Failures flammable liquids

Overfill drum due Calibrate weighing devices and maintain equip-to operator error ment in good working order or valve failure,. metering pumps can lead to opera- tor exposure, slip- fill operation with weighing device pery floors, spread of flammable liquids. CCPS G-3 CCPS G-15 CCPS G-22 CCPS G-29... 

Boiling liquid expanding vapour explosion follows failure of a pressurized eontainer of flaimnable liquid, e.g. LPG, or a sealed vessel eontaining volatile flammable liquids, under fire eonditions. Ignition results in a fireball and missiles. 

The main hazard posed by a BLEVE of a container filled with a flammable liquid, and which fails from engulfment in a fire, is its fireball and resulting radiation. Consequently, Lewis (1985) suggested that a BLEVE be defined as a rapid failure of a container of flammable material under pressure during fire engulfment. Failure is followed by a fireball or major fire which produces a powerful radiant-heat flux. 

In the present context, the term BLEVE is used for any sudden loss of containment of a liquid above its normal boiling point at the moment of its failure. It can be accompanied by vessel fragmentation and, if a flammable liquid is involved, fireball, flash fire, or vapor cloud explosion. The vapor cloud explosion and flash fire may arise if container failure is not due to fire impingement. The calculation of effects from these kinds of vapor cloud explosions is treated in Sections 4.3.3 and 5.2. 

Specific segments of process piping handling flammable liquids or gases in mixtures known to promote pipe failures through erosion, corrosion, or embrittlement. These include hydrocarbons, streams that may contain entrained catalyst, caustics, acids, hydrogen, or similar materials where development of an appropriate scenario envelope is feasible. 

Seal-less pumps are becoming very popular and are widely used in the chemical industry. Mechanical seal problems account for most of the pump repairs in a chemical plant, with bearing failures a distant second. The absence of an external motor and a seal is appealing to those experienced with mechanical seal pumps. However, do not assume that just because there is no seal, seal-less pumps are always safer than pumps with seals, even with the advanced technology now available in seal-less pumps. Use seal-less pumps with considerable caution when handling hazardous or flammable liquids. 

Division 2 locations are those where flammable liquids or gases are present but are normally confined and can escape only through accident or abnormal operation.. lso included are areas where ignitable concentrations of gases or vapors are normally prevented by mechanical ventilation, but might become hazardous because of failure or abnormal operation of the equipment. A third Division 2 situation is an area adjacent to a Division 1 location, where ignitable concentrations of gas or vapor might occasionally be communicated (unless ap-... 

In another approach, the standard failure frequency is divided over the relevant failure causes only. For example, for a non-flammable liquid without a heating spiral, the failure frequency of 5 x 1per year is now distributed as shown in Table 7. With respect to the original method, the relative contributions of the remaining failure causes are now a factor four higher. However, also in this approach the failure frequency of an atmospheric tank with non-standard measures against a flammable atmosphere would be less than the failure frequency of a tank with an inert substance. 

Flammable liquids or gas could be released and migrate to ignition sources because of an inadequacy or failure in these engineering and administrative controls. 

The main causes of large fires and explosions in oil industries are release or overflow of flammable liquid or gas, overheating or hot surfaces, fitting or pipe failure, electrical breakdown, and overpressure or pressure vessel failure, explosion in equpment chemical reaction, and inappropriate operation (Khan Abbasi, 1999). 

Handling flammable liquids Fires have been caused by failure to limit the likelihood of spills and the release of vapour. Standard precautions are ... 

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