Handbook for Process Safety in Laboratories and Pilot Plants

17 Engineered Controls for Common Hazards

This chapter provides information on controls for hazards that are common in labs and pilot plants: Synthesis Process Cryogenic Fluids, Compressed Gas Cylinders, and Gloveboxes. Information on the hazards associated with Cryogenic Fluids and Compressed Gas Cylinders is presented in Section 10.6.2. Administrative controls for Cryogenic Fluids, Compressed Gas Cylinders and glass hazards are provided in Chapter 19.

17.1 Cryogenic Fluids and Compressed Gases

17.1.1 Selecting Materials of Construction

The materials and the design of all components of the system should be able to withstand the expected maximum pressure of a test or have a relief path installed to safely relieve the accumulated pressure.

Pressure and temperature ranges anticipated (under normal or possible process upset conditions) and materials behaviors at those temperatures, and material compatibility with feed materials, products and by‐products, should be considered by the team to prevent loss of containment, and even possibly catalysis of known or unexpected side reactions that could alter yields (e.g. amount of gaseous by‐products). Furthermore, for equipment or apparatus with metal components susceptible to corrosion, in addition to possible weakening and failure of the metal components, slight corrosion of some metals or metal alloys could catalyze undesired side reactions. An inherently safer design approach (see Chapter 4, Section 4.3) could be to find substitute ...