FLACS modules

The FLACS suite of software is based on the CFD-technology developed at GexCon (CMR/CMI) since 1980. FLACS has, since the first version in 1986 was released, been a world leader within gas explosion models. This is due to a competent modelling team, good experimental facilities and understanding, stimulating sponsoring companies and a large inhouse user group of consultants.
The full FLACS version can handle explosion, dispersion, ventilation, mitigation and pool modeling. It is possible to buy or lease one of these modules - at a significantly lower price than for a full version of FLACS

FLACS-Dispersion
This is a subset of the FLACS simulator that have the capabilities of the FLACS simulator in the area of dispersion and ventilation, but with the explosion capabilities deactivated. Due to the ability to represent detailed geometries with the distributed porosity concept, the dispersion capabilities of FLACS have proven particularly powerful for calculating release scenarios in process areas, in which the density of objects and pipes is high. FLACS has been extensively validated against large-scale realistic release and explosion tests performed at GexCon and full-scale experiments carried out at Advantica test site Spadeadam in a 2600m3 semi-confined model of an offshore module.
Since FLACS is a dedicated explosion simulator, the dispersion models are very suitable for calculations of explosion cloud sizes and the use in explosion risk assessments. Recent work has been addressing the ability to simulate toxic release scenarios onshore, in which representation of terrain and turbulent wind profiles are important. Models for release and dispersion of aerosols are also under development, these can be added as a complementary option.
The price of FLACS-DISPERSION will be significantly lower than for a full version of FLACS.

Capabilities include:

• Geometry import from CAD
• Various gases (More than 10 + user defined) and mixtures of these
• Wind boundary conditions with wind profiles
• Effect of water deluge on dispersion
• Efficient pre-processing, reasonable simulation times
• Export of gas cloud to explosion calculations (FLACS)
• Data to estimate transient ignition probabilities and cloud sizes
• Local gas concentrations and accumulated cloud estimates
• 2D and 3D field plots of various variables
• Automatic generation of mpg-videos from postprocessor
• Extensive validation (Phase 3B, Dispersion JIP, GSP, Licorefla, SMEDIS)
• And more .

The tool will be suitable for companies interested in a well developed and validated dispersion tool suitable for representing realistic geometry densities efficiently. Also companies that would use other tools than FLACS for explosion calculations could benefit from using FLACS-DISPERSION to estimate likely gas cloud sizes in a process area.

FLACS-Gasex
FLACS-Gasex is a subset of the FLACS simulator that have the capabilities of the FLACS simulator in the area of explosion, but with the ventilation and dispersion capabilities removed. In the gas explosion area FLACS-Gasex has more extensive capabilities and applicability than competitors and has the same validity as FLACS.
 
The price of FLACS-Gasex will be significantly lower than for a full version of FLACS.
Capabilities include:

• Geometry import from CAD
• Import of dispersed gas clouds (FLACS and a few more CFD-codes)
• Well validated CFD-explosion simulator
• Efficient pre-processing and simulation times
• Various gases (More than 10 + user defined) and mixtures of these
• Fuel lean, stoichiometric and rich mixtures with air
• Effect of water deluge and dilution by inert gas
• Effect of increased oxygen content in air
• Non-standard temperature and initial pressure
• Initial turbulence
• Rupture discs, relief panels and simplified wall failures
• Blast propagation (multiblock concept / non-reflecting boundary condition)
• Local pressures and average wall pressures (and other variables)
• 2D and 3D field plots of various variables
• Automatic generation of mpg-videos from postprocessor
• And more

Area of use:

• Offshore installations (natural gas mixtures)
• Onshore plants (natural gas, ethylene/propylene, hydrogen/synthesis gas)
• Explosions in factory buildings
• Domestic explosions (natural gas, propane, butane, CO)
• Explosions inside process equipment / exhaust systems
• Tunnel explosions
  

FLACS-Hydrogen
FLACS-Hydrogen has the same capabilities as the full FLACS version with regard to hydrogen dispersion and explosions, or situations in which hydrogen is dominating the gas mixture. This version of FLACS can be useful for risk evaluations in connection with the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier, for nuclear plants, in chemical factories, synthesis gas (gas to liquid processes) and microprocessor factories (on request Silane SiH4 will also be possible to model).
With FLACS-Hydrogen  one can simulate and evaluate to what extent a leak scenario may produce flammable gas clouds in the given scenario, and further to what extent the flammable gas clouds may represent a significant risk. FLACS has been able to simulate hydrogen explosions since before 1990. In recent years a number of research projects have been considering the validity of FLACS in the area of hydrogen explosions.

The price of FLACS-Hydrogen will be significantly lower than for a full version of FLACS as the use is limited to gas mixtures dominated by hydrogen.

Capabilities include:

• Manual geometry definition or import from CAD
• Efficient pre-processing, reasonable simulation times
• Dispersion of hydrogen dominated mixtures from leak
• Explosion of dispersed or pre-defined gas clouds
• Pressure curves at various locations and walls (averaged)
• Pressure relief panels with inertia can represent collapsing walls
• 2D and 3D field plots of various variables (flame and maximum pressure)
• Automatic generation of mpg-videos from postprocessor

Extensive work carried out in recent years has significantly improved the validation status of FLACS for simulating hydrogen safety problems. Models for simulation of DDT processes have also been developed. A summary of the work is described here:

Explosion validation

Dispersion validation

DDT indication (yet to be a part of the commercial FLACS version)

For more information, please contact: