Ace the New Jersey Hazardous Materials Exam 2026 – Unleash Your Safety Superpowers!

A BLEVE, or Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion, occurs when a vessel containing a pressurized liquid is subjected to high heat, causing the liquid to boil rapidly and expand into vapor. The condition that most significantly contributes to this phenomenon is the presence of a high heat source.

When a material within the vessel is heated, it can reach its boiling point, leading to a rapid increase in vapor pressure. If the pressure exceeds the strength of the container, it can fail catastrophically, resulting in a BLEVE. This situation can occur with liquids stored under pressure, such as liquefied gases, where a high heat source can cause dangerous fluctuations in temperature and pressure.

Conditions such as exposure to direct sunlight may contribute to the heating of a vessel but are not the primary cause of a BLEVE compared to a dedicated high heat source. Conversely, low temperature environments or low pressure conditions would typically mitigate the risk of a BLEVE, as they do not create the same level of pressure buildup necessary for the phenomenon to occur.