Safely flammability

The researchers suggest that their work proposes a method for lowering the flammability of polymeric materials by modifying their morphology. With blends of polypropylene and ethylene/propylene terpolymer from 61.5 to 37.5% PP, a method for ecologically safe flammability reduction of composites has been shown. 

USP 7,444,761, Gray D.J., November 4, 2008, Intrinsically Safe Flammable Solvent Processing Method and System... 

The best way to deal with a hazard in a flowsheet is to remove it completely. The provision of safety systems to control the hazard is much less satisfactory. One of the principal approaches to making a process inherently safe is to limit the inventory of hazardous material, called intensification of hazardous material. The inventories we wish to avoid most of all are flashing flammable liquids or flashing toxic liquids. 

Resource Conservation and ecoveTy Jict. The RCRA focuses on the proper disposition of waste from industrial processes. The interface to printing ink is primarily solvents, which can be flammable, and ingredients in ink that can contribute to the presence of certain heavy metals. The proper interface is the safe disposal of waste inks, but is often confused with disposal of printing matter. 

The extremely toxic and flammable gas phosphine is safely and conveniently generated for the fumigation of grain in sacks or bins from 3-g tablets containing aluminum phosphide and ammonium carbamate which produce 1 g of phosphine in the presence of moisture. 

Styrene is mildly toxic, flammable, and can be made to polymerize violently under certain conditions. However, handled according to proper procedures, it is a relatively safe organic chemical. Styrene vapor has an odor threshold of 50—150 ppm (72,73). 

Tables 16 and 17 Hst tke analytical test methods for different properties of interest. The Manufacturing Chemists Association, Inc. (MCA) has pubUshed the Chemical Safety Data Sheet SD 63, which describes in detail procedures for safe handling of use of toluene (46). The Interstate Commerce Commission classifies toluene as a flammable Hquid. Accordingly, it must be packaged in authorized containers, and shipping must comply with ICC regulations. Properties related to safe handling are autoignition temperature, 536°C explosive limits, 1.27—7.0 vol % in air and flash point 4.4°C, closed cup.

MVE is a reactive flammable gas and must be handled safely. A detailed review of VE handling issues is available (6). 

Manufacturers of benzene are requited by federal law to pubHsh Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) that describe in detail the procedures for its safe handling. Benzene is classified as a flammable Hquid and should be stored away from any potential source of ignition. Fine and explosion hazard data for benzene are shown (91). 

Thermal Properties. Thermal properties include heat-deflection temperature (HDT), specific heat, continuous use temperature, thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, and flammability ratings. Heat-deflection temperature is a measure of the minimum temperature that results in a specified deformation of a plastic beam under loads of 1.82 or 0.46 N/mm (264 or 67 psi, respectively). Eor an unreinforced plastic, this is typically ca 20°C below the glass-transition temperature, T, at which the molecular mobility is altered. Sometimes confused with HDT is the UL Thermal Index, which Underwriters Laboratories estabflshed as a safe continuous operation temperature for apparatus made of plastics (37). Typically, UL temperature indexes are significantly lower than HDTs. Specific heat and thermal conductivity relate to insulating properties. The coefficient of thermal expansion is an important component of mold shrinkage and must be considered when designing composite stmctures. 

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). 

Flash points, lower and upper flammability limits, and autoignition temperatures are the three properties used to indicate safe operating limits of temperature when processing organic materials. Prediction methods are somewhat erratic, but, together with comparisons with reliable experimental values for families or similar compounds, they are valuable in setting a conservative value for each of the properties. The DIPPR compilation includes evaluated values for over 1000 common organics. Detailed examples of most of the methods discussed are available in Danner and Daubert."... 

Most storage containers for ciyogens are designed for a 10 percent ullage volume. The latter permits reasonable vaporization of the contents due to heat leak without incurring too rapid a buildup of the pressure in the container. This, in turn, permits closure of the container for short periods of time to either avoid partial loss of the contents or to transport flammable or hazardous ciyogens safely from one location to another. 

