The Flammability of Atmospheres Within Nearly-Empty Liquid Fuel Tanks

A comprehensive modeling is made of the transient transport processes taking place within nearly-empty axisymmetrical cylindrical liquid fuel tanks. The resulting likelihood of the formation or dissipation of flammable mixtures within the tank with time as a consequence of the transient vaporization processes of the fuel are established. Some aspects of the predicted results were validated against our corresponding experimental results involving mainly pure liquid fuels in open cylindrical containers that were nearly-empty.

The effects of fuel properties, geometry and ambient conditions are considered in relation to the possibility of having the atmosphere within the tanks supporting flame propagation, in the event of the presence of an ignition source somewhere within the tank or a flame just outside the tank. The effects of changes in some operating conditions on the potential for fire spread inside liquid fuel tanks are discussed.