Simulation of the flow of an explosive atmosphere exposed to a hot surface

Abstract The accidental ignition of combustible atmospheres by hot surfaces is of great concern for chemical and process plant safety. In this paper, we present our research regarding the evolution of thermal plumes originating from hot hemispheres and discs. In particular, we focus on the effect of the orientation of the surface on the ignition process. The auto-ignition temperatures and ignition locations were studied experimentally. To get further insight, we conducted detailed numerical simulations and validated them with measurements. Three-dimensional simulations were performed on hot hemispheres and hot discs for different orientations ranging from 0° to 180°. The solver employs a transient, implicit scheme which is based on the coupled heat transfer and flow equations. The mesh in the vicinity of the hot surfaces is refined to resolve the steep temperature gradients and to capture the boundary layer separation. The influence of the orientation on critical hot spots in the gas mixture is analysed by examining the flow structures and the temperature evolution of the buoyancy-driven flow. Using the obtained results, we discuss the change of the onset and location of the ignition.