Case Studies

Evaluation of Reactor Dynamics for Integrity and Safety

A global specialty chemical manufacturer requested an assessment of a reactor's integrity and safety when exposed to an external fire. Studying reaction rates, thermodynamics, and heat transfer inside a chemical vessel plays a crucial role in mitigating fire exposure.

To prevent catastrophic failures, dynamic modeling is used to calculate emergency relief sizing, optimize cooling systems, and determine safe inventory thresholds for reactive chemicals. Whenever there are processing modifications, expansions, debottlenecking, and other changes, documentation for relief and flare systems must be updated to maintain regulatory compliance. This includes the facility process and instrumentation diagrams, relief device inlet and outlet details, and operating procedures. Read more

Audit of Flammable and Combustible Dust Safety Practices

A global provider of specialty materials and ingredients for personal care, healthcare, agricultural, and other applications required an audit of their plant's flammable and combustible dust handling equipment, which typically handles organic solvents and dusts. The scope of work required verification against a range of standards, including OSHA and its National Emphasis Program, NFPA codes, CGA standards, and CCPS guidelines. Read more

Storage Tank Explosion and Flammability Limits

An unexpected explosion occurred within a storage tank at a U.S. petrochemical manufacturing facility, producing a forceful overpressure wave that rattled nearby buildings and released a large black cloud of smoke. In the aftermath, the facility owner launched a formal investigation to determine the underlying cause and to reconstruct the conditions that existed inside the tank immediately before the event.

A key uncertainty in the investigation was the composition of the vapor mixture inside the one-million-gallon storage tank. Understanding whether the mixture could have entered a flammable regime required a rigorous evaluation of how temperature, oxygen concentration, and nitrogen dilution influence flammability limits. Read more

Silicon Dust Characterization Testing for a Battery Manufacturer

A leading manufacturer and designer of battery electric vehicles, stationary Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), and solar panels requested dust testing on silicon powder. This testing was critical to understand the potential hazards and ensure safe handling of this material across their diverse product lines. With these characteristics understood, specific preventions and protections could then be chosen. Read more

Evaluate the Thermal Behavior of Sodium-Ion Batteries

A U.S. renewable energy manufacturer needed to evaluate a sodium-ion battery cell’s thermal behavior under conditions that closely mimic real-world thermal confinement, such as those found inside battery packs or battery energy storage systems (BESS). Failure of these batteries could result in performance and safety concerns, such as capacity fade, overheating, release of toxic gases, and even fire. Read more

Stability Analysis with New Isometrics

A global R&D specialty and intermediate chemical manufacturer serving a broad range of industries faced a critical safety concern at their facility after installing a new piping layout for their xylene salt products. The client needed to know the risks and how the altered piping configuration impacted the performance and reliability of their essential safety systems. Xylene is a hazardous, highly flammable liquid and vapor that poses a significant fire and explosion risk. Read more