Inerted vessels: Avoiding hazards caused by gas buoyancy |
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| Authors: | JC Ramirez DJ Eby DB Bullen AR Carpenter RA Ogle |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Sociology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands;2. Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, P.O. Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands;1. Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Ostrava, Czech Republic;2. Institute of Clean Technologies for Mining and Use of Energy Raw Materials, Technical University of Ostrava, Czech Republic;1. Key Laboratory of Mining Coal Safely and Efficiently Constructed by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan 232001, China;2. School of Resource and Safety Engineering, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan 232001, China;3. State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, China University of Science and Technology, Hefei 230022, China;4. Academy of Coal Methane, Huainan Mining Industry (Group) Co. Ltd., Huainan 232001, China;1. Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Biological Resources Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China;2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;1. Institut de Chimie Organique et Analytique (ICOA), Université d’Orléans, UMR CNRS 7311, rue de Chartres, BP-6759, 45067 Orléans Cedex 2, France;2. Laboratori de Química Farmacèutica (Unitat Associada al CSIC), Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain;3. Laboratori de Química Física, Facultat de Química, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 647, 08028 Barcelona, Spain |
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| Abstract: | Performing hot work on a process vessel that previously contained a flammable hydrocarbon liquid poses a significant explosion and fire hazard. To reduce the combustion hazard potential, the facility operator may choose to purge and blanket the vessel with an inert gas such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide. Numerous accidents have occurred during hot work due to inadequate inerting operations. Oftentimes the source of the problem was inadequate gas composition control caused by gas buoyancy.A useful paradigm for analyzing the inerting process is the well-stirred control volume with a spatially uniform chemical composition (i.e., perfect mixing). Certain features of the vessel construction, in concert with the physical properties of the inert gas, can interfere with the complete mixing of the inert gas with the vessel atmosphere. This paper discusses how to evaluate the potential for buoyant flows to disrupt and interfere with the design goal of perfect mixing. Three case studies of accident investigations are used to illustrate the potentially detrimental effects of buoyancy on inerting operations. Finally, recommendations are presented on how to use buoyancy to improve the effectiveness of inerting operations. |
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