steam explosion
Violent vaporization burst
A steam explosion occurs when water rapidly converts to steam in a confined or semi-confined space, creating a violent pressure release.
This happens when water contacts extremely hot materials—molten metal, lava, or overheated reactor cores.
The sudden expansion can be catastrophic: The Chernobyl disaster began with a steam explosion.
Industrial accidents involving steam explosions occur in foundries, paper mills, and anywhere superheated water or molten materials are handled.
- burstBreak apart suddenly
- pressureForce upon contact
- pressure cookerSealed pot using steam
- boilerWater-heating vessel
- ruptureViolent tearing apart
safety valve · geyser · scalding · blast · vapor · turbine · power plant · nuclear meltdown · volcanic · catastrophic · hiss · release · letting off · superheated · hot water · boiling point · pipe · eruption
- volcanic activityeruption, active, lava, dormant, magma
- eruptionsblast, lava flow, pyroclastic flow, plume, volcanic ash
- Explosionsblast, detonation, boom, bang, burst
- industrial accidentsindustrial accident, factory fire, mine disaster, chemical spill, refinery fire
- Nuclear EventsChernobyl, Fukushima, Three Mile Island, meltdown, core meltdown
- Factory Newsfactory fire, chemical leak, plant closure, groundbreaking, ribbon cutting
steam explosiondetonation
Explosive ignition event
nuclear explosion · dynamite blast · gas explosion · dust explosion · bomb blast
steam, steamy, steamed, steaming, steamer, steamship, steamboat, explosion, explode