ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(77)614
Vol.1977/0199

Disclaimer
Conformément aurèglement(CEE,Euratom)n°354/83duConseildu1erfévrier1983
concernantl'ouvertureaupublicdesarchiveshistoriquesdelaCommunauté économique
européenneetdelaCommunautéeuropéennedel'énergieatomique(JOL43du15.2.1983,
p.1),telquemodifiéparlerèglement(CE,Euratom)n°1700/2003du22septembre2003
(JOL243du27.9.2003,p.1),cedossierestouvertaupublic.Lecaséchéant,lesdocuments
classifiésprésentsdanscedossierontétédéclassifiésconformément àl'article5dudit
règlement.
InaccordancewithCouncilRegulation(EEC,Euratom)No354/83of1February1983
concerningtheopeningtothepublicofthehistoricalarchivesoftheEuropeanEconomic
CommunityandtheEuropeanAtomicEnergyCommunity(OJL43,15.2.1983,p.1),as
amendedbyRegulation(EC,Euratom)No1700/2003of22September2003(OJL243,
27.9.2003,p.1),thisfileisopentothepublic.Wherenecessary,classifieddocumentsinthis
filehavebeendeclassified inconformitywithArticle5oftheaforementioned regulation.
InÜbereinstimmung mitderVerordnung(EWG,Euratom)Nr.354/83desRatesvom1.
Februar1983überdieFreigabederhistorischen ArchivederEuropäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft undderEuropäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI.L43vom15.2.1983,
S.1),geändertdurchdieVerordnung(EG,Euratom)Nr.1700/2003vom22.September2003
(ABI.L243vom27.9.2003,S.1),istdieseDateiderÖffentlichkeitzugänglich.Soweit
erforderlich,wurdendieVerschlusssachen indieserDateiinÜbereinstimmung mitArtikel5
dergenanntenVerordnungfreigegeben.

COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(77)614final.
Brussels.24Uoveiaber1977*
.MEMORANDUM OFTHECOMMISSION
FinancialaidunderArticle55(2c)oftheECSCTreatyfor
aresearchprojectonthefactorscausingmolten-metal/waterexplosions
(77)614final

MEMORANDUM
'financialaidunderArticle55(2c)oftheECSCTreatyfora
researchprojectonthefactorscausingmolten-metal/waterexplosions.
01.Aidrequested py
Dr.F.M.PAGE,ProfessorofChemistry,theUniversityofAstonin
Birmingham,GostaGreen,Birmingham B47ET.
Thisapplicationissponsored "bytheBritishSteelCorporation,
CorporateEngineering Laboratory,141BatterseaParkRoad,LondonSW114LZ
02.Introduction
Itiswellknowninthesteelindustrythatexplosions,sometimeswith
violentprojections ,canoccurwhenmoltenmetalorslagarepouredonto
waterorwetsurfaces,andmanyprecautions aretakeninallworksto
avoidsuchexplosions.Buttheystillhappenandhavefrequentlycaused
seriousandextensive "burnsandsometimesfatalities.Atypicalexample
wastheaccidentwhichoccurredinameltingshopwhenaladlecontaining
moltensteelwasaccidentally tippedasitpassedoveracooling "basinon
atravellingcrane.Whenthesteelcameintocontactwiththewaterthere
wasanextremelyviolentexplosion.Atthetimetherewasagroupofvisitors
standingonaspecialvisitors *catwalk;17ofthemwereinjured "byprojected
materialandtheoperatorofthetravellingcranecarryingtheladlewas
killed.
Pouringwaterontomoltenmetalorslagis,ontheotherhand,consi­
deredto"berelativelysafeaslongastheamountsofwateraresmall,
andisalsoroutinepractice,forexamplewhencoolingironpigscast
"bymachineorinpits.

2
Buttheremaybeathirdsituation,wherewatercomesintocontactwith
hotmetalinaconfinedspace,asinthecaseoftheextremelyserious
accidentwhichoccurredattheBritishSteelCorporation'sworksat
Scunthorpe on4November1975*
Theplugofahearthcoolerhad"beencorrodedduetoanelectrolytic
reactiona7;&had"beenloosenedanddislodgedfromitssocket "bytheforce
ofthewaterunderpressure.
Thisaccidentoccurredduringtappingofthe"blastfurnace;onetorpedo
ladlehadalready "beenfilledwithmoltenironandanotherwasinthe
processofbeingfilled.Butbyantmfortunatecombinationofcircumstances ,
theplughadfallenputofthehearthcoolerofthetuyerenexttothe
tapholeandhaddonesoatatimewhenanothertechnicalhitchwasbeing
dealtwith-theblast/blowpipeadjacenttothehearthcoolerfromwhich
theplugwasdislodgedhadstartedtoburndownandwasbeingsprayedto
controltheeffectsofthebum-down.
Accesstothewaterleakinthehearthcoolerwasimpossiblebecause
oftheopentapholeandthemoltenironpouringfromit,ononeside,
andtheburningblowpipeontheother,andnothingcouldbedoneto
stoptheflowofwaterbecausethestopcockwaslocatednewttothehearth
cooler.Asaresult,aquantityofwaterestimatedat1800litres
pouredoverthefloorofthecasthouse,intotheironrunner,andthen
intothetorpedoladlefilledwithmoltenironwhichwaswaitingtobe
removedattheendofthetappingoperations.
WhGnitwasrealizedthatwaterwasenteringthetorpedoladle,a
locomotive wasfetchedandcoupleduptotheladleinordertoremoveit
fromthesourceofthewater.
Itisbelievedthatthewaterhadcooledthesurfacelayerofthe
metalinthetorpedoladle,sohelpingtoformasolidcrust,andthat
thejoltingoftheladleassociatedwiththecouplingupoperation,together
withsubsequent movementoftheladleawayfromtherunner,causedthe
metal/slagsurfaceintheladletobreakup,thustrappingsomewater
beneaththesurfaceoftheiron.

