Industrial accidents can pollute the environment and harm people. This can happen due to the unintentional release of large quantities of hazardous substances during transport and storage. It is an event that happens because of escaped chemicals. The cause can be device or tank failure, human error, or other factors.
In the introductory part, I reviewed the legislation and regulations, and set a broad framework for dealing with the safe handling of hazardous substances during transport and storage. Methanol and methanal are SEVESO hazardous chemicals. This means there is a higher risk of industrial accidents. Methanol is a flammable liquid and an acutely toxic chemical. Methanal is also an acutely toxic chemical and is especially carcinogenic and mutagenic. I conducted the research in collaboration with the chemical plant to determine if major accidental events have an impact outside the plant area as well. Both substances are delivered weekly in tank trucks and stored in upright tanks (150 m3 of methanol with a concentration of 90% and 200 m3 of methanal with a concentration of 45%).
In the experimental part, I performed five calculations of different scenarios for the release and ignition of methanol and the release of methanal using computer program ALOHA. With the help of the program, I determined the areas of influence according to ERPG values and areas of thermal radiation. I set the scenarios in different atmospheric conditions – summer and winter.
Based on the literature, I found that rail transport is more appropriate and safer in terms of several parameters. The results of modelling hazardous substances showed that in the event of a spill and evaporation of methanol and a methanol pool fire, the consequences would be limited to the plant area. In the event of methanol release, vapours would be released into the air, which would cause milder health problems (respiratory irritation) outside the site of the plant. It is interesting that the difference in temperature and humidity did not significantly affect the result. I also found out that according to the ALOHA program calculations different amounts of spilled methanol do not affect the final scenario. I have provided some measures to reduce the consequences of an accident.
|