ELA 991 Industrial Gas Hazards Flashcards
(17 cards)
What is an inert gas?
a gas that does not readily undergo chemical reactions with other chemical substances
What are some industrial applications that use inert gases?
welding, food preservation, shielding gas, filler
What are the major hazards of inert gases?
asphyxiation, highly flammable, odorless, colorless, and tasteless
How do simple asphyxiants cause harm
by displacing
oxygen in the inhaled gas
How do chemical asphyxiants cause harm?
Chemical asphyxiant disrupts the mechanism of transfer of oxygen to the blood
What is hypoxia?
inadequate supply of oxygen to the body’s tissues
What are the three sides of the fire triangle?
Oxidizer, Ignition source, Fuel
True/False: Inerting requires removal of all oxygen from the gas
mixture.
False
What is inerting?
reducing the oxygen concentration below the limiting oxygen concentration
What is blanketing?
the technique of maintaining an
atmosphere that is either inert or fuel-enriched in the vapor space of a container or vessel
Purging and inerting vary because
One addresses initial oxygen concentration in a vessel
What is purging?
process of removing oxygen (or another unwanted gas) from a vessel before introducing a flammable or reactive substance
What is inerting?
the continuous maintenance of a safe atmosphere (usually by adding an inert gas) to prevent combustion or unwanted reactions
True/False: Purging is typically done before startup, while inerting is a continuous process during operation.
True
Nitrogen can be obtained at a plant via
A. Compressed gas cylinders and tube trailers
B. Bulk cryogenic liquid
C. Generated on-site
D. Delivered via pipeline
E. All of the above
E. All of the above
Accidents involving nitrogen often involve multiple fatalities because
1. Nitrogen has no odor
2. Since nitrogen is in the air, there is no physical response to breathing nitrogen-enhanced air
3. Nitrogen sensors are unreliable
4. Rescue attempts lead to additional asphyxiations
- Nitrogen has no odor
- Since nitrogen is in the air, there is no physical response to breathing nitrogen-enhanced air
- Rescue attempts lead to additional asphyxiations
Describe different purge procedures (pick 1).
Dilution purging: introduction of an inert gas (e.g., nitrogen or carbon dioxide) into a system to dilute the oxygen or hazardous gases, reducing their concentration to a safe level.
