In industrial explosions, various models have been proposed to calculate overpressure and impulse at specified distances. When the explosion is attributed to vessel burst, the Baker method is widely used. From the curves given by this model, data are fitted to obtain equations showing the relationship between overpressure and impulse. These curves, referred to as characteristic curves, can be fitted by potential equations, which depend on explosion energy and geometry of the tank. If several characteristic curves (corresponding to different explosion energies) are represented in the same overpressure-impulse diagram, including distances to the explosion center, determination of overpressure and impulse at each distance is simple and fast. (c) 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers