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Process Safety Technical Areas

Results of Root Cause Analyses of Spring Operated Pressure Relief Valve Failures

Mar 22, 2010
Julia V. Bukowski
A subset of 44 failed spring operated pressure relief valves (SORV) from a set of over 5600 Process Equipment Reliability Database (PERD) proof tests was subjected to root cause of failure analysis (RCA). This paper reports on the findings of those 44 analyses and includes specific examples of root...

High Integrity Protective System Design Using a Risk Based Approach

Mar 22, 2010
Robert J. Stack
With the update of the High Integrity Protective System (HIPS) methodology by API in 2007, Dow Chemical updated its internal work process to apply Dow's risk based work processes to HIPS design, application and evaluation. Rather than just focusing on the vessel related consequences of substituting...

Combustible Dust: A Practical Approach to Identifying and Mitigating Hazards

Mar 22, 2010
Richard C. Griffin
Combustible dust hazards are prevalent in many facilities throughout industry, including the chemical process industries. Lack of awareness and control of these hazards has led to numerous catastrophic accidents. Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP has developed a practical approach to identifying...

Materials as Inherent Ignition Sources for Dust Explosions During Spray Drying

Mar 22, 2010
Vincent Van den Hoogenband
During spray drying, a solution is dispersed through a nozzle in small droplets to evaporate the water by means of hot air. In a large number of these processes, organic materials are processed so three out of four factors for dust explosions to occur are already present. The only thing missing for...

Atmospheric Storage Tank Explosion Modeling

Mar 22, 2010
Jérôme Taveau
Many flammable products are usually stored in large vessels at atmospheric pressure. Ignition of an hydrocarbon-air mixture in such tanks can lead to an explosion and cause lethal casualties, as in 2006 at Partridge-Raleigh oilfield, USA, or damage the surrounding facilities and buildings. To...

Fire Study of Melting Fiberglass Using FLUENT CFD Software

Mar 21, 2010
Steve G. Rochelle
Thermal insulation is used in chemical plants primarily as a tool to prevent energy loss. However, if installed properly, an added benefit is that of allowing the use of smaller relief valves when designing relief systems in the fire case. The study described in this report was initiated to...

Assessing the Burning Rate of Solid Oxidizers

Mar 21, 2010
Elizabeth C. Buc
A method for assigning solid oxidizers and products containing oxidizers to an NFPA Class was developed. The method consists of two reaction-to-fire tests: a bench-scale screening test with thirty gram piles and an intermediate-scale fire exposure test with twenty four pounds of material in...

Thermal Stability of Chemicals Based on Kinetics and Vessel Parameters

Mar 21, 2010
Amy Theis
Thermal stability of a chemical mixture or pure material can be evaluated using adiabatic calorimetry. Several calorimetry testing instruments and techniques will be used and compared for a comprehensive evaluation. Results from these tests can be used to determine kinetic parameters which can be...

Lifecycle Physical Hazards of Polystyrene Foam Board

Mar 21, 2010
Atsumi Miyake
Polymer Foam Boards have been widely used for individual home and general building, from roofs and/or walls down to foundation, for example. On the other hand, these Boards have significant physical hazards, because flammable blowing agent has come to be used, replacing nonflammable CFC chemicals...

Dust or Gas Explosion: Case Study of Dryer Explosion and Design Venting

Mar 21, 2010
Scott Davis
A recent explosion occurred in a single burner, recirculating solids ring dryer. No one was reported injured as a result of the explosion, however the explosion caused significant damage to the dryer and minor damage to sections of the facility. Despite the dryer having been designed with seven...

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