Determination of explosion reference pressure is important in designing and testing flameproof enclosures (Ex d). Although relative humidity affects to explosion pressure, its effect is not well investigated for the gas group IIB, IIA, and I. This study tested explosion pressure for Ethylene (8 vol.%), Propane (4.6 vol.%), and Methane (9.8 vol.%), which are the representative gas of the gas group IIB, IIA, and I, at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure (1 atm) under different relative humidity (0% ~ 80%). Ethylene- and Propane-air mixed gases generally tended to decrease as the relative humidity increased; however, explosion pressure was largely dropped at 20% of relative humidity compared to 0% and 10% of relative humidity. On the other hand, Methane-air mixture gas showed similar pressures at 0% and 10% of relative humidity; but no explosion occurred at more than 20%. The results of this study can be used in setting a testing protocol of explosion reference pressure for designing and testing a flameproof enclosure.

To test a flameproof enclosure for the safety certificate, a reference pressure of explosion needs to be determined. However, the explosion pressure may be changed according to relative humidity of explosive gases. Therefore, the guideline on relative humidity should be recommended for measuring the explosion pressure for accurate and reproducible testings. This study examined the relationship of explosion pressure with relative humidity of hydrogen (31 vol %)-air and acetylene (14 vol %)-air mixture gases. The explosion pressures were measured by increasing the relative humidity of the gases by 10 % from dry state to 80 % in a cylindrical explosion enclosure of 2.3 L. on ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure (1 atm). The maximum explosive pressures were remained almost constant until the relative humidity reached 10 % for the hydrogen-air mixture and 20 % for the acetylene-air mixture. However, the maximum explosive pressures linearly decreased as the relative humidity increased. Based on the results of the study, it would be recommended to use 10 % relative humidity for the hydrogen-air mixture and 20 % for the acetylene-air mixture as the critical value in testing a flameproof enclosure.

플랜트 증기운 폭발은 TNT 폭발물에 의한 폭발과는 다른 특징이 있으며 압력파 양상과 비슷하다. 대표적인 유형의 폭압 산정법은 TNT 등가량 환산법과 멀티에너지법이 있다. TNT 등가량 환산법은 폭굉과 같은 충격파를 전제로 하며, 멀티에너지법은 폭연과 같은 압력파를 전제로 한다. 본 연구는 세 가지 플랜트 폭발 사례를 적용하여 플랜트 증기운 폭발의 적절한 폭압을 도출하기 위한 연구를 수행하였다. 폭발 사례에 대하여 피해를 입은 부재를 선정한 후, 단자유도 해석과 비선형 동적 해석을 수행하여 변형과 손상 정도를 비교 분석하였다. 구조물의 피해 정도는 TNT 등가량 환산법보다는 멀티에너지법에 의한 폭압을 사용한 경우가 실제 상황에 더욱 근접한 것으로 나타났다. 또한, 멀티에너지법의 폭발강도계수를 7 또는 8로 가정할 경우 증기운 폭발의 폭압 모델을 비교적 정확하게 산정할 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.