A midsized chemical manufacturing company, which serves the healthcare, personal care, home care, infrastructure, lubricants, and paper industries, needed a comprehensive evaluation of their pressure relief devices and unprotected equipment, including one reactive reactor system. They needed a determination of the kinetics of the main reaction and any side reactions that may occur inside the reactor during a runaway reaction.
Our experienced professionals performed calorimetry ARC® testing to quantify all reaction kinetics. To simulate the reaction, they used Process Safety Office® SuperChems™ software from our exclusive partner ioMosaic Corporation, ensuring simulated reactions would match experimental results. The team quantified the reactions present with regressed Arrhenius expressions. The reaction kinetic results were used to evaluate the reactor's relief device with dynamic modeling. Additionally, the adequacy of all other relief devices was determined, and any overpressure scenarios for unprotected equipment were identified.
We delivered critical insights and assurance to the client by validating the adequacy of their existing rupture disc for overprotection in the event of a runaway reaction. Through advanced ARC® testing, the team identified and quantified six key chemical reactions likely to occur during such an event, providing the client with a deeper understanding of potential hazards. This comprehensive analysis enhanced the client's confidence in their system's safety. Additionally, the client benefited from a thorough evaluation of non-reactive systems, which further strengthened their overall risk management strategy and operational reliability.