3
Thisledtoaviolentexplo&ionwhichexpelledapproximately 90tonnes
ofmoltenmetalandsomeoftherefractoryliningoutoftheladle,causing
extremelysevereinjuriesandseveralfires.Elevenpeoplewerekilledin
thisaccidentandafurthereightwereseriouslyturned;therewasextensive
plantdamage*
Anaccidentofthiskindshouldnotheconsideredasexceptional asfar
asthecausesareconcerned,forironandsteelworksuselargequantities
ofwatertocoolmetalandslagandtherearemanypossibilities ofacci­
dentalorintentionalcontactbetweenhotmetal/slagandwater.
Oneoftheconclusions ofthereportontheaccidentatScunthorpe
wasthatresearchshouldheearriedoutonthemechanismsofsuchexplosions.
03•Presentstateofknowledge
Nosystematicresearchhasyet"beencarriedoutonthecausesofwater/
moltenmetalexplosions.However,followinganextremelyseriousexplosion
inanaluminiumfoundryintheUnitedStates(whichwasreckonedto"be
equivalenttotheexplosionof250kgofTNT)ALCOAconducted3000
experiments whichresultedintheenunciation ofsafetycriteriaforthe
continuouscastingofaluminium.
Also,in1973»theUniversityofAstoninBirmingham wascommissioned
"bytheHealthandSafetyExecutive(a"bodygroupingtogetherthevarious
officialinspectionservices,withtheobject'ofharmonizinghealthand
safetylegislationintheUnitedKingdom)tocarryoutaseriesoftests,
initiallywithreferencetoaluminiumonly,butsubsequently alsofor
bthernon-ferrous metals.Bothlaboratorytestsandpilotscaletests
wereconductedandtheyshowed,amongotherthings,thatcontraryto
expectationsaconsiderablehazardofcopper/waterexplosionsexisted;
amodifiedsetofsafetycriteriawereestablishedforthatmetal.

4
Thefact that explosions canresult whatever molten metal ispoured -
tin ,lead ,"brass ,aluminium orcopper –prompted theUniversity ofAston
tocarry outtests onmore metals .Inonesuch test anexplosion was
obtained when 5kgofmolten iron were poured into 15cmofcold water .
This explosion was ofsufficient viplence totear onefaoe ofthewater
container (a6mmthick steel tank with welded seams )away from the
rest and tothrow it30m.
This observation ,andtheScunthorpe incident ,emphasized theneed
toobtain more information onexplosions caused bycontact between ferrous
metals and water . r
Research tobecarried outbythe University ofAston
Thework tobedone onthecauses ofmetal /water explosions would be
intwoparts –work inthelaboratory andwork inthefield .
Inthelaboratory ,thefollowing isplanned :
–measurement ofheat transfer from molten metal tocoolant
–determination ofthe surface tension and contact angle ofdrops on
various container surfaces andempirical categorization ofthe
effect ofsuch surfaces (because ithasbeen found that thetype of
surface coating hasaneffect onexplosions )
–study ofthekinematics ofthefall ofhotbodies through coolant
–study ofthe inverse effects when adrop ofcoolant isinjected
into ahotmaterial ,andacorrelation ofthese effects with other
results .
Thepilot scale tests inthefield would becarried out attheSummer -
field test site ,operated byImperial Metal Industries fortheMinistry
ofDefence ,where modifications would have tobemade toadapt the
equipment tothehigher temperatures ofmolten metal (between 1200 and
1700°C ).

