Methane flammability

DIMETHYL SULFIDE Methyl Sulfide, 2-Thlapropane, Methanethlo-methane Flammable Liquid, II 4 4 0... 

Methane Flammable gas Flammable gas 5 15 Stop flow of gas Water Not pertinent 1004 No ... 

TABLE 11-27 Flammability and Detonability Limits of Hydrogen and Methane Gas... 

Flammability limits for pure components and selected mixtures have been used to generate mixing rules. These apply to mixtures of methane, ethane, propane, butane. 

FIQURE 5-1.2. Flammability triangular diagram for methane -H oxygen -h nitrogen. 

ASPHYXIA The result of a diminished supply of oxygen to the blood and tissues and interference with the respiratory function. Simple anoxia may be caused by inert gases , e.g. nitrogen, and some flammable gases, e.g. methane. Toxic anoxia may be caused by certain substances, e.g. carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide, which interfere with the body s ability to transfer or utilize oxygen in the tissues. Rapid unconsciousness and death can occur in either case. 

NATURAL GAS Flammable gas consisting essentially of methane with very minor proportions of other gases. Flammable limits approximately 5-15%. Odourized for commercial distribution within the UK. 

Flammability (e.g. hydrogen, acetylene, methane), toxicity (e.g. carbon dioxide, fluorine), or chemical reactivity (fluorine, oxygen). 

Preeautions also have to be instituted to proteet against the inherent properties of the eylinder eontents, e.g. toxie, eorrosive, flammable (refer to Table 9.1). Most gases are denser than air eommon exeeptions inelude aeetylene, ammonia, helium, hydrogen and methane. Even these may on eseape be mueh eooler than ambient air and therefore slump initially. Eventually the gas will rise and aeeumulate at high levels unless ventilated. Hydrogen and aeetylene, whieh both have very wide flammable limits (Table 6.1), ean form explosive atmospheres in this way. 

The main hazard is that of flammability. The following precautions supplement those in Table 9.3 for the storage of methane gas cylinders ... 

Landfill disposal of certain categories of solid waste may result in gas generation, mainly methane, and a highly polluted leachate. The methane may be drawn off, to avoid a flammable hazard on- or off-site. The leachate is pumped off for treatment. 

Chemical Reactivity - Reactivity with Water Reacts vigorously, generating flammable methane gas Reactivity with Common Materials Will react with surface moisture to generate flammable methane Stability During Transport Stable Neutralizing Agents for Acids and Caustics Not pertinent Polymerization Not pertinent Inhibitor of Polymerization Not pertinent. 

The summary at the bottom of Table 5 indicates the relative agreement between the calculated data and that experimentally determined for this particular producer gas. It is suggested that the difference between calculated and determined data in this case may be due more to inaccuracies in the analysis of the produeer gas (particularly for methane) than to the fault of the mixture rule formula. This points up the fact that reliable gas analyses also are a necessary part of the calculated flammability limit data. 

Figure 14. Flammable limits for hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, with nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water vapor.

LNG is predominantly methane, not toxic but flammable in air. Liquid below -161 ° C is delivered to the methane terminal in shiploads of 12,000 tonnes and is transferred into either four in-ground tanks, each of about 20,000 tonnes capacity or eight above-ground tanks, six w ilh 4,000 tonnes capacity and two with 1,000 tonnes capacity. The LNG is refrigerated below the boiling point of the gas mixture. 

LPG is a mixture of flammable hydrocarbons which are gas at normal temperature hut liquid under pressure or when cooled below the boiling point at atmospheric pressure. Two mixtures are in common use, commercial propane and commercial butane. Large quantities are stored and handled at British Gas Corporation methane terminal, Shell UK Oil, Mobil Oil Co. Ltd, and Calor t ias LiJ The last also fills and handles large numbers of portable LPG cylinders. 

Flammable gases and vapors include acetylene, hydrogen, butadiene, ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, acrolein, ethyl ether, ethylene, acetone, ammonia, benzene, butane, cyclopropane, ethanol, gasoline, hexane, methanol, methane, natural gas, naphtha, and propane. 

FIGURE 3-9. Effect of various gases on the flammability limits of methane-inert-gas-air mixtures at 25°C (77°F) and atmospheric pressure (Zabetakis 1965). 

FIGURE 3-10. Flammability diagram for methane-oxygen-nitrogen mixtures. (Courtesy of L. G. Britton.)... 

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