Department of Process Engineering

Module: Process System Safety (TPS)

Assignment spring semester 2023-24

Submitted by:
Shiekha AL Ruahili – 005455-20

Submitted to:
Module teachers’ name – module code
Dr. Muna Al Hinai – TPS

DECLARATION OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

 Form Title Declaration of Academic Integrity
Department Academic Departments
Form Code IMCO/QMS/AD/FORM
Issue Date 17/01/2016

Please sign to confirm that you have read and accepted the following statements. Your assessment
will not be accepted without this signed declaration.
1. I confirm that I have read and fully understood IMCO’s policy on Academic Integrity, including
practices that may lead to committing plagiarism and which I must avoid.
2. I confirm that in the attached assessment I have not presented or attempted to present anyone else’s
work as my own, except where I have indicated. I confirm that I understand that doing so would mean I
had committed plagiarism.
3. I confirm that I understand that, if I fail to comply with IMCO’s policy on Academic Integrity,
IMCO will impose penalties which may in the most serious of cases result in termination of my studies
at IMCO. I confirm that I understand that if I am judged guilty of plagiarism I will receive a score of
zero and the other penalties indicated under IMCO’s policy on Academic Integrity in the Student’s
Handbook will apply.
4. I agree to IMCO submitting my work to Turn-it-in or using any other source to verify whether my
work contains plagiarised material.

The extent to which I have worked with others is as follows:

Programme: Process Engineering

Module Code: TPS
Module Title: Process System Safety
Name: Shiekha Al Ruahili
IMCO student ID number: 005455-20
Class: PE/20
Signature: Shiekha Date: 9/12/2023
See the Student Handbook for IMCO’s policy on Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
before you sign.
Part 1 (8 marks)
(Calculation questions)
1. Naphthalene which is used in the production of polymers in stored in
cylindrical tank in a certain polypropylene company. The tank diameter is 6
ft. and height is 30 ft. Benzene is filled up to 25 ft. and flow coefficient is to
be assumed as 0.65. If the tank got a 1-inch puncture at the height of 2.5 ft
(a) Determine the gallons of benzene spilled and (b) the time taken for
benzene to leak out.
2. Determine the stack height required to handle a heat intensity of
2000btu/ft2 with the distance from base of flare being 350 ft and with a
flare load of 106 pounds/hour. The molecular weight of the vapor is
considered to be 44 and the flare diameter is 4.5 ft.

3. An open toluene container in an enclosure has an average evaporation rate

of 4 x10-4lbm/min. The ventilation rate in the area is 350 ft 3/min, the
 ambient temperature was 1200F, pressure was 1 atm, molecular weight of
toluene is 92 lbm/lbm-mole and the ideal gas constant is 0.73ft3atm/lb-mol
o
R.

4. Calculate the concentration of toluene vapor in the enclosure.

Component Mole percent TLV Saturated vapor pressure

Heptanes 25 % 200 ppm 27.1 mm Hg

Toluene 25 % 50 ppm 16.2 mmHg

Benzene 25% 15 ppm 20.5mmHg

Cylco hexane 25% 250ppm 14.6 mmHg

 (b)Propose any two engineering controls to further minimize the
concentration of toluene in air.

 Engineering Controls: Employ a nearby exhaust ventilation and

enclosure, if deemed necessary, to regulate the quantity present in
the atmosphere. In instances of extensive utilization of this
product, employ ventilation systems that are non-sparking, along
with explosion-proof equipment that has been approved, and
electrical systems that are intrinsically safe in areas where this
product is both utilized and stored. Ensure the management of
static electricity discharges, which encompasses the bonding of
equipment to the ground. Also, Isolation to separating workers
from the toluene by distance or the use of barriers. Enclosures
placing the toluene in a closed system (e.g., enclosed machines,
booths, etc.). Ventilation using local exhaust or general dilution
ventilation to remove or reduce airborne products
4. Determine the Threshold limit value of the mixture at 250C and 1 atm
pressure of a mixture derived from the following liquid.
5. Determine the flash protection boundary distance, short circuit current and
fault current for the high voltage transformer with VAC 480 V, Clearance
time 0.05 sec, % impedance (Z) 7 % and KVA 4000. What Type of Arch flash
and shock prevention measures shall be taken for better electrical system
safety
Assignment part 2 (12 marks)
1. Floating roof tank is characterized by an open- topped cylindrical steel shell
equipped with a roof that floats on the surface of the stored liquid.
Whereas fixed root tank has non-movable fixed roof with all the safety and
operational features attached. Discuss in detail all the key procedures that
should be followed in the filling and draining of benzene/toluene/xylene
containing tanks.
 Procedure for filling in fixed roof tank:

Problem Cause Consequences Effects Actions

Install
overcurrent
Errors made by overflows,
protection
humans and potential spills,
Filling up too Fire and mechanisms.
and
much malfunctions in explosion Perform regular
environmental
equipmentTank inspection and
harm
maintenance of
equipment.

