Spill containment basin

Spill Containment Basin. Impervious liners for earthen basins is another use for sulfur composites. A spill containment basin surrounding several bulk storage tanks was lined as a joint project between Chevron, The Sulphur Development Institute of Canada, and The Environmental Protection Service of Canada (Figure 7). For this particular application, the lining requirements were durability, sufficient strength to support foot traffic, and resistance to an arctic climate. 

Figure 7. Spill containment basin lined with sulfur composite. (top) The basin surrounded a petroleum storage tank. (bottom) The sulfur composite liner was applied to the earthen berm and the basin bottom.

The techniques used to line the spill containment basin should also apply to other earthen structures. Examples include water catchment basins and sewage treatment ponds. 

HCl storage should be separated from that of incompatible or reactive materials. Some form of spill containment is essential. This may be a double-walled tank, a sump, a dike, or a diversion basin. The volume provided for external containment should allow for dilution of the acid to reduce fuming. 

Pressure storage vessels should not be located within buildings, or within the spill containment systems (diked enclosures or remote retention basins) of other storage. 

In order to handle accidental spills or overflows, a spill basin maybe provided, into which the flow is diverted if the concentration of a particular constituent exceeds a predetermined value. If equalization precedes biological treatment, in addition to the organic loading, high fluctuations in temperature, salinity, and toxic organics must also be considered. After the spill is contained, the wastewater flow is diverted back to the equalization basin. The contents of the spill basin are then pumped at a constant controlled rate to the equalization basin. 

If the spill is more extensive, gently add decontaminant to the area of the spill until the top tray (work surface), drain pans, and lower catch basin surfaces are wet with decontaminant. Allow 15 to 20 minutes for contact time. During this period, any containers or equipment within the cabinet should be surface decontaminated. The cabinet walls should also be wiped down with a cloth or sponge soaked in decontaminant. 

Area drains may contain oily water originating from oil drips and drains around the compressors and other lubricated machinery. Process spills of methanol can also make their way to the surface water around the plant. Typically the sewers in and around the plant are collected and discharged to a holding basin, where the surface water is analyzed before discharge. 

Any possible outside perturbations are excluded by wrapping the assembly with cadmium. This gives the "black body" boundary condition to be used in the calculations. Since D2O is expensive, precautions are taken to avoid loss or contamination. The exponential tank is surrounded by an aluminum catch basin to contain any accidental "spill." The entire system is closed to prevent any loss by evaporation or contamination due to H2O from the atmosphere. Approximately 3,000 kg D2O are needed in the experiment. 

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