Explosion , Hazards Dangers of

Detonation (and Explosion), Hazards (Dangers) of. This Subject is discussed in Vol 3, p C5-L under the title Danger of Handling Explosives and also in the following refs  

Refs 1) G. Barbaras et al, JACS 70, 877 (1948) CA 42, 3572 (1948)(Expln hazards in evaporating ethereal solns of hydrides of Al, Li, Li-Al, Na, etc) 2) L. Medard et al, RevMet 46, 549-60(1949) MP 32, 179-96(1950) CA 44, 330(1950) 47, 9013(1953) (Danger of expln from perchloric acid - acetic anhydride mixts used in electrolytic polishing baths) 3) R. 

837(1953) (Expln hazard in drying methyl ethers with Li-Al hydride) 11) J.N. Eisendrath, C EN 31, 3016(1953) CA 47, 11737(1953) (Danger of expln on heating 

52 (Table XI entitled Classification of Explosives with Respect to Hazard From Electric Sparks . Dangerous expls are BkPdr, DADNPh, EC Powder, Expl D , LA.LSt, MF, Tetracene, Tetryl, Tetrytol Ungraphited Smokeless Propint. Non- 

6 (Table 1,4 lists relative hazards of various industries, including BkPdt and HE plants) 7 (Table 1.5 lists ten largest accidental expins covering the period between 1918 1947) 17) H.G. Dorsett Jr et al, 

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Detonation (and Explosion), Danger of. See Detonation (and Explosions), Hazards (Danger) of... 

Explosion Hazards (Dangers) of. See Vol 4, pp D366 D367 and also p D245-L... 

The Dow Fine and Explosion Index is a useful method for obtaining an estimate of the relative fine and explosion hazards associated with flammable and combustible chemicals. However, the technique is very procedure oriented, and there is the danger of the user becoming more involved with the procedure than the intent. 

Methanol is stable under normal storage conditions. Methanol is not subject to hazardous polymerization reactions, but can react violendy with strong oxidizing agents. The greatest hazard involved in handling methanol is the danger of fire or explosion. The NFPA classifies methanol as a serious fire hazard. 

The danger of an explosion of a nitrated product generally increases as the degree of nitration increases, eg, trinitroaromatics are more hazardous as compared to dinitroaromatics or especially mononitroaromatics. Nitroaromatics and some polynitrated paraffins are highly toxic when inhaled or when contacted with the skin. AH nitrated compounds tend to be highly flammable. 

Finely divided barium is susceptible to rapid, violent combination with atmospheric oxygen. Therefore, in powdered form it must be considered pyrophoric and very dangerous to handle in the presence of air or other oxidising gases. Barium powder must be stored under dry argon or helium to avoid the possibihty of violent explosions. Massive pieces of barium, however, oxidize relatively slowly and present no explosion hazard if kept dry. 

In solid form, Mg is difficult to ignite because heat is conducted rapidly away from the source of ignition it must be heated above its mp before it will bum. However, in finely divided form it may be ignited by a spark dr the flame of a, match. Mg fires do not flare up violently unless there is moisture present. Therefore it must be kept away from w, moisture, etc. It m y. be ignited by a spark, match flame, or even spontaneously when the Mg is finely divided and damp, particularly with w-oil emulsion. Also, Mg reacts with moisture, acids, etc to evolve H2 which is a highly dangerous fire arid explosion hazard (Ref 23)... 

VasU ev (Ref 36) impacted various explosives with steel plates and followed events with a framing camera. PA at 1,59g/cc impacted with a 3-mm thick steel plate at 430m/sec showed only deflagration and no expins. Initially the burning rate was low but reached 600m/sec in about 65 microseconds after impact C. Potential Hazards. The main danger of accidental expln of PA appears to be in fires. There appears to be uncertainty if explns result if PA bums out of contact with metals. On p 494, Urbanski (Ref 35) states ... 

The index works out at 21 classified as Fight . Ammonia would not normally be considered a dangerously flammable material the danger of an internal explosion in the reactor is the main process hazard. The toxicity of ammonia and the corrosiveness of nitric acid would also need to be considered in a full hazard evaluation. 

Hazard Class A series of nine descriptive terms that have been established by the UN Committee of Experts to categorize the hazardous nature of chemical, physical, and biological materials. These categories are flammable liquids, flammable solids, explosives, gases, oxidizers, radioactive materials, corrosives, poisonous and infectious substances, and dangerous substances. 

Management was also aware of the hazards associated with concentrating hydroxylamine. As described in CSI s material safety data sheet (MSDS) "Danger of fire and explosion exists as water is removed or evaporated and hydroxylamine concentration approaches levels in excess of about 70%."... 

Accidents involving physical hazards can directly injure workers and can create additional hazards, for example, increased chemical exposure due to damaged protective equipment, or danger of explosion caused by the mixing of chemicals. Site personnel should constantly look out for potential safety hazards, and should immediately inform their supervisors of any new hazards so that proper action can be taken [1,21,31]. 

In the preceding sections we have emphasized the importance of knowing the heats of formation of explosive materials in order to estimate AH, detonation product compositions, fire explosion hazards of potentially dangerous materials, and critical diameters for thermal explosions. This is by no means a complete list of the uses of heats of formation. Thus the AHf° of a compound is indeed one of its most useful properties. However, how does one proceed if the AHf° for a material of interest has not been determined experimentally The obvious answer to this is by estimating AHf° on the basis of theoretical or semi-empirical methods. Many such methods exist. The following article contributed by Dr. Robert Shaw of SRI presents a method that is particularly applicable to estimating the heats of formation of explosive compounds... 

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