Page 68 - Plant design and economics for chemical engineers

50 PLANT DESIGN AND ECONOMICS FOR CHEMICAL ENGINEERS

TABLE 1
Potential sources of air contamination in the chemical process industry?

Intermittent
Or Worker
continuous activity Importance Control$

Fugitive emissions
Pump seal leaks Either No High M
Flange leaks Cont. No LOW M
Agitator seal leaks Either No Med M
Valve stem leaks Cont. No High M
Process operations
Sampling Int. Yes Med W,E
Filter change Int. Yes L O W w,p
Gauging Int. Maybe LOW E,W
Venting and flaring Either No Med E
Extruding Either Yes Med E
Material handling
Solid addition Int. Yes Med E, P
Liquid transfer Either No High E
Bagging Cont. Yes High E
Drumming Cont. Yes High E,W
Bag dumping Int. Yes High E,W
Screening Cont. No Med E
Open mixing Int. No Med E, I’
Milling Either No Med E, P
Maintenance
Equipment opening Int. Yes High w,p
Instrument line draining Int. Yes Med w,p
Welding Int. Yes High E,W,P
Painting Int. Yes Med w,p
Sandblasting Int. Yes High E,P
Insulating Int. Yes High w, PB
Insulating removal Int. Yes High w,p
Chemical cleaning Int. Yes Med w,p
Degreasing Int. Yes L O W E
Cutting and burning Int. Yes Med w,p
Catalyst handling Yes Yes High w,p
Waste handling
Bag house cleaning Int. Yes High P
Drain and sewer venting Either No High E
Spill clean up Int. Yes Med P
Sweeping Int. Yes LOW W
Incineration Either Maybe Med E
Waste-water treatment Cont. No Med E
Sludge handling Int. Yes Med w,p

t Modified from S. Lipton and J. Lynch, “Health Hazard Control in the Chemical Process
Industry,” Wiley, New York, 1987.
$ Legend: M = proper maintenance procedures, W = proper work practices, E = appropriate
engineering design or modification, P = use of suitable personal protection.
5 Substitution of less toxic materials for asbestos is the most common control.