Please send your report to following E-mail address of the instructor.

Late
submission can be acceptable but all must be in by Dec. 31, 2015.
Mail address: Hiroshi.sawa@gmail.com
1st assignment
Due Nov 17, 2015
1. Read
Guidelines for Investigating Chemical Process Incidents, Second Edition
Center for Chemical Process Safety of the American Institute page 337-350
2 Select one of the following cases
15.6.1. Esso Longford Gas Plant Explosion 338
15.6.2. Union Carbide Bhopal Toxic Gas Release 340
15.6.3. NASA Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster 342
15.6.4. Tosco Avon Oil Refinery Fire 343
15.6.5. Shell Deer Park Olefins Plant Explosion 345
15.6.6. Texas Utilities Concrete Stack Collapse 346
15.6.7. Three Mile Island Nuclear Accident 349
15.6.8. Concorde Air Crash 350
3. Use Root cause analysis form and analyze for Root cause
4. Propose Recommendations for each root case.
2nd assignment
Due Nov 19, 2015
1.
2.
3.
4.

Read Flixborough disaster accident report

Conduct HAZOP review for this reactor system using HAZOP/LOPA excel form
Make LOPA scenario and analyze for the case
Propose additional protection layers to prevent the accident

3rd Assignment
Due Dec 31, 2015
Please apply inherently safer concepts to make a Polyol production reactor
described below less hazardous operations by additional instruments and
equipment
.
1. Reaction
Polyether Polyol is produced from initiators, which contains hydroxyl functions
such as glycerin, sorbitol and sucrose, cauterized with alkaline materials such as
alkaline metals (e.g. Sodium, Potassium hydroxide) amines with addition
polymerization with propylene oxide at about 115 deg C.
X-ONa + CH3 CHCH2 = X-O-CH2 CHONa + H
O
CH3
The reaction is highly ectothermic and the temperature control is made by
jacket and external heat exchanger at recirculation pump discharge. The reactor
is equipped with an agitator to make heat exchange effective and reaction is
performed at uniform condition.
2. Original procedures
2.1 Charge pre-catalyzed initiator at about 5% of reactor volume
2.2Charge PO with required amount (about 80% of reactor volume)
2.3 Mix well
2.4 Bring reactor temperature to the reaction temperature to react.
2.5 Cool reactor to remove heat of polymerization
2.6 Digestion 3 hours and transfer to the rundown tank for catalyst removal
3. Application of inherently safer plant concept
This process is inherently unsafe and experienced runaway batch with some
unexpected problem takes place.
Please itemize, categorize and describe improvement plans by applying for
inherently safer concepts to this process and procedures to make less
hazardous operations.

pre-catalyzed
initiator

P
PO

CW

N2 or air

Make-up
coolant

Heat
Exchanger

Emergency cooling

and
emergency cooling
Reactor discharge