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Conduct an Effective Incident Investigation

Information that can reveal the root cause of an incident resides in many places ― within the plant or process unit, and in control rooms, offices and witnesses' minds. Here's how to find the data and conduct effective witness interviews. Read more

Conducting Process Hazard Analyses for Dust Handling Operations

Use this checklist-based technique of process hazard analysis (PHA) to identify and assess potential dust hazards and to evaluate safeguards that can mitigate risks. Read more

Defining Dust Hazard Areas Can Help Streamline PHA's

As part of the 2013 update, NFPA 654 provides clarification on how to determine if a flash fire or explosion hazard exists. As part of the facility and systems design section, it is now required that a hazard assessment be conducted to determine if dust flash fire and dust explosion hazards exist (NFPA 654 Section 6.1). The real benefit to conducting these hazard assessments is in defining combustible dust hazard areas – both inside and external to process equipment. This paper presents a multi-step approach to conducting these hazard assessments, simplifying the process and defining the areas to evaluate during the process hazard analysis (PHA) to assure that valuable resources are spent appropriately. Read more

Designing Emergency Relief Systems for Runaway Reactions

Do you suffer from the ERS design ostrich syndrome? Most companies are well-equipped to perform emergency relief system (ERS) design for single-phase flow and non-reactive systems. Existing standards and recommended engineering practices developed by organizations such as the ASME, NFPA, API, and AIChE's CCPS enable a competent engineer with proper training to perform such calculations with a high degree of confidence and accuracy. Relative systems, however, are more complex, and may be susceptible to fire-induced and process-induced runaway reactions. This paper provides guidance that applies to reactive systems subject to process- and fire-induced runaway reactions, tanks that store reactive materials, and two-phase flow of reactive materials. Read more

Determination of Boiling Temperatures Using A Differential Scanning Calorimeter

The mass utilization of volatile combustible organic solvents as a carrier for fine chemicals or a medium for reactions in the chemical industries necessitates the direct measurement of solvents’ boiling range in the mixture to enhance their functionality and ensure the safety of operation. Read more

DHA or PHA: Using RAGAGEP to Identify Hazards in Combustible Dust Operations

Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) requirements are similar to Process Hazards Analysis (PHA) requirements. DHAs must evaluate the fire, deflagration and explosion hazards and recommend protections. DHAs must also be performed or led by a qualified person. DHAs also must be documented and the action items requiring changes must be included in the study. The accuracy of the DHA analysis is dependent upon knowing the accurate particle size, moisture content, and chemical composition. Changes in any of those parameters means a material can go from being defined as explosible to non-explosible very quickly. This presentation reviews the compliance requirements of NFPA 652, as well as OSHA, and illustrates ioKinetic's Recognized And Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practices (RAGAGEP) approach to dust hazard assessments. Read more