Buckle up buttercup… the political winds in DC are shifting and with this comes “opportunities” – man how I hate politics! For those of you who may have thought that the RMP Amendments from the final year of the President Obama administration were long gone – THINK AGAIN! On Friday (12/4/20), the U.S. Court of […]
On the plate heat exchanger, a machined nut backed off on the flange bolt that holds the gasket in place. This caused part of the gasket to blow out resulting in ammonia (NH3) to leak into the machine room. The machinery room alarm was activated. Upon inspection, the following failures were found:
This draft guidance document is intended to clarify to the public regarding existing pipeline safety standards. The contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way, but pipeline operators must comply with the underlying safety standards. (emphasis by me)
In the recently released Internation Fire Code (IFC) 2021 edition, the newly designated Section 608 – Mechanical Refrigeration, the code references IIAR 2, 6, 7, 8, and 9 when the refrigerant used is anhydrous ammonia (NH3). The 2021 edition still has many of the long-time requirements that will apply to NH3 systems, such as “emergency
NFPA 497, Table 4.4.2. has become my “go-to” source for chemical-physical property data for my flammables (along with the SDS). Although they use Celsius rather than Fahrenheit, and this drives me crazy just because I am “old school”, this table is instrumental for understanding the “Group” your flammable gas/vapors belong to! In the 2021 edition
All new or modified chlorine piping systems must undergo pressure testing to verify the integrity of the piping (see section 11.4 for leak testing). ASME B31.3 (13.2.8 ), Process Piping testing requirements, should be applied as a minimum standard. There are three (3) types of acceptable testing methods: hydrostatic testing, pneumatic testing, and the alternate
Liquid chlorine has a very high coefficient of thermal expansion. Relatively small increases in liquid chlorine temperature can create enough pressure to cause a blocked-in section of piping to rupture or leak at the connections. A temperature rise from 14°F (-10°C) to 32°F (0°C), will expand liquid chlorine by 2%. However, in a contained volume,
Leak testing should be done once the piping system is completely assembled. The purpose of a leak test is to ensure all connections and components will not leak chlorine when pressurized. Leak testing is not a substitute for pressure testing. If the system was not disassembled and reassembled as part of the pressure testing and
The Chlorine Institute has revised its piping RAGAGEP and it is FREE for anyone who wants it. Pamphlet 6 – Piping Systems for Dry Chlorine, Edition 17 contains major revisions to the following sections, in addition to minor clarifying changes throughout the pamphlet:
PHMSA provides written clarification regarding the pipeline safety regulations found at 49 CFR parts 190–199 in the form of FAQs and other guidance materials. PHMSA is requesting public comment on a set of DRAFT FAQs that were developed by the Working Group that was established by the Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC) and the Technical
After a boiler exploded at a refinery, OSHA cited the refinery’s owner for violating 29 C.F.R. § 1910.119, which sets forth requirements for the management of highly hazardous chemicals. The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (the Commission) upheld the violations. In doing so, it noted that the refinery had previously violated § 1910.119. But
The RMP Amendments finalized on January 13, 2017, included a requirement for owners or operators of a stationary source to engage in emergency response coordination activities (40 CFR §68.93). The regulatory text in 40 CFR §68.10(b) states that compliance with these activities must be completed by March 14, 2018. Because the RMP Amendments were not
