Ethylene storage

An ethylene storage tank in your plant explodes. The distance that the blast wave travels from the blast site (R) depends upon the energy released in the blast (E), the density of the air (p), and time (t). Use dimensional analysis to determine ... 

The C2 cut is separated from Deethanizer overhead and sent to Acetylene Reactor to convert all Acetylene to Ethylene. Then, the outlet of the reactor is sent to C2 Splitter, in which Ethylene is separated from Ethane. The separated Ethylene is sent to ethylene storage sphere or sent to pipeline as main product. The Ethane is either send back to Furnaces or to Ethane sphere. 

The first column removes ethane which, after treatment for storage, may be used as feed for an ethylene plant. The heavier hydrocarbons pass to the next fractionating... 

Cyclic Polyolefins (GPO) and Gycloolefin Copolymers (GOG). Japanese and European companies are developing amorphous cycHc polyolefins as substrate materials for optical data storage (213—217). The materials are based on dicyclopentadiene and/or tetracyclododecene (10), where R = H, alkyl, or COOCH. Products are formed by Ziegler-Natta polymerization with addition of ethylene or propylene (11) or so-called metathesis polymerization and hydrogenation (12), (101,216). These products may stiU contain about 10% of the dicycHc stmcture (216). 

Other Polymers. Besides polycarbonates, poly(methyl methacrylate)s, cycfic polyolefins, and uv-curable cross-linked polymers, a host of other polymers have been examined for their suitabiUty as substrate materials for optical data storage, preferably compact disks, in the last years. These polymers have not gained commercial importance polystyrene (PS), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), cellulose acetobutyrate (CAB), bis(diallylpolycarbonate) (BDPC), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), styrene—acrylonitrile copolymers (SAN), poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAC), and for substrates with high resistance to heat softening, polysulfones (PSU) and polyimides (PI). 

The packaging (qv) requirements for shipping and storage of thermoplastic resins depend on the moisture that can be absorbed by the resin and its effect when the material is heated to processing temperatures. Excess moisture may result in undesirable degradation during melt processing and inferior properties. Condensation polymers such as nylons and polyesters need to be specially predried to very low moisture levels (3,4), ie, less than 0.2% for nylon-6,6 and as low as 0.005% for poly(ethylene terephthalate) which hydrolyzes faster. 

Polymers with much higher average molecular weights, from 90,000 to 4 x 10 , are formed by a process of coordinate anionic polymerization (43—45). The patent Hterature describes numerous organometaUic compounds, aLkaline-earth compounds, and mixtures as polymerization catalysts. Iron oxides that accumulate in ethylene oxide storage vessels also catalyze polymerization. This leads to the formation of nonvolatile residue (NVR) no inhibitor has been found (46). 

Storage. Carbon steel and stainless steel should be used for all equipment in ethylene oxide service. Ethylene oxide attacks most organic materials (including plastics, coatings, and elastomers) however, certain fluoroplastics ate resistant and can be used in gaskets and O-rings. See Reference 9 for a hst of materials that are compatible with ethylene oxide. 

Storage tanks should be designed in accordance with the ASME code for unfited pressure vessels. AH-welded constmction is recommended. Ethylene oxide storage tanks should be electrically grounded, isolated from potential fire hazards, and equipped with pressure rehef devices. New equipment should be cleaned of iron oxide and immediately purged with inert gas. 

Ethylene oxide storage tanks ate pressurized with inert gas to keep the vapor space in a nonexplosive region and prevent the potential for decomposition of the ethylene oxide vapor. The total pressure that should be maintained in a storage tank increases with Hquid temperature, since the partial pressure of ethylene oxide will also increase. Figure 5 shows the recommended minimum storage pressures for Hquid ethylene oxide under nitrogen or methane blanketing gas. 

Fig. 5. Recommended safe storage pressures for liquid ethylene oxide under nitrogen (—) or methane ( ) blanketiag (9). To convert kPa to psi, multiply...

Polymerization of ethylene oxide can occur duriag storage, especially at elevated temperatures. Contamination with water, alkahes, acids, amines, metal oxides, or Lewis acids (such as ferric chloride and aluminum chloride) can lead to mnaway polymerization reactions with a potential for failure of the storage vessel. Therefore, prolonged storage at high temperatures or contact with these chemicals must be avoided (9). 

Explosibility and Fire Control. As in the case of many other reactive chemicals, the fire and explosion hazards of ethylene oxide are system-dependent. Each system should be evaluated for its particular hazards including start-up, shut-down, and failure modes. Storage of more than a threshold quantity of 5000 lb (- 2300 kg) of the material makes ethylene oxide subject to the provisions of OSHA 29 CER 1910 for "Highly Hazardous Chemicals." Table 15 summarizes relevant fire and explosion data for ethylene oxide, which are at standard temperature and pressure (STP) conditions except where otherwise noted. 

Safe dilution requirements can be given for the gas phase in a flammability diagram or equation (270,273). Alternatively, safe vapor dilution can be given in terms of the Hquid storage conditions where allowance can be made for solubility of the inert gas in Hquid ethylene oxide (273). 

A more serious incident occurred at a plant in which ethylene oxide and aqueous ammonia were reacted to produce ethanolamine. Some ammonia got back into the ethylene oxide storage tank, past several check valves in series and a positive pump. It got past the pump through the relief valve, which discharged into the pump suction line. The ammonia reacted with 30 m of ethylene oxide in the storage tank. There w as a violent rupture of the tank, followed by an explosion of the vapor cloud, which caused damage and destruction over a wide area [4],... 

Storage tanks containing ethylene oxide are usually inerted with nitrogen. One plant used nitrogen made by cracking ammonia. The nitrogen contained traces of ammonia, which catalyzed an explosive decomposition of the ethylene oxide. Similar decompositions have been set off by traces of other bases, chlorides, and rust. 

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