Research on the Propagation Law of Explosion Shock Waves in Ship Engine Rooms Based on OpenFOAM

To investigate the propagation of explosion shock waves within a ship’s engine room, a two-story engine room of a cargo ship was selected as the research object. The BlastFOAM solver in OpenFOAM-9 software was utilized to conduct numerical simulations of the explosion dynamics in the engine room. The results demonstrate that the explosion impact force escalates with the quantity of explosives. Following a liquefied natural gas (LNG) explosion, the shock waves exerted on the ventilation duct and control room are significantly stronger in terms of maximum pressure and intensity compared with those generated by a naphtha explosion. Comprehensive analyses of shock wave pressure distribution, structural damage, and energy absorption reveal that the centralized control room sustains the most severe damage from shock waves, while the ventilation ducts are also significantly impacted. The mechanical equipment absorbs the majority of the shock wave impact while reflecting a minor portion, leading to the intersection of direct and reflected waves. This study provides valuable insights for enhancing the explosion resistance of ship engine rooms, optimizing equipment layout within cabins, and improving the structural resilience of cabin designs.