In some cases, it is impractical to use a plenum chamber under the constriction plate. This condition arises when a flammable or explosive mixture of gases is being introduced to the reactor. One solution is to pipe the gases to a multitude of individual gas inlets in the floor of the reactor. In this way it may be possible to maintain the gas velocities in the pipes above the flame velocity or to reduce the volume of gas in each pipe to the point at which an explosion can be safely contained. Another solution is to provide separate inlets for the different gases and depend on mixing in the fluidized bed. The inlets should be fairly close to one another, as lateral gas mixing in fluidized beds is poor. 

There is a maximum safe gap measured experimentally which will prevent the transmission of an explosion occurring within a container to a flammable mixture outside the container. Critical and maximum experimental safe gaps for a number of materials in air are listed in Lees (1980, pp. 491-492). These quenching effects are important in the design of flame arresters and flameproof equipment. 

Flammable liquids are considered particularly static-prone if their elec trical conductivity is within the range of 0.1 to 10 pS/m. If no particulates or immiscible liquid are present, these prodlic ts are considered safe when their conductivity has been raised to 50 pS/m or higher. Blending operations or other two-phase mixing may cause such a high rate of charging that a conductivity of at least 1000 pS/m is needed for safe charge dissipation (British Standard 5958, part 1, Control of Undesirable Static Electricity, para. 8, 1991). 

In most chemical areas, grounded persons can wear any type of clothing safely. For the unusually sensitive environments hsted above, antistatic or conductive clothing shoiild be worn, and persons must be grounded. Removal of outer garments in a flammable location can cause hazardous discharges and should be avoided (NFPA 77, Static electricity, para. 2-2, 1993). 

NFPA 30 details the design features and safe placement of handling equipment for flammable and combustible hquids. 

Ignition of flammable Provide safe separation distances release resulting in fire. Develop appropriate area electrical or explosion. classification Provide ignition source control Place ignition sources in positive pressure enclosure and buildings Provide adequate ventilation API RP500 BS 5345 BS 5958 NFPA-70 NFPA-77... 

For flammable and/or toxic materials all of the precautions for a pressurized system should be considered. For example, when a centrifuge is pressurized, overpressure protection is required, even if the pressurization is an inert gas. Relieving of the pressure to a closed system or safe location must be considered. 

Provide safe separation distances Install fixed fire protection and alarms, water sprays (deluge), and/or foam systems activated by flammable gas, flame, and/or smoke detection devices... 

Install fire safe bottom valves Install fire safe valves on major solvent lines Install remote shut off of fuel sources Eliminate points of leakage (flanges, hoses). Replace with fixed/welded pipes Move flammable material storage away from vessel (e.g., pallets, etc.)... 

Intrinsic Safety. Static electrical concepts such as minimum ignition energy do not directly apply when assessing the safety of electrical circuits such as radios, flashlights and instmmentation. Intrinsically safe electrical equipment is usually available which has been subjected to fault analysis and testing. The equipment must be certified for the flammable atmosphere in which it will be used (NFPA 497). Refer to texts on Intrinsic Safety such as [63]. 

Of the instmments described only some are suitable for use outside the laboratory. Where any instrument is carried into a flammable environment it should either be certified as intrinsically safe for exposure to the flammable atmosphere or isolated from the atmosphere such as by keeping it within a purged enclosure. Any probe connected to the instmment must be separately considered as a possible ignition source. Electrometers are described in [ 1531. A more general review of electrostatic instruments is given in [ 136]. 

Sample containers are discussed in 5-8.4.2. Eor tanks containing a flammable atmosphere this is most safely accomplished using a sampling well, also known as a gauge well. This is a metal pipe, sometimes perforated, through which a sample container or gauging device is lowered into the liquid. The metal pipe is permanently fixed and electrically bonded to the top and... 

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