Experimental Study on the Combustion and Explosion Characteristics of Tributyl Phosphate and Kerosene Mixtures at Different Initial Pressures in High‐Temperature Environments

ABSTRACT As critical materials in nuclear fuel reprocessing, kerosene and Tributyl phosphate are utilized in high‐temperature, negative‐pressure phases of reprocessing plant processes. The explosive limits of the mixture of Tributyl phosphate and kerosene are significantly influenced by the neighboring environment, which poses an explosion risk. At present, there is a lack of research in this field. This study utilizes an enhanced explosion limit testing system to examine the explosion limits and overpressure peak of mixed gases consisting of Tributyl phosphate and kerosene, with initial pressures varying from 100 to 70 kPa under elevated temperature conditions (120°C), thereby analyzing their combustion and explosion properties. According to the findings, the combined gases’ lower explosive limits are 7%, 5%, 3%, and 1% at 100–70 kPa (Δp = 10 kPa), while their upper explosive limits are 20%, 17%, 12%, and 10%, respectively. The explosive limits of a mixed gas constrict as the initial pressure falls, causing the gas concentration at the maximum overpressure produced by the explosion to migrate toward the upper explosive limit. In the same pressure drop range (Δp = 10 kPa), the sensitivity of the upper explosion limit surpasses that of the lower explosion limit; however, the maximum overpressure peak of the combination diminishes. The maximum overpressure peak diminishes most swiftly within the 90–80 kPa pressure range, exhibiting a decrease of 20.27%.