Propellants safety

F. X. Hartman, Solid Propellants Safety Handbook, Spriagfield, Va., 1965. 

G.T. Carter, "Liquid Propellants Safety Handbook , CFSTI, Springfield,... 

Liquid Propint Info Agency, "Liquid Propellant Safety Manual", Silver Spring, Md (1958)... 

If a fire or explosion has already occurred, or if there is bad weather, such that helicopter operations are not possible, then the crew onboard the platform may be directed instead to go to the lifeboats (called TEMPSCs in North Sea jargon, which stands for totally enclosed motor-propelled safety oaft). TEMPSCs are the secondary means of escape. It is normally expected that, from any point on an offshore oil platform, there will be two possible routes for personnel to reach the TEMPSCs, so that an alternate route should always be available if the primary route is blocked by fire. 

Low explosives—explosive materials that can be caused to deflagrate when confined. T)q)ical examples include black powder, propellants, safety fuse, igniters, and fuse igniters. 

LujuePed Gas Propellants. One of the advantages in using a Hquefied gas propeUant is that the pressure in the aerosol container remains constant until the contents are completely expeUed. The disadvantages are primarily ones of safety and environmental impact. 

Many compounds explode when triggered by a suitable stimulus however, most are either too sensitive or fail to meet cost and production-scale standards, requirements for safety in transportation, and storage stability. Propellants and explosives in large-scale use are based mosdy on a relatively small number of well-proven iagredients. Propellants and explosives for military systems are manufactured ia the United States primarily ia government owned plants where they are also loaded iato munitions. Composite propellants for large rockets are produced mainly by private iadustry, as are small arms propellants for sporting weapons. 

A wide variety of special-purpose incinerators (qv) with accompanying gas scmbbers and soHd particle collectors have been developed and installed in various demilitarisation faciUties. These include flashing furnaces that remove all vestiges of explosive from metal parts to assure safety in handling deactivation furnaces, to render safe small arms and nonlethal chemical munitions fluidized-bed incinerators that bum slurries of ground up propellants or explosives in oil and rotary kilns to destroy explosive and contaminated waste and bulk explosive. 

M. M. Swisdak, Jr., "Maximum TNT Equivalence of Naval Propellants," V2, in 21 st Explosives Safety Symposium, U.S. Dept, of Defense Explosive Safety Board, Alexandria, Va., 1984. 

B. R. White, "Reclamation and Recycling of Propellants and Explosive," ia J TNN TF Safety and Environmental Protection Subcommittee Meeting, Monterey, Calif., May 1988. 

Annual Proceedings of the Safety Seminars, Dept, of Defense, Explosive Safety Board, Washington, D.C. International symposia on explosives and closely related subjects are excellent sources of information, ie, international symposia on detonation symposia on combustion symposia on chemical problems connected with the stabiUty of explosives international pyrotechnics seminars symposia on compatibiUty of plastics and other materials with explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics, and processing of explosives, propellants, and ingredients and symposia on explosives and pyrotechnics Mineral Industy Surveys, U.S. Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh, Pa. Periodic pubhcations dedicated primarily to explosive studies in Propellants and Explosives Journal of Ha yardous Materials, and apparent consumption of industrial explosives and blasting agents in the United States. 

Black Powder. Black powder is mainly used as an igniter for nitrocellulose gun propellant, and to some extent in safety blasting fuse, delay fuses, and in firecrackers. Potassium nitrate black powder (74 wt %, 15.6 wt % carbon, 10.4 wt % sulfur) is used for military appHcations. The slower-burning, less cosdy, and more hygroscopic sodium nitrate black powder (71.0 wt %, 16.5 wt % carbon, 12.5 wt % sulfur) is used industrially. The reaction products of black powder are complex (Table 12) and change with the conditions of initia tion, confinement, and density. The reported thermochemical and performance characteristics vary greatly and depend on the source of material, its physical form, and the method of determination. Typical values are Hsted in Table 13. 

D. S. Gaaidnei, ed.. Safety andHayards of High Energy Propellants, CPIA Pubhcation 284, CPIA, Johns Hopkins Urdveisity, Laurel, Md., 1977. 

Pyrotechnics have been used for military purposes for many centuries as propellants, explosive charges, time fuses, and for illumination. There are still many uses of pyrotechnic devices in military appHcations, where they provide portability, storage stability, simplicity of operation, safety, and the reUability required for military scenarios. The devices must be capable of surviving rough handling, weather extremes, and extended storage, yet reUably perform when called on to function. 

Secondary detonating explosive substance or black powder or article containing a secondary detonating explosive substance, in each case without means of initiation and without a propelling charge, or article containing a primary explosive substance and containing two or more independent safety features D... 

At 8 4S the tank of the truck failed it had no safety valve. A fireball resulted, but no concussion was felt. The front end of the tank was propelled up for a distance... 

Figure 5-5P. Propeller with ring guard. For extra safety where sounding rods are used or where samples are taken by hand dipping. Courtesy of Lightnin (formerly Mixing Equipment Co.), a unit of General Signal.

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