Rapid phase transition
Encyclopedia
Rapid phase transition or RPT is a phenomenon realized in liquefied natural gas
(LNG) incidents in which LNG vaporizes violently upon coming in contact with water
causing what is known as a physical explosion
or cold explosion. During such explosions there is no combustion but rather a huge amount of energy
is transferred in the form of heat from the room-temperature water to the LNG at a temperature
difference of about 175 degree Celsius.
or LNG is a natural gas being liquefied at atmospheric pressure and -161.5 oC. It is odorless, tasteless, colorless, and not poisonous but causes asphyxia
. It can cause frostbite due to its cryogenic temperature. If this extremely cold LNG is mixed with water, heat energy is transferred from water (sea water has an average temperature of 15 oC) rapidly and vaporizes it from the liquid state into the gaseous state and a phenomenon of rapid phase transition is resulted.
Liquefied natural gas
Liquefied natural gas or LNG is natural gas that has been converted temporarily to liquid form for ease of storage or transport....
(LNG) incidents in which LNG vaporizes violently upon coming in contact with water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
causing what is known as a physical explosion
or cold explosion. During such explosions there is no combustion but rather a huge amount of energy
Energy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
is transferred in the form of heat from the room-temperature water to the LNG at a temperature
Temperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
difference of about 175 degree Celsius.
LNG Properties
Liquefied natural gasLiquefied natural gas
Liquefied natural gas or LNG is natural gas that has been converted temporarily to liquid form for ease of storage or transport....
or LNG is a natural gas being liquefied at atmospheric pressure and -161.5 oC. It is odorless, tasteless, colorless, and not poisonous but causes asphyxia
Asphyxia
Asphyxia or asphyxiation is a condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen to the body that arises from being unable to breathe normally. An example of asphyxia is choking. Asphyxia causes generalized hypoxia, which primarily affects the tissues and organs...
. It can cause frostbite due to its cryogenic temperature. If this extremely cold LNG is mixed with water, heat energy is transferred from water (sea water has an average temperature of 15 oC) rapidly and vaporizes it from the liquid state into the gaseous state and a phenomenon of rapid phase transition is resulted.