GAS AND VAPOR EXPLOSION HAZARDS Basis of Safety

Anand Kenchenpur
Chilworth Global
In todays world, many industries use flammable liquids and gases in their processes. The use of
flammable chemicals even in small quantities however, could pose a serious fire and explosion
hazard if the appropriate safeguards are not considered. The consequences of a fire or fuel mixed
with air explosion can include significant damages and loss of life. The approach of the process
design should be to use a layer of protection in which more than one safeguard is used to manage
the risk of a fire or explosion.
Basis of Safety Against Fires and Explosions:
1. Prevent the Formation of Flammable Mixtures (the most desirable basis of safety)
a. Control the fuel concentration
i. Operate at a temperatures below the flash point of liquids or
ii. Provide exhaust ventilation to safely remove and dilute vapors and gas
releases
b. Reduce the oxidant concentration to a point at which combustion cannot occur
i. Add an inert gas to the atmosphere such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide or
argon
2. Control Ignition Sources (desirable but challenging)
a. All sources must be considered (a challenging effort)
b. Understand the incendivity of ignition sources
3. Mitigate Fire/Explosion Consequences (an add-on to support 1 or 2 above)
a. Contain the deflagration event or
b. Discharge (vent) the deflagration energy and gases to a safe place or
c. Extinguish (suppress) the deflagration in its early stages
Within each Basis of Safety recommendations, the safeguards are organized in the following
order of priority:
1. Inherently Safer Design (most reliable)
a. Minimize inventories (continuous instead of batch processing)
b. Substitute less hazardous material (higher flash point or non-flammable)
c. Moderate processing and/or storage conditions (lower temperature and/or
pressure)
d. Simplify systems to avoid need for complex add-on safeguards
2. Engineering Controls
a. Vessel and piping specifications (containment)
b. Use of classified electrical devices
c. Alarms with training

d. Shutdown systems
e. Fire protection systems
f. Safety Instrumented Functions (SIF)
3. Administrative Controls
a. Process Safety Management practices and procedures
b. Standard Operating Procedures with training
c. Checklists
d. Inspection and testing programs
e. Emergency response plan with training

Next Column:
The upcoming column will be focusing on the different techniques that can be used to prevent
the formation of flammable mixtures.
About Us:
Chilworth Global is an international company providing consulting, laboratory testing, and
training services in the specialist process safety fields of gas and vapor flammability, dust fires
and explosions, thermal instability, chemical reactivity, static electricity, and process safety
management and culture. For more information regarding flammability explosion hazards, please
contact us at 609-799-4449 or email safety-usa@chilworthglobal.com; visit us on the web at
www.chilworth.com.