EXTERNAL PUBLICATIONS

SUMMARY

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is a statutory consultee for planning applications around major hazard sites and pipelines and on applications for hazardous substances consent. HSE’s advice is aimed at mitigating the effects of a major accident on the population around a major hazard site. This advice is informed by the use of mathematical models of potential hazards. HSE has an ongoing research programme to assess the suitability of the models used.

One of the potential hazards considered is a fireball or a jet fire that produces intense thermal radiation. A fireball occurs when there is immediate ignition of a pressurised release of flammable material in the event of a vessel or pipeline failure. A jet fire can occur underneath a fireball and remain after the fireball has dissipated, or if ignition is delayed.

This report describes a literature review of models that estimate the thermal radiation hazards, as well as experimental data that can be used to validate the models. The report details the different techniques available and any pipeline experimental data that was identified. The report includes identification of areas where there is a large variability in the parameters used in the modelling.

These findings are being used as part of the assessment of whether the fireball and jet fire models HSE currently uses are fit-for-purpose or whether changes would be beneficial.

This Research Report and the work it describes were funded by the Health and Safety Executive. Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect HSE policy.