• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.356-361
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• 2020

Propylene is widely used in petrochemical manufacturing at over 200 ℃. However, since propylene is a flammable gas with fire and explosion risks, inert nitrogen is injected to prevent them. In this study, experiments were conducted using propylene-nitrogen-oxygen upon pressure changes at 200 ℃. At 21% oxygen, as pressure increased from 0.10 MPa to 0.25 MPa, lower explosion limit (LEL) decreased from 2.2% to 1.9% while upper explosion limit (UEL) increased from 14.8% to 17.6%. In addition, minimum oxygen concentration (MOC) decreased from 10.3% to 10.0%, indicating higher risks with the expanded explosive range as pressure increased. With increase of pressure from 0.10 MPa to 0.25 MPa, explosion pressure increased from 1.84 MPa to 6.04 MPa, and the rate of rise of maximum explosion pressure increased drastically from 90 MPa/s to 298 MPa/s. It is hoped that these results can be used as basic data to prevent accidents in factories using propylene.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.47-59
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aims to propose measures for the prevention of fire and explosion accidents within manufacturing facilities by improving the existing classification criteria for hazardous locations based on the leakage patterns of flammable liquids. The objective is to suggest ways to safely manage ignition sources and combustible materials. Method: The hazardous locations were calculated using "KS C IEC 60079-10-1," and the calculated explosion hazard distances were visualized in 3D. Additionally, the formula for the atmospheric dispersion of flammable vapors, as outlined in "P-91-2023," was utilized to calculate the dispersion rates within the hazardous locations represented in 3D. Result: Visualization of hazardous locations in 3D enabled the identification of blind spots in the floor plan, facilitating immediate recognition of ignition sources within these areas. Furthermore, when calculating the time taken for the Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) to reach within the volumetric space of the hazardous locations represented in 3D, it was found that the risk level did not correspond identically with the explosion hazard distances. Conclusion: Considering the atmospheric dispersion of flammable liquids, it was concluded that safety management should be conducted. Therefore, a method for calculating the concentration values requiring detection and alert based on realistically achievable ventilation rates within the facility is proposed.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.3637-3641
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• 2014

In this study, we analyzed the toxicity of mixtures of dimethylformamide (DMF) and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) or DMF and toluene (TOL) and predicted their toxicity using quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR). A QSAR model for single substances and mixtures was analyzed using multiple linear regression (MLR) by taking into account the statistical parameters between the observed and predicted $EC_{50}$. After preprocessing, the best subsets of descriptors in the learning methods were determined using a 5-fold cross-validation method. Significant differences in physico-chemical properties such as boiling point (BP), specific gravity (SG), Reid vapor pressure (rVP), flash point (FP), low explosion limit (LEL), and octanol/water partition coefficient (Pow) were observed between the single substances and the mixtures. The $EC_{50}$ of the mixture of DMF and TOL was significantly lower than that of DMF. The mixture toxicity was directly related to the mixing ratio of TOL and MEK (MLR $EC_{50}$ equation = $1.76997-1.12249{\times}TOL+1.21045{\times}MEK$), as well as to SG, VP, and LEL (MLR equation $EC_{50}=15.44388-19.84549{\times}SG+0.05091{\times}VP+1.85846{\times}LEL$). These results show that QSAR-based models can be used to quantitatively predict the toxicity of mixtures used in manufacturing industries.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.5 no.2 s.14
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• pp.36-42
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• 2001

A leak of fuel gas in partially confined area creates a flammable atmosphere and give rise to an explosion, which is one of the most common accident in domestic. Observations from accident in domestic suggest that some explosions are caused by a quantify of fuel significantly less than lower explosion limit(LEL) amount required to fill the room, which is attributed to inhomogeneous mixing of leaked gas. The minimum amount of leaked gas for explosion is highly dependent on the mixing degree in the area. For lighter gas, such as methane, a high concentration tends to build up in the space from ceiling of room. But heavy gas, such as propane, a high concentration tends to build up in the space from bottom of room. This paper presents a method for analysing the explosion hazard in a room with very small amount of leaked gas. Based on explosion limit concentration, the gaussian distribution model is used to estimate the minimum amount of leak which yields a specified explosion pressure. The results demonstrate that catastrophic structural damage can be achieved with a volume of fuel gas which is less than 0.5 percent of the total enclosed volume in domestic. The method will help analyzing hazard to develop new safe device as well as investigating accident.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.169-175
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• 2014

For the safe handling of ethylbenzene, this study was investigated the explosion limits of ethylbenzene in the reference data. And the lower flash points, upper flash points and AITs(auto-ignition temperatures) by ignition delay time were experimented. The lower flash points of ethylbenzene by using Setaflash closed-cup and Pensky-Martens closed-cup testers were experimented $20^{\circ}C$ and $22^{\circ}C$, respectively. The lower flash points ethylbenzene by using Tag and Cleveland open cup testers were experimented $25^{\circ}C$ and $28^{\circ}C$, respectively. Also, this study measured relationship between the AITs and the ignition delay times by using ASTM E659 tester for ethylbnezene. The experimental AIT of ethylbenzene was $430^{\circ}C$. The calculated LEL and UEL by using the measured lower flash point and upper flash point were 0.93 Vol.% and 7.96 Vol.%, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.20 no.3 s.71
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• pp.91-97
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• 2005

