uk>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset=ISO-8859-1;	DelSp="Yes";
	format="flowed"

Unfortunately these are some of the issues/queries put on developers  
during planning applications.

I am very sure there is an element of hype and sadly it just puts more  
obstacles in the way, subsequently reducing the development level.






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for more information about digestion, see
Beginner's Guide to Biogas
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/biogas/
and the Biogas Wiki http://biogas.wikispaces.com/



End of Digestion Digest, Vol 5, Issue 21
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