Auto-ignition of Hydrocarbons

A hydrocarbon above its auto-ignition temperature will spontaneously ignite upon exposure to air without any source of ignition. This is why there are often fires on pumps that pump heavy hydrocarbons. If the seal on a pump in such a service begins to leak, the 

Sections of piping that contain a pair of alternate 90-degree elbows or alternate right-angled bends are hazardous. These should be avoided when designing pipe work because  

Outages and some serious incidents have occurred as a result of the use of this type of piping configuration (see Fig. 44.2). 

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