Sulfuric acid tanks

Materials that are corrosion resistant to the expected cathodic polarization qualify as impressed current cathodes. Austenitic CrNi steels are used with strong acids. The oleum (i.e., fuming sulfuric acid) and concentrated sulfuric acid tanks used in sulfonating alkanes and in the neutralization of sulfonic acids are anodi-cally protected using platinized brass as cathodes [15]. Lead cathodes are used to protect titanium heat exchangers in rayon spinning baths [16]. 

On a hot summer day in the late 1990s, one front-page headline of the Lake Charles American Press read, Acid Mix-up Creates Toxic Vapor Cloud. The accompanying photo showed two emergency-response team members staring at the sulfuric acid tank that was being cooled by water sprayed from three or more temporary firewater monitors. [9]... 

The plant manager is quoted as saying that the chemical company was expecting four acid trucks on that Friday morning. Three of the trucks were carrying sulfuric acid and one was delivering nitric acid. The nitric acid truck was misdirected and partially unloaded in the sulfuric acid tank. 

United States Chemical Safety and Hazards Investigation Board. Lindings and Recommendations of Motiva Refinery Sulfuric Acid Tank Larm Disaster, Aug 28, 2002. 

High level in weak sulfuric acid tank. 

SI-1 Urea bin W 2. W-8 Weigh feeders T-3 Sulfuric acid tank P-4, P-6, P-11 Pumps M-5 Mixing tank SI-7 Rock bin M-9 Rotary mixer X-10 Drum DEN... 

During maintenance to a catwalk on a summer afternoon in 2011, a refinery along the Delaware River had a short-lived explosive fire within a sulfuric acid tank. The acid... 

During maintenance to a catwalk on a summer afternoon, a Motiva Enterprises LLC refinery on the Delaware River had a short-lived lire within a sulfuric acid tank on July 17, 2001. The acid tank ruptured and a contractor died. Adjacent sulfurie aeid tanks were damaged. The refinery is about 10 miles south of Wilmington. The refinery had approximately 650 employees and 300 contractors on-site when the fire occurred [7,8]. 

Figure 7.4 Sulfuric acid tank is destroyed during catwalk maintenance. Note the tank floor to the right and the fact that the typical weak roof design failed.

On the afternoon of July 17, 2001, a sulfuric acid tank caught fire and ruptured at the Motiva Enterprises, LLC Delaware City Refinery. Adjacent sulfuric acid tanks were damaged, and approximately one million gallons of acid escaped the secondary containment through an open valve. Acid was released to the surrounding area, entered into the sewer system, and then passed through Motiva s wastewater treatment system into the Delaware River. 

The management of change shortcomings in sulfuric acid tank incident... 

Figure 7.5 Charred sulfuric acid Tank No. 394 in foreground and the remains of the catwalk...

Fig. 4. Flow sheet for the manufacture of poly(vinyl formal) by a concurrent solvent process. 1, Poly(vinyl acetate) solution 2, sulfuric acid tank 3, sodium acetate tank 4, reactor for hydrolysis and acetalization 5, precipitator 6, water tank 7, wash tank 8, liquor recovery system 9, hold-up tank 10, centrifuge 11, dryer 12, finished product (33). Courtesy of The Electrochemical Society, Inc.

N (1106-N) Chemical unloading facility Unloading area for trucks and tank cars containing sulfuric acid or sodium hydroxide. Three abovegrour d sulfuric acid tanks, one aboveground sodium hydroxide tank and six french drains. 

N chemical unloading facility 120-N-7 unloading station french drain 120-N-6 sulfuric acid tank french drains 108-N neutralization pit UN-lOO-N-15 unplanned release UN-lOO-N-33 unplanned release December 26, 1987 unplanned release 120-N-5 acid/caustic trench and neutralization unit UN-lOO-N-34 unplanned release August 7, 1987 unplanned release September 2, 1987 unplanned release November 9, 1987 unplanned release 120-N-3 neutralization pit and french drain 120-N-8 sulfuric acid day tank french drain Regeneration waste transport system June 14, 1986 unplanned release June 30, 1986 unplanned release 124-N-l septic tank. 

N Chemical Unloading Facility 93 percent sulfuric acid and 50 percent sodium hydroxide. Unloading area for trucks or railcars. Has three aboveground sulfuric acid tanks and one aboveground sodium hydroxide tank. 

N-6 Sulfuric Acid Tank French Drains (5) 93 percent sulfuric acid. French drains surrounding acid tanks for containment of incidental spills. 

N-8 163-N Sulfuric Acid Day Tank Vent French Drain Sulfuric acid. Tank overflows are vented to the french drain. 

But let me be completely honest. 1 once had a radiation level detector on a spent sulfuric acid tank. 1 was the operating superintendent at this plant, which regenerated sulfuric add. We had a not-so-small fire at this tank. Rather than repair the tank, pumps, and lines, 1 decided to dismantle and haul away the entire mess of steel. After all, 1 had much larger and more modern storage tanks at my disposal. 

Design tanks and other containers for easy draining and easy cleaning. Tank bottoms shonld be sloped toward drain holes so that liquids cannot collect after the taiik is emptied. Concentrated sulfuric acid is only negligibly corrosive toward steel. However, if a steel sulfuric acid tank is incompletely drained and the remaining liquid is exposed to the air, the acid tends to absorb moisture, resulting in dilution, and rapid attack occurs. 

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