Effect of connected vessels structure on methane explosion characteristics

The effects of connected vessels structure (pipe bending position and angle, vessel shape and volume) and bifurcated pipe on methane explosion characteristics were experimentally researched. Six explosion vessels with different volumes and shapes and a series of bending pipes were adopted respectively. Results indicate that the explosion pressure inside the whole connected vessels presented a trend of rising firstly and then decreasing with the decrease of pipe bending angle. And the increases of primary and secondary volumes could result in the greater explosion pressure inside the two vessels, and the effect of spherical vessel was more significant compared with the cylindrical vessel of same volume. Although the effect of spherical vessel on the pressure rising rate was greater than that of the cylindrical vessel, the effect of smaller volume vessel was more significant. As bifurcated pipe existed, part of the flame and pressure wave was shunted, resulting in the energy weakening, after flame propagation to the secondary vessel. Due to the combined effect of the turbulence enhancing and shunt weakening, different explosion pressures were presented inside the connected vessels under T-L-R, T-L-B and S-T connection forms. Besides, the bending angle of bifurcated pipe also could affect the shunt extents of flame and pressure wave, further affecting the explosion pressure and flame propagation inside the main pipe.