Discharge and atmospheric dispersion modelling in case of hazardous material releases

Abstract

One of the most important tools for improving the OHS level in process industries is represented by risk analysis and assessment. Within industrial units in operation or in the ones which find themselves in the design phase, risk assessment is carried out for determining the hazards which may occur and which may lead to unwanted events, such as hazardous toxic releases, fires and explosions. Accidental releases of toxic/flammable/explosive substances may have serious consequences on workers or on the neighbouring population, therefore the need to establish safety areas based on best practices in the field and on scientific grounds is fully justified. Pressure tanks containing hazardous materials represent one of the most relevant industrial facilities within process plants, being most of the time exposed to hazardous toxic releases, fire and explosion risks. The current study aims to evaluate the consequences and discuss the safety distances required in case of an accidental release of a hazardous material from a tank located within a process plant, using process analysis software tools. Accident scenarios are modelled for comparison purposes with consequence modelling software widely used in safety engineering.

Photovoltaic System Protection Against Lightning

“…It is also possible to dispense with external protection against atmospheric overvoltage if you use PV components (mostly varistors) for which the manufacturer has provided overvoltage protection. When varistors are triggered, they are detected by the insulation monitoring of the inverters [8][9][10][11][12][13][14].…”

Functional system for experimentation and testing of products for professional use - Professional risk management tool for workers performing industrial activities

“…Also, accidental releases of toxic/flammable/explosive substances can have serious consequences for workers or the neighbouring population, but also the need to identify and evaluate risks of a chemical nature must be taken into account in terms of the impact on the safety characteristics of the prototypes product. [15,16,18]. The decision/product support system was developed regarding the evaluation and testing of product prototypes intended for the prevention of occupational risks in order to ensure the protection of people who carry out activities in electrical installations, presented in fig.…”

Flammable gas dispersion modelling on an offshore platform

“…Areal Locations of Hazardous Analysis (ALOHA) software is developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (UESPA), a free program to assist in the possibilities of unwanted scenario able to occur during the release of flammable or toxic materials in form of liquid or gas from the source of release [21]. This software will be used in estimating the potential risk due to flammable gas dispersion.…”

“…This software will be used in estimating the potential risk due to flammable gas dispersion. Process Hazard Analysis Software Tool (PHAST) software is developed by a company known as Det Norske Veritas (DNV), a paid-based program designed to analyze the hazards and consequence management in the real-world chemical industries [21]. PHAST v8.4 will be used in assessing the dispersion model based on the wind speed and atmospheric stability.…”