“Safety, Health, and Loss Prevention in Chemical Processes: Problems for Undergraduate Engineering Curricula.”
| Copyright © 1990 American Institute of Chemical Engineers 345 East 47th Street New York, NY 10017 http://www.aiche.org/publications/ |
Availability: If the reference material is unavailable from the publisher, copies of this document can be provided at cost (copying, shipping, & handling) by the University of Utah Ergonomics & Safety Program if the requester provides permission to copy from the copyright owner. Contact trapman@eng.utah.edu for more information.
This book was developed for use mainly by Chemical Engineering undergraduate students. Ninety problems were presented, with topics including:
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Fundamentals (stoichiometry, mass balances, concepts, units, etc.) |
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Momentum Transfer (fluid mechanics, momentum transfer) |
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Thermodynamics |
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Heat Transfer |
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Mass Transfer |
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Kinetics |
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Process Control |
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Laboratory |
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Design |
In the instructor’s manual, each problem includes the topic, the health and safety concept, background, the problem statement, additional notes and background for the instructor, and the problem solution.
Possible courses for integration: Fluids, Thermodynamics/Heat Transfer, Design
Case studies and examples:
| A | Example 1: Fundamentals – Toxicology and Industrial Hygiene. The flow rate of air is found for proper dilution ventilation for a vinyl chloride operation. |
| B | Example 2: Fundamentals, Design – Toxicology and Industrial Hygiene. This problem includes determining the density of mixtures of trichloroethylene in air at given concentrations. |
| C | Example 3: Fundamentals, Gas Mixture Composition – Toxic Exposure Control and Personal Protective Equipment. This problem asks about a worker in a 100% nitrogen atmosphere and how many breaths the worker can take before losing consciousness. Respiration equipment is discussed. |
| D | Example 4: Fundamentals – Toxicology and Industrial Hygiene. This problem finds the ventilation rate necessary to keep the concentration of liquid benzene evaporating in air under the permissible exposure limit. |
| E | Example 5: Fundamentals – Vapor Releases. Emergency plans for equipment failure are discussed for ammonia release. |
| F | Example 6: Fundamentals – Toxicology and Industrial Hygiene. The concentration of benzene in a workroom is found. |
| G | Example 7: Fundamentals – Inerting and Purging. This problem involves finding the volume of liquid nitrogen needed to replace methane from a tank, and the amount of air needed to increase an oxygen concentration. |
| H | Example 8: Fundamentals – Properties of Materials. The lower flammable limit is estimated for several substances. |
| I | Example 9: Fundamentals – Vapor Releases. A chemical plant using acrolein is located near a residential area. The questions involve evacuation time and the time for the toxic vapor to reach the residential area. |
| J | Example 10: Fundamentals – Properties of Materials. The maximum permissible oxygen concentration for n-butane is estimated. |
| K | Example 11: Fundamentals – Inerting and Purging. The volume of nitrogen necessary to purge a tank is determined. |
| L | Example 12: Fundamentals – Explosions. The venting area for a building containing cornstarch and powdered non-fat dried milk is estimated. |
| M | Example 13: Fundamentals – Process Control, Interlocks, and Alarms. The time required to detect a leak of chlorine in a process area with analytical equipment is determined. |
| N | Example 14: Fundamentals – Explosions. The venting area for a building containing natural gas compressors is estimated. |
| O | Example 15: Fundamentals – Storing, Handling, and Transport. For extra protection against fire or explosion due to static electricity discharge, the temperatures used in drum filling operations are determined. |
| P | Example 16: Design – Toxicology and Industrial Hygiene. Fluctuating noise levels for a worker are analyzed. |
| Q | Example 17: Fluid Mechanics – Toxic Exposure Control and Personal Protective Equipment. The required duct diameter for a grinding work station hood is determined for transport of the dust. |