Build with
corrosion
resistant
Leak in pipe Equipment
Leaks, product materials. Use
Corrosion Corrosive damage and
contamination cathodic
materials structura weak
protection and
protective
coatings.
When filling a fixed roof tank with benzene/toluene/xylene, there are
several steps you can take to ensure safety and meet regulations. The steps
may vary depending on the chemical and the local regulations, but here are
some general guidelines to follow:

1. Prepare the tank for filling: Make sure the tank is adequately
prepared for the chemical to be filled. This includes checking for
damage or leaks to the tank and its equipment.

2. Follow all necessary safety precautions: Wear appropriate PPE and

make sure the tank is properly ventilated during the filling
process.Monitor the filling process closely to avoid overfilling which
can cause spills and other hazards.Use the right fill line for your
chemical tank, and make sure the fill line is correctly mounted and
connected.

3. Emissions control: Take steps to reduce emissions of harmful vapors

in the filling process, including the use of uploading / venting
scrubbers.
4. Compliance: Make sure the filling process meets applicable
regulations and industry standards related to chemical storage and
handling.

 Procedure for draining in fixed roof tank:

When cleaning a fixed roof tank of chemicals, the following procedures

should be followed to ensure safety and efficiency:Completely drain the
tank to remove any remaining chemicals and ensure chemical purity .A full
drain system can reduce the risk of workers coming into contact with
dangerous chemicals during cleaning Prior to cleaning, the tank should be
isolated from the entire system by draining down all lines, removing valves,
and mounting blind flanges on the tank nozzles or pipe line flanges.The
remaining product should be pumped out of the tank using vacuum trucks
or other pumping methods Confined space entry should meet OSHA and
API standards The tank should be adequately ventilated Employees should
wear appropriate PPE Extreme weather conditions can affect confined
space conditions.

 Procedure for filling in floating roof tank:

Problem Cause Consequences Effects Actions

High vapor in
tank and then
leakage in Regular
lead to Environmental
Overfilling pipe while maintenance,inspections
explosion. hazards
filling and cleaning.
Contamination
of water
Exposed to
environmental
worker and Take care with source
Fire and effect and also
Fire and cause Injuries of fire and deal with its
Ignition effects to
explosion and death. correct way. conduct
source. workers and
Damage to risk assessments.
area around.
equipment
Tank damage
and weak the
Regular maintenance
property of
Corrosion leakage in pipes and inspection. Use
Corrosion structures of the
materials and tank corrosion resistant
tank and
materials.
Environmental
pollution
Floating roof tanks are used to store liquid petroleum products and offer
several advantages over other tanks, including reduced vapor loss, fouling
prevention and longer tank life.The following procedures should be followed
when pouring chemicals into a floating roof tank:
1. Minimize vapor loss: Especially for distillates, ensure floating roof tanks
are designed to minimize vapor exposure to help maintain the quality and
properties of the liquid being stored.

2. Compliance: Many regulatory agencies, such as the US Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA), require the use of floating roof tanks for certain
volatile liquid storage applications to meet specific regulations.

3. Reduces Contamination: Pop-up canopies help prevent contamination of

stored liquids withforeign substances such as dust, debris or rainwater.

4. Roof Drainage: Rain or snow that accumulateson your roof can be

drained using a roof drainage system, preventing excessive roof weight and
potential roof damage. Improved product quality: By reducing exposure to
vapors, floating roof tanks help maintain the quality and properties of
stored liquids.

5. Extended Tank Life: Reduced exposure to environmental and

corrosive elements can extend tank life.

6. Customization and modification: Floating roof tanks can be designed

with different types of roofs, such as external floating roof, internal
floating roof or closed floating roof, depending on the specific requirements
of the stored product.
  Procedure for draining in floating roof tank:
When discharging chemicals from floating roof tanks, specific procedures must be
followed to ensure safety and prevent environmental damage.Depending on the
results of your search, you will need to take the following steps: Make sure the
tank is properly grounded and all electrical equipment is turned off.Close all
valves and vents to prevent smoke from escaping.
Use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves, goggles,
and face shields.Open the drain valve slowly to avoid sudden pressure changes
that could damage or leak the tank.Direct chemical spills to designated storage or
disposal sites.Monitor the tapping process to ensure it is safeand accident-free.

