What is a BLEVE?

• A. Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion
• B. Boiling Liquid Evaporating Vapor Event
• C. Boiling Liquid Explosive Vapor Effect
• D. Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Eruption

Answer: (A)

A BLEVE happens when a container holding a liquid under pressure is heated, such as in a fire. The heat causes the liquid to boil and generate a large amount of vapor inside the vessel. If the container integrity fails, the sudden release of high-pressure vapor and liquid blasts outward, creating a powerful explosion.

The phrase Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion is the best answer because it names the three critical elements: the liquid is boiling, the vapor is expanding rapidly, and the outcome is an explosion. The other phrasings don’t capture all of these elements or use nonstandard wording, so they don’t describe the phenomenon as accurately.