white smoke from gas vessell

[alaaissa]

we have opened k.o suction drum for centerfugal compressor
to atmosfare after purge the gas to flare after one houre we
see white smoke inside the vessele and sound of explosion
Iam asking why this happened ????

 

[zdas04]

Generally white smoke and the sound of an explosion indicate that there was ... an explosion.

You didn't say what the KO vessel is knocking out, but if it is drip then that stuff can be amazingly volatile. Then you open a hatch and have a line to flare open and you can siphon air into the vessel and develop an explosive mixture.

Now you just need an ignition source. Either something in the vessel/piping was able to arc to ground or you had an explosive mixture leave a "trail" of explosive gases from the vessel to an ignition source that acted as a fuse.

David

 

[Latexman]

Fuel + oxygen + ignition source = fire/explosion.

Good luck,
Latexman

 

[786392]

This could possibly have been a result of pyrophoric iron sulfide's presence and oxidation with contact of atmospheric oxygen.

Especially if the system was dry(water free) and the residual material also had some combustibles/flammables also in-place.

Best Regards
Qalander(Chem)