Abstract:
To reveal the propagation characteristics and hazard characteristics of shock waves in single- and dual-source gas explosions in bifurcated roadways with different angles, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical simulation method was adopted to construct a three-dimensional model of a bifurcated roadway with a main roadway length of 100 m and a branch roadway length of 30 m. Five bifurcation angles (30°, 60°, 90°, 120°, and 150°) were set, and three typical explosion scenarios were systematically simulated: single-source explosion, simultaneous dual-source explosion, and sequential dual-source explosion. The results show that: (1) In single-source explosions, the differences in overpressure corresponding to the bifurcation angle are mainly concentrated in the bifurcation point and the mid-to-near-field downstream region. The peak overpressure at the bifurcation point and downstream measuring points exhibits an “inverted V-shaped” variation with the bifurcation angle, reaching a maximum of 1.526 MPa at 90°. The dependence of far-field overpressure on the bifurcation angle is significantly weakened. (2) In simultaneous dual-source explosions, the bifurcation angle significantly affects the downstream superposition effect by altering the intersection pattern of the two shock waves at the bifurcation point. As the bifurcation angle increases, more energy of the superimposed composite shock wave is distributed to the downstream main roadway, leading to a gradual increase in the peak overpressure at far-field measuring points and an earlier arrival time. (3) In sequential dual-source explosions, two initiation modes (shock wave-induced and flame-induced) exist for the secondary gas explosion in the branch roadway. The peak overpressure at downstream measuring points of the main roadway increases monotonically with the bifurcation angle, and a phenomenon of “far-field peak exceeding near-field peak” occurs at large angles (≥90°). (4) Single-source explosions present relatively low overall hazards; simultaneous dual-source explosions primarily threaten the bifurcation point and the mid-to-near-field of the main roadway; sequential dual-source explosions pose a greater threat to the deep part of the branch roadway and the far-field of the main roadway, characterized by a high secondary peak and long load duration. The results can provide a reference for hazard zone classification of multi-source gas explosions in roadways with complex structures, optimization of bifurcation angles, and layout of explosion-proof and explosion-isolation measures.