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Fires, Explosions and Prevention Methods 3.1: 2 - C T - C T 2

This document discusses fires, explosions, and prevention methods. It covers topics such as flammability characteristics of vapors and liquids like flash point and flammable limits. It also discusses minimum oxygen concentration, explosions, autoignition temperature, inerting to reduce oxygen concentration, controlling static charge as an ignition source, and relief devices. The overall goal is to educate personnel on hazards and procedures to reduce fire and explosion risks when working with chemicals.

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Edwin
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78 views4 pages

Fires, Explosions and Prevention Methods 3.1: 2 - C T - C T 2

This document discusses fires, explosions, and prevention methods. It covers topics such as flammability characteristics of vapors and liquids like flash point and flammable limits. It also discusses minimum oxygen concentration, explosions, autoignition temperature, inerting to reduce oxygen concentration, controlling static charge as an ignition source, and relief devices. The overall goal is to educate personnel on hazards and procedures to reduce fire and explosion risks when working with chemicals.

Uploaded by

Edwin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Fires, explosions and prevention methods

3.1 Introduction
Chemicals present a substantial hazard in the form of fires and explosions.
To prevent accidents from fires and explosions, personnel must be familiar with
o Fires and explosion properties of material
o Nature of fire and explosion process
o Procedures to reduce fire and explosion hazards
Difference between fire and explosion the rate of energy release
o For fire, the rate of energy release is much slower than that of explosions

3.2 Flammability characteristics of vapours and liquids


1. Liquid flash point temperature (FP) is defined as the lowest temperature at
which the liquid gives off sufficient vapour to form an ignitable mixture with air
(requires presence of ignition source to ignite).
FP increases with increasing pressure

c 2 T-cb
[b (T ) e ]
b
Tf = a+ -c 2
T
[1-e b ]

2. Vapour / gas LFL and UFL are used to determine flammability of vapour / gas.
Combustion basis = mole / total combustible moles
Assumptions for the equations
o The product heat capacities are constant
o Number of moles of gas is constant
o Combustion kinetics of the pure species is independent and unchanged by
the presence of other combustible species
1 1
LFLmix = yi UFLmix = y
i
LFLi UFLi

3.3 Minimum oxygen concentration (MOC or LOC)


Below the MOC, the reaction cannot generate enough energy to heat the entire
mixture of gases (including inert gases) to the extent required for the self-
propagation of the flame.
The temperature is still below the ignition temperature.

Stoich. moles of O2
LOC = LFL
Stoich. moles of fuel
3.4 Explosions
Behaviour depends on: ambient temperature, ambient pressure, composition of
explosive material, physical properties of explosive material, nature of ignition
source (type, energy and duration), geometry of surroundings (confined, or
unconfined), amount of combustible material, turbulence of combustible material,
time before ignition, rate at which combustible material is released
Energy released during an explosion is dissipated by a variety of mechanisms
formation of pressure wave, projectiles, thermal radiation and acoustic energy.
The damage from an explosion is caused by the dissipating energy.
Detonation is an explosion in which the reaction front moves at a speed greater
than the speed of sound in an unreacted medium.
Deflagration is an explosion in which the reaction front moves at a speed less
than the speed of sound in an unreacted medium.
Deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) is common in pipes. The energy
from a deflagration can feed forward to the pressure wave, resulting in an increase
in the adiabatic pressure rise. The pressure builds and results in a full detonation.

Autoignition temperature (AIT) is the temperature at which the vapour ignites


spontaneously from the energy of the environment. AIT is a function of concentration
of vapour, volume of vapour, pressure of system, presence of catalytic matrial and
flow conditions.
Rich or lean mixtures have higher AITs -1
Larger system volumes decrease AITs Pf
Increase in pressure decrease AITs Tf =Ti ( )
Pi
Increase in oxygen concentration decrease AITs

Adiabatic compression presents an additional means of ignition. Ignition occurs


when the vapours are compressed to an adiabatic temperature that exceeds the AIT.
Example: A compressor that has fouled after-cooler is particularly susceptible to
autoignition (not able to reduce temperature to below AIT).