| R | Example 18: Fluid Mechanics – Toxic Exposure Control and Personal Protective Equipment. The time between changes of a filter element are determined. |
| S | Example 19: Fluid Mechanics – Process Control, Interlocks, and Alarms. The oxygen content of a room with the air being replaced by nitrogen is analyzed. |
| T | Example 20: Fluid Mechanics – Fire Protection. The minimum diameter for supply piping for a fire water spraying system is determined. The power required to drive the pump is also calculated. |
| U | Example 21: Fluid Mechanics – Fire Protection. The nozzle flow rate equation is used to ascertain the correctness of the dimensional constant. The bore diameter required for the nozzle and the reaction force on the nozzle are evaluated. |
| V | Example 22: Momentum Transfer, Fluid Mechanics – Fluids. For a cavern used for storage of LPG, the pressure in the propane line is determined. The necessary horsepower of the pump used to fill the cavern is also found. |
| W | Example 23: Fluid Mechanics – Storage, Handling, and Transport. Benzene is being transferred through a long, small-diameter pipe when a leak develops. The amount of benzene spilled before the flow is stopped is estimated. |
| X | Example 24: Fluid Mechanics – Storage, Handling, and Transport. A cylindrical pressure vessel is used to store benzene. A puncture occurs, and the amount of benzene spilled, the required time for the benzene to leak out, and the maximum flow rate of benzene through the leak are determined. |
| Y | Example 25: Fluid Mechanics, Choked Flow – Toxic Exposure Control and Personal Protective Equipment. A tank of nitrogen develops a leak. The rate that nitrogen will leak from the hole and the time taken to reduce the level of oxygen to a given concentration are determined. |
| Z | Example 26: Fluid Mechanics – Rupture Disks and Relief Valves. The nominal pipe size for a relief valve used in a tank containing benzene is determined. |
| AA | Example 27: Fluid Mechanics – Rupture Disks and Relief Valves. A pressure in a tank containing benzene is to be relieved if the pressure reaches a certain level. The diameter of the rupture disk required is calculated. |
| BB | Example 28: Fluid Mechanics, Design – Rupture Disks and Relief Valves. For a reactor containing styrene, the allowable reactor mixture charge to limit overpressure is determined. |
| CC | Example 29: Fluid Mechanics, Fundamentals – Inerting and Purging. This problem involves calculating several items for a natural gas compressor station. |
| DD | Example 30: Fluid Mechanics, Fundamentals, Thermodynamics – Toxic Exposure Control. This problem includes calculating different values related to using ammonia as a refrigerant with compression occurring outdoors, and evaporation indoors. |
| EE | Example 31: Fluid Mechanics – Storing, Handling, and Transport. A tank ship is transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG). The force during unloading on the tank roof and horizontal and vertical forces on the splash plate are determined. |
| FF | Example 32: Fluid Mechanics, Thermodynamics – Storing, Handling, and Transport. A compressed gas cylinder containing air develops a leak. Several questions are asked regarding flow rate and force through the leak. |
| GG | Example 33: Fluid Mechanics – Storing, Handling, and Transport. This problem involves a pipe that is the discharge end of a pressure relief device from a reactor vessel. The lateral force exerted on the end of the pipe at the elbow is determined. |
| HH | Example 34: Design – Explosions. A carbon steel 285 vessel is used for many processes involving flammable liquids and dusts. The vessel design pressures to prevent rupture and deformation are determined. |
| II | Example 35: Thermodynamics – Toxicology and Industrial Hygiene. A mercury spill occurs in a storeroom. The maximum concentration of mercury for a several different temperatures is determined. Worker exposure is considered. |
| JJ | Example 36: Thermodynamics – Explosions. The volume formed during the adiabatic combustion of n-butane in air is calculated. |
| KK | Example 37: Thermodynamics – Explosions. The equation for work done on the surroundings by expanding gas when a tank containing a compressed ideal gas explodes is verified. The equivalent energy release for such an explosion is determined. |
| LL | Example 38: Thermodynamics – Explosions. The blast energy for a water tank heating system in terms of the TNT equivalent is calculated. |
