Reaction forces due to the decompression of pressurized vessels filled with two-phase fluids

A unique fluid behavioral model which is applicable to many homogeneous multiphase fluids is used as a generic model to examine the reaction forces developed by the decompression of pressurized vessels filled with single component two-phase fluids. The decompression is the result of the sudden creation of an outflow area such as by the accidental puncture of the vessel shell or the rupture of a pipe connection at the vessel. The study includes the treatment of two basic initial conditions: the case of a vessel completely filled with a saturated liquid, and the case of a vessel partially filled with a saturated liquid and covered with its saturated vapor, that is, the two region stratified condition. The principal variables include an expansion parameter which characterizes the fluid behavior in the two-phase domain, the vapor volume fraction, and the location of the outflow area for the stratified case