5
Theaim oftheexperiments would be s
-observation oftheoccurrence orotherwise ofexplosions asafunction
ofthemain industrial variables (metal andcoolant temperatures ,
height offall through airandcoolant ;container shape ,surface
condition ofcontainer ,mass ofmetal andcoolant )
-study ofthefall ofhotmetal through thecoolant andthedevelopment
ofanyinteraction
-thedevelopment anduse ofmethods ofrecording transient pressures
developed ininteracting systems#
The "benefits anticipated from this research project areprimarily :
-acontribution tothetheory ofmolten metal /water interactions as
abasis forsafety precautions tobetaken when thetwoareinclose
proximity aspart ofthenormal operations orareused simultaneously
-thedrafting ofrecommendations onprecautions tobetaken andimpro­
vements inworking conditions intheiron and steel industry
-improvement ofdesign criteria forplant inwhich water issystemati­
cally brought into contact with iron ,steel orslag (pitandmachine
casting ofiron inpigs ,continuous casting ofsteel ,granulation and
quenching ofslags ,quenching-off andbreaking-up offerro-alloys
oncooling )
-work towards aclearer definition ofwhat isorisnot hazardous in
operations where water isinadvertently orintentionally present on
top ofmolten metal
-improved knowledge ofthepossibilities forreducing therisk of
explosions byalterations intheconditions ofthecooling water .
05•Benefits ofthe'research fortheCommunity asa1whole
This research isofvalue toall the iron and steel works inthe Commu­
nity producing iron and/orsteel ,whatever thetype offurnace used ,for
there isalways adanger ofaccidental contact between molten metal and
water .

6
Thecriteriaforimprovedsafetyatworkthatwillemergefromthis
researchprojectcan"beappliedatalltheseworks.
06.Durationandcostofwork–financialaidrecpiested
Duration: 3years
Commencement ofresearcht3monthsafterapproval "bytheCommission
oftheEuropeanCommunities
Totalcostofprojectt 377703.10EUA
Financialcontributionproposed226680EUA(60^)
Conclusion
TheprojectdescribedabovecomeswithinthesoopeofArticle55(2c)
oftheECSCTreaty.
Inviewoftheapprovalofthisprojectbythecompetentprofessional
bodies,theCommissionenvisages grantfinancialaidequivalent
to60%ofthetotalcostofresearch,toamaximumof226680EUA,made
upto233480EUA(i.e.includinganadditional3$,or6800EUA,to
coverpublicationcostsandmiscellaneous expenses)andtoauthorize
theentryofthissuaundertherelevantfund.
Thisexpenditureisinconformitywiththeanticipated commitments
intheECSCoperational budgetfor1977»

5
Theaimoftheexperiments would be:
-observation oftheoccurrence orotherwise ofexplosions asafunction
ofthemainindustrial variables (metal andcoolant temperatures ,
height offallthrough airandcoolant ;container shape ,surface
condition ofcontainer ,mass ofmetal andcoolant )
-study ofthefall ofhotmetal through thecoolant andthedevelopment
ofanyinteraction
–thedevelopment anduseofmethods ofrecording transient pressures
developed ininteracting systems .
Thebenefits anticipated from this research project areprimarily :
–acontribution tothetheory ofmolten metal/water interactions as
abasis forsafety precautions tobetaken when thetwoareinclose
proximity aspart ofthenormal operations orareused simultaneously
–thedrafting ofrecommendations onprecautions tobetaken impro­
vements inworking conditions intheiron andsteel industry
–improvement ofdesign criteria forplant inwhich water issystemati­
cally brought into contact with iron ,steel orslag (pitandmachine
casting ofiron inpigs ,continuous casting ofsteel ,granulation and
quenching ofslags ,quenching-off andbreaking-up offerro-alloys
oncooling )
-work towards aclearer definition ofwhat isorisnot hazardous in
operations where water isinadvertently orintentionally present on
top ofmolten metal
-improved knowledge ofthepossibilities forredwing therisk of
explosions byalterations intheconditions ofthecooling water .
05# Benefits oftheresearch fortheCommunity asa-whole
This research isofvalue toall the iron and steel works inthe Commu­
nity producing iron axid/orsteel ,whatever thetype offurnace used ,for
there isalways adanger ofaccidental contact between molten metal and
water .

Th8oriteriaforimprovedsafetyatworkthatwillemergefromthis
researchprojectcanbeappliedatalltheseworks.
06.Durationandcostofwork–financialaidrecpiested
Duration: 3years
Commencement ofresearch:3monthsafterapproval "bytheCommission
oftheEuropeanCommunities
Totalcostofproject 1 377703*10EUA
Financialcontributionproposed^26680EUA(60jo)
Conclusion
TheprojectdescribedabovecomeswithinthesoopeofArticle55(2c)
oftheECSCTreaty.
Inviewoftheapprovalofthisproject "bythecompetentprofessional .
bodies,theCommissionenvisages grantfinancialaidequivalent
to60%ofthetotedcostofresearch,toamaximumof226680EUA,made
upto233480EUA(i.e.includinganadditional3$tor6800EUA,to
coverpublicationcostsandmiscellaneous expenses)andtoauthorize
theentryofthissuaundertherelevantfund.
Thisexpenditureisinconforaitywiththeanticipated commitments
intheECSCoperational budgetfor1977o