| MM | Example 39: Thermodynamics – Explosions. The design pressure suggested by the American Petroleum Institute’s Recommended Practice 521 is shown to contain the explosive combustion of a mixture of air and n-hexane with the given initial conditions. |
| NN | Example 40: Thermodynamics – Hazardous Materials Generation and Disposal. The natural gas rate required to incinerate a mixture of methanol and water is determined. |
| OO | Example 41: Thermodynamics – Properties of Materials. The flash point of n-octane is estimated and compared with the experimental value. |
| PP | Example 42: Thermodynamics – Properties of Materials. The flash point of a given liquid mixture is determined. |
| Example 43: Thermodynamics – Properties of Materials. The flash point of a methanol-water mixture is determined. | |
| RR | Example 44: Thermodynamics – Properties of Materials. The flash point of an n-decane and propane mixture is determined. |
| SS | Example 45: Thermodynamics – Explosions. The final temperature reached after compressing ethylene and air for given conditions is determined. |
| TT | Example 46: Thermodynamics – Hazard Reviews, Explosions. Several questions are asked about a carbon disulfide vapor experience. |
| UU | Example 47: Thermodynamics – Explosions. For air compressed in a chemical plant, determine the outlet temperature for the given properties. |
| VV | Example 48: Thermodynamics – Vapor Releases. Two chemicals are being considered for use in a processing plant. The proper solvent is chosen for the given conditions. |
| WW | Example 49: Thermodynamics – Storage, Handling, and Transport. The temperature and pressure reached by pure acetylene decomposing in a tank is determined. |
| XX | Example 50: Heat Transfer – Process Control, Interlocks and Alarms. The time required for a thermocouple assembly to respond to a temperature change is determined. Two thermocouple varieties are discussed. |
| YY | Example 51: Heat Transfer – Toxicology and Industrial Hygiene. For a man working in a hot environment, the rate of evaporation of sweat to maintain the man’s body temperature is determined. |
| ZZ | Example 52: Heat Transfer – Toxic Exposure Control and Personal Protective Equipment. A worker is wearing a glove made of a PBI material. The time for the worker to safely grasp an object at a given temperature is calculated. |
| AAA | Example 53: Heat Transfer – Storing, Handling, and Transport. A tank is used for storage of toluene. The venting rate for the tank is determined. |
| BBB | Example 54: Heat Transfer – Fire Protection. This problem deals with fire-proofing for a support structure for piping and equipment. Insulation thickness is discussed, as is the time for failure due to fire for the unprotected structure. |
| CCC | Example 55: Heat Transfer – Fire Protection. A liquefied propane storage tank has a dike surrounding it to keep the radiant flux from a fire within the given parameters. The minimum distance from the dike to an existing plant is calculated. |
| DDD | Example 56: Heat Transfer – Inerting and Purging. The vent area for an uninsulated steel process tank required to prevent vacuum collapse caused by steam condensation is determined. Two cases are analyzed. |
| EEE | Example 57: Heat Transfer – Process Design. The thickness of external insulation for a furnace is determined. Heat loss is also addressed. |
| FFF | Example 58: Heat Transfer – Process Design. This problem involves cyclohexane used in a chemical processing plant, which is heated with an electrical resistance wire. The required electrical energy to maintain the piping and cyclohexane temperature is determined. |
| GGG | Example 59: Heat Transfer – Fire Protection Systems. The time for a fusible link in a fire protection system to melt is determined for a given situation. |
| HHH | Example 60: Heat Transfer, Design – Explosions. The time for a fire to heat up a tank used for the storage of liquefied petroleum gas to the failure point is determined. |
| III | Example 61: Heat Transfer – Vapor Releases. The rate at which a pool of benzene is heated from contact with the ground is calculated. |
| JJJ | Example 62: Heat Transfer – Vapor Releases. The time required for the soil surface under a pool of ethylene oxide to drop to within a half a degree of the boiling point of the liquid is determined. |
| KKK | Example 63: Heat Transfer – Vapor Releases. The time for the soil below a pool of methylamine to freeze to a depth of 5 mm is determined. |
| LLL | Example 64: Heat Transfer – Vapor Releases. The release rate of ammonia vapor due to heat input from a flat concrete surface is determined. |