The research on the explosive limits is one of fundamental fields of combustion process, and information on the explosive limits of mixture of fuel and oxidant, with or without additives, is very important for the prevention in industrial fire and explosion accidents. Explosive limits of all compounds and solvent mixtures can be calculated with the appropriate use of the fundamental laws of Raoult, Batten, Le Chatelier and MRSM(modified response surface methodology) model. In this study, the reference values of lower explosive limits(LEL) of the ethanol+toluene+ethylacetate system were compared with the calculated values by using the solution thermodynamics and the MRSM model, respectively. The values calculated by the proposed equations were a good agreement with literature data within a few percent. By means of this methodology, it is possible to evaluate reliability of experimental data of the lower explosive limits of the flammable mixtures. Also, from given results, it is possible to predict explosive limits of the other flammable liquid mixtures used in the chemical process by the use of the proposed equations.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.44-50
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• 2014

For the safe handling of aniline, this study was investigated the explosion limits of aniline in the reference data. And the lower flash points, upper flash points and AITs(auto-ignition temperatures) by ignition delay time were experimented. The lower flash point of aniline by using Setaflash and Penski-Martens closed-cup testers were experimented $66^{\circ}C$ and $73^{\circ}C$, respectively. The lower flash point aniline by using Tag and Cleveland open cup testers were experimented $72^{\circ}C$ and $78^{\circ}C$, respectively. Also, this study measured relationship between the AITs and the ignition delay times by using ASTM E659 tester for aniline. The experimental AIT of aniline was $590^{\circ}C$. The calculated LEL and UEL by using the measured low flash point and upper flash point were 1.16 Vol.% and 8.36 Vol.%, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.289-297
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• 2001

Highly-porous $SnO_2$thin films were prepared for recognizing and detecting of the inflammable gases, like butane, propane, LPG, carbon monoxide. To obtain sensing films, Sn, Pt/Sn, Au/Sn, and Pt,Au/Sn films were deposited employing a thermal evaporator for Sn film and a sputter for novel metals of Pt or/and Au. These films were annealed for 2 h at $700^{\circ}C$ to form $SnO_2$-based thin films. The films showed the tetragonal structure and also exhibited many defects and porosity, which could give high sensitivity to thin films. The thin films showed high sensitivity and reproductivity to the tested gases(butane, propane, LPG, and carbon monoxide) to even to low gas concentrations in range of workplace environmental standards. Especially, Pt/$SnO_2$film showed the highest sensitivity to butane, LPG, and carbon monoxide. And pure $SnO_2$ film manifested the highest sensitivity to propane. By using the sensing patterns from the films, we could reliably recognize the kinds and the quantities of the tested inflammable gases within the range of the threshold limit values(TLV) and the lower explosion limit(LEL) through the principal component analysis(PCA).

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.17-24
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• 2019

The combustion properties of the flammable substance used in industrial fields include lower/upper flash point, lower/upper explosion limit, autoignition temperature(AIT), fire point, and minimum oxygen concentration(MOC) etc.. The accurate assessment of these characteristics should be made for process and worker safety. In this study, tert-amylalcohol(TAA), which is widely used as a solvent for epoxy resins, oxidizers of olefins, fuel oils and biomass, was selected. The reason is that there are few researches on the reliability of combustion characteristics compared to other flammable materials. The flash point of the TAA was measured by Setaflash, Pensky-Martens, Tag, and Cleveland testers. And the AIT of the TAA was measured by ASTM 659E. The lower/upper explosion limits of the TAA was estimated using the measured lower/upper flash points by Setaflash tester. The flash point of the TAA by using Setaflash and Pensky-Martens closed-cup testers were experimented at 19 ℃ and 21 ℃, respectively. The flash points of the TAA by Tag and Cleveland open cup testers were experimented at 28 ℃ and 34 ℃, respectively. The AIT of the TAA was experimented at 437 ℃. The LEL and UEL calculated by using lower and upper flash point of Setaflash were calculated at 1.10 vol% and 11.95 vol%, respectively.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.108-117
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• 2001

A sensor array with 10 discrete sensors integrated on a substrate w3s developed for discriminating the kinds and quantities of inflammable gases, like butane, propane, methane, LPG, carbon monoxide. The sensor array consisted of 10 metal oxide semiconductor gas sensors using the nano-sized $SnO_2$ as base material and had differentiated sensitivity patterns to specific gas. The sensor array was designed with uniform thermal distribution and had also high sensitivity and good reproductivity to low gas concentration through nano-sized sensing materials with different additives. By using the sensing patterns of the sensor array at $400^{\circ}C$, we could reliably discriminate the kinds and quantities of the tested inflammable gases under the lower explosion limit through the principal component analysis(PCA).