 Risk assessment:
 Benzene Toluene Xylene

2. Apply the Fault tree analysis method to investigate the root cause of failure
for the Fukushima Daichi Nuclear power plant disaster.

Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

Loss of coolant Hydrogen Built-up in Ignition

cooling water

Loss of main power

supply Release to
Requirement to vent Ignition
Atmosphere
due to high pressure. source

Insufficient Earthquake Failure

Insufficient
protection of to
diversity
power supply. controlled
of power Closed Self-
circuit location.
supply heating
roules trapping fuel
pressure.
 Hydrogen Hydrogen
evaporated evaporated from
from water. fuel.

exposed Fuel due to

Radiation Stationary insufficient level in reactor and
sources water ponds

3. Apply the what-if and HZOP methods and analyze the Bhopal Incident that
happened in INDIA.

What-if method:

What-if Consequences Safeguarsd Recommendation

What if the flow -risk of generation a -maintenance -more frequent valve
control valve is flammable mixture. and inspection. maintenance.
leaking - Potential fire. -low flow -consider installation of
alarm. double-valve.

What if there is no -temperature and -control the -check the capacity of the
control in pressure increase in temperature. relief valve to vent the
temperature the tank. -maintenance generated vapors.
-possible boiling of the cooling. -install a pressure
the contents. indicator and pressure
alarm in the control room.
What if there is -lead to explosion -cleaning and
no/blokage vent in because of inspection the -install the flame to
theprocess of increasing the gases. vent release the gases.
Bhopal Incident
1. What would happen if appropriate safety measures were taken?
Sufficient safety protocols, including adequate training, emergency response plan
s, and equipment upkeep, may have lessened the impact of the gas leak.
2. What if there were regular inspections?
It's possible that routine audits and inspections discovered and fixed safety issues,
guaranteeing the factory operated within allowable risk boundaries.
3.What if there were sufficient means of communication?
It's possible that more effective and timely communication channels allowed for a
quicker reaction to the tragedy, which would have reduced the number of casualti
es.
4. What if they have greater level of community awareness?
A greater understanding of the neighbourhood could have led to more informed d
ecisions being made during the emergency, which would have reduced the effects
on the local population.

HAZOP method:
Parameters Deviation Causes Consequences Actions
Flow/no No -Closed the valve that -no product. -maintenance and
allow the materials to -closed valve which leads inspection to the valve.
flow to the MIC storage to incenses the pressure -low flow alarm.
tank. and temperature and then
-plug in pipe or pipe explosion.
rupture.

Temperatur High -failure in cooling. -increase in temperature -control the temperature.

e -failure in temperature which lead to fire and -maintenance the cooling.
control. explosion.
-overheating.
-increase in pressure.
Flow High -overflows, potential -fire and explosion. -Install overcurrent
spills, and protection mechanisms. -
environmental harm Perform regular inspection
and maintenance of
equipment.
Leake High -Methyl isocyanate -killing at least 3800 -maintenance
reacted with water in a people. corrosion.
cooling tank. -causing significant
morbidity.
-leads to corrosion.
The Bhopal incident, also known as the Bhopal gas tragedy, occurred on
December 2 and 3, 1984 in Bhopal, India. It was the toxic gas from the Union
Carbide India Limited pesticide factory that released about 42 tonnes of methyl
isocyanate (MIC) into the air. The disaster instantly killed thousands of people
and endangered the health of hundreds of thousands more.

of the Bhopal accident, the following aspects can be considered:

1. Hazard Identification: Accidents have occurreddue to routine
pipe maintenance, which causes water to back up into the tank containing
the MIC. A HAZOP study should identify
these potential hazards and suggest appropriate measures to prevent their
occurrence.

2. RISK ASSESSMENT: A risk assessment conductedby US experts at the Bhopal

plant warned of a potential disaster.However, management ignored
safety recommendations and did not followemergency procedures,
resulting in a gas leak.

3. Safety Measures: After the Bhopal disaster, several laws and regulations
have been enactedin India to ensure safety and disaster
management.HAZOP investigations should consider the implementation of
these safety measures and their effectiveness in preventing similar
incidents in the future.

4. Training and awareness: should emphasize the importance of training and

awareness of workers and management whenhandling hazardous materials
and followingsafety procedures.

5. Process Safety: improving plant process safety, including equipment design

and operation, as well as hazardous materials management.