TNT (tri-nitro-toluene) equivalency is defined as equating a known energy of


combustible fuel to an equivalent mass of TNT.
r Po
Ze = 1 P s =
Pa
(mTNT )3

3.5 Inerting (control of oxidizer)


Inerting is the process of adding an inert gas to a combustible mixure to reduce the
concentration of oxygen below the MOC or LOC. The inert gas used is usually
nitrogen or carbon dioxide.

The inerting system usually consists only of a regulator designed to maintain a fixed
positive inert pressure in the vapour space (above the liquid). This ensures that the
inert gas is always flowing out of the vessel rather than air flowing in. this analyser
system results in a significant savings in inert gas usage without sacrificing safety.
Vacuum purging most common method for inerting vessels such as reactors, but
not suitable for thin-shelled tanks
Draw a vacuum on the vessel until desired vacuum is reached. Concentration of
oxygen remains the same, while number of moles of oxygen is dropping.
Relieve the vacuum with inert gas, N2. Concentration of oxygen decreases, while
number of moles of oxygen remains the same.
Repeat the above steps until the desired oxygen concentration is reached.

Pressure purging faster (cycle time reductions pressurization process is much


more rapid compared to the relatively slow process of developing a vacuum) and
easier method than vacuum purging
Vessels are pressure purged by adding inert gas to pressurize the vessel.
After the gas diffuses throughout the vessel, it is vented to the atmosphere.
More than one pressure cycle may be necessary to reduce the oxygen
concentration to the desired level.
nL j PL j V
Yj = yo ( ) = yo ( ) nN2 = j(PH -PL ) ( )
nH PH Rg T

3.6 Static charge (control of ignition source)


A common ignition source is sparks resulting from static charge buildup and
sudden discharge. Static charge buildup is a result of physically separating a poor
conductor from a good conductor or another poor conductor.
When different materials touch each other, the electrons move across the interface
from one surface to the other. Upon separation, more of the electrons remain on
one surface than on the other, causing one material to become positively
charged and the other negatively charged.
If one or both of the materials are insulators, the electrons are not as mobile and
are trapped on one of the surfaces, causing the magnitude of the charge to be
much greater.

Methods to prevent electrostatic ignitions


Grounding / bonding prevents 2 metallic objects from having different potentials
Relaxation adding an enlarged section of the pipe just before entering the vessel
(stop the formation of a streaming current during separation process)
Dip pipes an extended line used to reduce the electrical charge accumulation
(prevent splashes movement)
o Prevent siphoning back of the liquid hole in the dip tube near the top of
the vessel or use an angle iron to let the liquid flow down
Increasing conductivity with additives additives called anti-static additives
(water, polar solvents alcohols) can be added to increase the conductivity (so
that charges can conduct away and not build up)

Explosion proof flammable materials might be present at certain times


Non-explosion proof flammable materials not present even at abnormal conditions
Explosion proof housing withstand an internal explosion and prevent the
combustion from spreading beyond the inside of the enclosure
Ventilation dilute explosive vapours with air to prevent explosion and to confine
the hazardous flammable mixtures
Sprinkler system effective way to contain fires
3.7 Relief devices
The relief devices may be vented to the atmosphere or containment systems. There
are two general categories of relief devices spring operated and rupture discs.

Spring-operated valve (relief set pressure is usually 10% above normal operating
pressure)
Conventional: The valve opens based on the pressure drop across the valve seat. If
the backpressure of the downstream of the valve increases, the set pressure will
increase and the valve may not open at the correct pressure.
o Flow through the valve is proportional to the pressure difference across the
seat if backpressure increases, flow will be reduced
Balanced-bellows design: The bellows on the backside of the valve seat ensures
that the pressure on that side is always atmospheric. Thus the valve will always
open at the desired set pressure.
o Flow through the valve is proportional to the pressure difference across the
seat if backpressure increases, flow will be reduced

Rupture discs (rupture at a specified relief set pressure)


Problem: Flexing of the metal occurs as the process pressures change.
Problem: Vacuum service may cause rupture disc failure if the relief system is not
specifically designed for this service.
Problem: Once ruptured, they remain open. This may lead to complete discharge
of process material. It may also allow air to enter the process, leading to possible
fires and explosions.
o Solution: Rupture disc is tied to an alarm system to inform the process
operator when ruptured.

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