Investigation of an Explosion at a Styrene Plant with Alkylation Reactor Feed Furnace
To prevent and mitigate chemical risks in the petrochemical industry, such as fires and spillage, process safety management (PSM), is essential, especially where flammable, corrosive, explosive, toxic, or otherwise dangerous chemicals are used. We investigated process safety (PS) between manS...
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doaj-a93266e0f116468f8f774111c804a8f52020-11-25T01:13:40ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172019-02-019350310.3390/app9030503app9030503Investigation of an Explosion at a Styrene Plant with Alkylation Reactor Feed FurnaceYao-Chang Wu0Bin Laiwang1Chi-Min Shu2Graduate School of Engineering Science and Technology, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Yunlin 64002, TaiwanGraduate School of Engineering Science and Technology, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Yunlin 64002, TaiwanGraduate School of Engineering Science and Technology, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Yunlin 64002, TaiwanTo prevent and mitigate chemical risks in the petrochemical industry, such as fires and spillage, process safety management (PSM), is essential, especially where flammable, corrosive, explosive, toxic, or otherwise dangerous chemicals are used. We investigated process safety (PS) between man⁻machine (material equipment) and environmental interfaces by using process hazard analysis (PHA) and fault tree analysis (FTA). By analyzing the data obtained through machinery and mechanical integrity (MI), pre-startup safety review (PSSR), current operating modes, and areal locations of hazardous atmospheres (ALOHA) simulations of the disaster’s aftermath, the cause of the styrene plant accident was found to be the fuel furnace (F101) switching process. Although the furnace had been extinguished, fuel continued to enter the furnace, and it was exposed to a high-temperature surface, resulting in the flashing ignition of the C4 fuel. The plan-do-check-act (PDCA) management model can be used to forestall the system from accident, and it is used to improve the proposal and develop countermeasures that would increase PSM performance and substantially lessen the impact of the thermal hazard. Disasters are often attributable to the unsafe state of machinery, equipment, or the environment, dangerous behaviors of the operator, and the lack of a thorough management system. It is anticipated that the investigation and analysis of the accident would not only find the real cause of the disaster but also lead to the establishment of better effective solutions for common safety problems.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/9/3/503process safety managementpre-startup safety reviewsimulationaftermatheffective solution |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Yao-Chang Wu Bin Laiwang Chi-Min Shu |
spellingShingle |
Yao-Chang Wu Bin Laiwang Chi-Min Shu Investigation of an Explosion at a Styrene Plant with Alkylation Reactor Feed Furnace Applied Sciences process safety management pre-startup safety review simulation aftermath effective solution |
author_facet |
Yao-Chang Wu Bin Laiwang Chi-Min Shu |
author_sort |
Yao-Chang Wu |
title |
Investigation of an Explosion at a Styrene Plant with Alkylation Reactor Feed Furnace |
title_short |
Investigation of an Explosion at a Styrene Plant with Alkylation Reactor Feed Furnace |
title_full |
Investigation of an Explosion at a Styrene Plant with Alkylation Reactor Feed Furnace |
title_fullStr |
Investigation of an Explosion at a Styrene Plant with Alkylation Reactor Feed Furnace |
title_full_unstemmed |
Investigation of an Explosion at a Styrene Plant with Alkylation Reactor Feed Furnace |
title_sort |
investigation of an explosion at a styrene plant with alkylation reactor feed furnace |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Applied Sciences |
issn |
2076-3417 |
publishDate |
2019-02-01 |
description |
To prevent and mitigate chemical risks in the petrochemical industry, such as fires and spillage, process safety management (PSM), is essential, especially where flammable, corrosive, explosive, toxic, or otherwise dangerous chemicals are used. We investigated process safety (PS) between man⁻machine (material equipment) and environmental interfaces by using process hazard analysis (PHA) and fault tree analysis (FTA). By analyzing the data obtained through machinery and mechanical integrity (MI), pre-startup safety review (PSSR), current operating modes, and areal locations of hazardous atmospheres (ALOHA) simulations of the disaster’s aftermath, the cause of the styrene plant accident was found to be the fuel furnace (F101) switching process. Although the furnace had been extinguished, fuel continued to enter the furnace, and it was exposed to a high-temperature surface, resulting in the flashing ignition of the C4 fuel. The plan-do-check-act (PDCA) management model can be used to forestall the system from accident, and it is used to improve the proposal and develop countermeasures that would increase PSM performance and substantially lessen the impact of the thermal hazard. Disasters are often attributable to the unsafe state of machinery, equipment, or the environment, dangerous behaviors of the operator, and the lack of a thorough management system. It is anticipated that the investigation and analysis of the accident would not only find the real cause of the disaster but also lead to the establishment of better effective solutions for common safety problems. |
topic |
process safety management pre-startup safety review simulation aftermath effective solution |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/9/3/503 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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