Study on the Characteristics and Mechanisms of KHCO₃ Powder in Suppressing Methane Explosions in the Pipeline Network

Methane is a widely used form of clean energy in daily production and life. To prevent the potential threat of explosions caused by methane leakage during transportation, potassium bicarbonate (KHCO₃) powder was selected for methane explosion suppression experiments based on an independently designed and constructed explosion pipeline network experimental platform. Explosion propagation and destruction inhibition performance were employed as parameters to characterize explosion suppression performance. The characteristics of KHCO₃ powder with different particle sizes in inhibiting methane explosions within the pipeline network were examined, and the particle size demonstrating the optimal suppression effect was identified. Through thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis experiments, combined with the theory of molecular thermal motion, we analyzed the physical inhibitory effect of KHCO₃ powder on methane explosions to clarify its physical explosion suppression mechanism. Furthermore, based on molecular dynamics simulations, the chemical inhibitory impact of KHCO3 powder was surveyed to elucidate its explosion suppression mechanism. Our research findings imply that KHCO₃ powder with 62 to 75 μm particle size exhibits a more pronounced explosion suppression effect. KHCO₃ powder primarily achieves physical explosion suppression by diluting methane concentration and absorbing heat while chemically suppressing explosions by interrupting and modulating the critical chain reactions involved in the methane explosion process. These findings provide strong theoretical support for enhancing methane transportation security in pipeline networks.