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This article discusses how to identify and mitigate hazards in order to minimize environmental impact. It also emphasizes the importance of safety training programs and hazard communication in achieving a safe working environment.
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12. Health, Safety and Environment (Tasks 10 & 11) By R.A. Hawrelak for Dr. A. Prakash 19 Feb 02
Today’s Objectives • Identify Hazards – Hazard Analysis. • Mitigate Process Hazards. • Minimize Environmental Impact. • Prepare a Safety and Environmental Mission Statement (RAH). • “Our group endeavored to design the safest plant possible. This included ….”
Fire & Explosion & Toxic Hazards • Upper flammable limit (UFL or UEL). • Lower flammable limit (LFL or LEL). • Auto-ignition temperatures. • Flash point temperature. • Polymerization potential. • Toxic data & carcinogen rating, ca. • Spill mitigation (foam, water).
Steps to Prevent Hazards • Relief devices – PSVs, PRDs, PVRVs • Leak detection – where and how. • Emergency Block Valves, EBVs. • Dikes / Drainage – away from equipment. • Flares / Ventilation – where and how. • Fire Water Supply – Looping in ISBL. • 0.25 usgpm/sf water on all hc vessels. • Reactive Chemical and PHA Reviews.
Steps to Prevent Hazards – cont’d • Layout - FEI Separation Within ISBL. • Intrinsically Safe Electrical Equipment. • Harden Control Room to withstand 1 Ton of TNT at 200 ft. or 1 Ton of TNT at 100 ft. • Remote Storage for Hazardous Chemicals. • Greenbelt Separation for Municipal Planning. • Cradle to Grave Safety Training Programs. • Operating Discipline for change of command. • Emergency Response Drills – Dry Runs.
Product Stewardship • Safety doesn’t end at the company fence line. • Companies with a good PS program provide safety training to their customers. • Companies must respond to LOC Spill situations for all products being delivered to their customers. • Goal No. 1: Dow ER team will be in the air within 1 hour of notification.
Hazard Communication • Up-to-date process flow diagrams and P&IDs. • Proper labeling. • MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) • Required to include MSDS of products (AP). • Required to include MSDS of feeds. (RAH) • Required to include MSDS of intermediates. (RAH) • http://eng-dellsrv02/nioshdbs
Liquid Classification - NFPA • National Fire Protection Association • Basis – NFPA 325 • Reactivity (Nr) • Flammability (Nf) • Health (Nh)
The reactivity factor, (Nr), can be obtained from a qualitative description of the instability (or reactivity with water) of the substance, mixture or compound at ambient temperatures as follows: Reactivity(Nr)
Flammability(Nf) • Flash point by closed-cup method. • Boiling point at standard pressure 14.7 psia.
Example • Ethylene Oxide • Nh = 2 • Nf = 4 • Nr = 3 • When describing a feedstock, the following description is found in many Dow reports: • “Ethylene Oxide (Nh=2, Nf = 4, Nr = 3) is a basic feed for the plant.” ….
NIOSH • National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. • Online Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards • http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgdname.html • Exposure limits, flash points, toxicity. • NIOSH also has a Liquid Classification
Vapor Pressure • Needed to determine operating pressure of storage vessels at ambient conditions. • If Vapor pressure drops below atmospheric pressure, air can leak into vessels storing flammables. Big hazard. • To keep pressure above atmospheric pressure heat vessel, or use inert pad / depad system with safe disposal of vents.
Antoine Constants • Log10(P) = A + B/(t+C) • P is in psia • T is in degrees Centigrade • Select three sets of temperature and vapor pressure in desired temperature range. • 3 Eqns – 3 unknowns. Solve for A, B, C. • Beware, there are many forms of this eqn. and the constants are not common to each eqn. • RAH CD program available to determine A,B,C.
The Enthalpy Chart • The engineer’s best friend. • Determine when flashing situations exist. • Know how to calculate the % flash. • Mass balance F = 100 = V + L • Heat balance = Hf(100) = V(Hv) + L(HL) • Two equations, two unknowns. • Any flash above 30% will atomize all the liquid – really big hazard.
Maldistribution • Maldistribution of flow in lines, headers, exchangers and reactors often results in equipment failure or LOC.
Entrainment • Liquid entrainment by a vapor is still one of the biggest problems in a chemical plant. • Entrainment can destroy mass and energy balances. • Entrainment leads to 2-phase flow vibration problems and ultimately LOC. • Good Knock-out pot design minimizes entrainment.
Pressure Safety Valves • PSVs required by law for all pressure vessels with a Design Pressure greater than 15 psig. • PSVs and PVRVs are installed on vessels below 15 psig to prevent LOC. • Many design bases are used. Designer must follow company practice. • Design methods too complex for this course. Methods available on RAH CD.
Pressure Vessels (>15 psig DP) • Select Design Pressures and Design Temperature from worst case operating conditions. Note flange rating. • Examine depressuring to 14.7 psia for minimum Design Temp & Mtls of Constr. • U.S. law requires a risk mgt plan, rmp, on worst case flammable and all toxic storage tanks. • http://www.epa.gov/ceppo/tools/rmp-comp/rmp-comp.html Free download.
U.S. EPA rmp vs CDN MIACC • Major Industrial Accidents Council of Can. • Storage of 400,000 lbs of EO - toxic • MIACC 2 pt. buffer zone 293m @ 1E-06. • RAH 3 pt. buffer zone 600m @ 1E-08. • rmp endpoint is ERPG2 = 50 ppmv • rmp gives 24 km. for ER plan. • A dispersion study > 6.6 km. for ER plan. • All companies in Sarnia now use U.S. rmp.
Emergency Response Data • B-M Heavy Gas Dispersion Model. • LC10 @ 320m. (2 hr exposure). • LC01 @ 535m. (2 hr exposure). • IDLH @ 1,900m. (30 min. exposure). • ERPG2 Dose @ 5.7 km by D = òC2(dt) where C = ppmv and dt = time. • ERPG2 ER Dist. @ 6.6 km for 50 ppmv.
Dow Fire and Explosion Index • Dow Fire and Explosion Index is a basic standard around the world. • Dow F&EI is used for separation of adjacent unit operations to minimize probable loss. • Insurance rates determined by FEI. • CD Version – computerized FEI with 3 examples plus PowerPoint presentation.
HAZOPS • HAZOP was developed by Lawley (1974) of ICI. Based on early account by Elliott & Owen (1968). • Hazop studies are carried out by an experienced, multidisciplinary team. • Review all physicalaspects of a process (lines, equipment, instrumentation) to discover potential hazards. • PowerPoint presentation available.
End of Safety Presentation • Good luck in applying your safety knowledge to your final 497 report.