| MMM | Example 65: Mass Transfer – Toxic Exposure Control and Personal Protective Equipment. The time before breakthrough for a worker caught in a given concentration of dichloropropane is determined. |
| NNN | Example 66: Mass Transfer – Toxic Exposure Control and Personal Protective Equipment. The time, for continuous contact, to receive a one gram dosage of methylene chloride paint stripper through the glove material is determined. |
| OOO | Example 67: Mass Transfer – Toxic Exposure Control and Personal Protective Equipment. The diffusivity of tetrachloroethylene in polyethylene and Teflon is determined. |
| PPP | Example 68: Mass Transfer – Properties of Materials. The rate at which PCB will be released into water and the time for 1 percent of the chemical to dissolve are determined. |
| QQQ | Example 69: Fundamentals – Release Mitigation. The time required for a cloud of chlorine to arrive at a residential area and the maximum concentration that would occur in the center of the cloud are determined. |
| RRR | Example 70: Mass Transfer, Design – Pressure Relief Systems. The required venting rate for a distillation column is determined. |
| SSS | Example 71: Mass Transfer – Vapor Releases. The rate of evaporation for a benzene pool is determined. |
| TTT | Example 72: Mass Transfer – Storage, Handling, and Transport. The evaporation rate for acrolein with wind across and along the trench is determined. |
| UUU | Example 73: Mass Transfer – Hazardous Waste Generation and Disposal. The amount of oil necessary to reduce the concentration of acid in a chemical processing plant application is calculated. |
| VVV | Example 74: Mass Transfer – Toxic Exposure Control. The time for a formaldehyde removal system to keep the air free of formaldehyde is determined. |
| WWW | Example 75: Mass Transfer – Hazardous Waste Generation and Disposal. The tower diameter and depth of packing for benzene in the air stream are determined. |
| XXX | Example 76: Mass Transfer – Process Control. The thickness for a porous coating to provide the correct diffusion rate on a catalyst surface designed to measure the concentration of methane in air is determined. |
| YYY | Example 77: Mass Transfer – Process Design. The mole fraction of benzene in a liquid leaving an absorption tower is calculated. |
| ZZZ | Example 78: Kinetics – Toxicology and Industrial Hygiene. The continuous concentration of an inhaled agent that a person with a given mass and breathing rate could tolerate is determined. |
| AAAA | Example 79: Kinetics – Explosions. The maximum temperature for a reaction occurring in a continuously stirred tank is determined. Safety is emphasized. |
| BBBB | Example 80: Kinetics – Toxicology and Industrial Hygiene. The time for a student’s blood alcohol level to drop to a safe level for driving is estimated. |
| CCCC | Example 81: Kinetics – Heat Transfer: Process Design. The energy balance and kinetic reaction rate equations are written for a given situation. Other questions are asked with regard to the equations. |
| DDDD | Example 82: Kinetics – Rupture Discs and Relief Valves. An operating pressure higher than that at which the data was taken will affect the selection of relief devices. This topic is discussed. |
| EEEE | Example 83: Kinetics – Toxic Exposure Control and Personal Protective Equipment. The time to reduce the oxygen content in a vessel to a given concentration is calculated. |
| FFFF | Example 84: Process Control – Process Control, Interlocks, and Alarms. The fate of a reactor temperature control due to poor valve performance is addressed. |
| GGGG | Example 85: Process Control – Process Control, Interlocks, and Alarms. The outcome for a process control for a given situation is determined. |
| HHHH | Example 86: Laboratory – Toxicology and Industrial Hygiene. A walk-through survey of a mass transfer laboratory is conducted. The laboratory is evaluated with regards to safety, including examination of MSDS, ventilation, and emission rates. |
| IIII | Example 87: Laboratory – Fire Protection. Several materials are listed, and the determination made if they will form flammable vapor-air mixtures if spilled. |
| JJJJ | Example 88: Design – Toxicology and Industrial Hygiene. The leak rate and other related topics are addressed for pumps used in a fast drying ink plant. |
| KKKK | Example 89: Heat Transfer, Design – Storing, Handling, and Transport. The ambient temperature at which butane will begin to condense is determined for the given situation. |
| LLLL | Example 90: Design – Storage and Handling. The approximate break point for storing ammonia as a pressurized liquid, a partially refrigerated liquid, or a liquid near ambient pressure is determined. |