Understanding Process Safety and Calculating Pressure in Vertical Riser

Overview of Process Safety

Process safety refers to the management of processes and operations to prevent catastrophic accidents, such as chemical releases, fires, and explosions. In the context of the event at E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., Inc. plant in Belle, West Virginia, on January 23, 2010, the phosgene release resulted in a fatality and exposures due to inadequate safety measures.

Materials Aspects

The materials aspects of process safety involve understanding the properties of chemicals involved, handling and storage procedures, and risk assessment. In the DuPont incident, the release of phosgene, a highly toxic gas, highlighted the importance of proper handling and containment of hazardous materials.

Inherently Safe Design

Inherently Safe Design is an approach that prioritizes the use of inherently safer materials, processes, and technologies to minimize risks. It focuses on eliminating or reducing hazards at the design stage. Implementing this concept could have potentially prevented the phosgene release at the DuPont plant.

Calculating Pressure in Vertical Riser

To calculate the pressure in a vertical riser with a gas bubble introduced at the bottom, we use the hydrostatic pressure equation. This equation considers the density of the fluid, acceleration due to gravity, and height of the fluid column. By applying this formula, we can determine the pressure at different depths in the riser.

Calculating Pressure in Vertical Riser

When a gas bubble migrates to the top of a vertical riser, we can calculate the pressure at the base using the hydrostatic pressure equation. In the scenario described, with a 50m gas bubble and a 950m oil column above it, we determine the pressures due to the weight of the oil and the initial pressure at the top of the riser.

Calculation Process

First, we calculate the pressure from the weight of the oil column using the formula P = ρgh, where ρ is the density of the oil, g is acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height of the oil column. Next, we determine the pressure at the top of the riser, provided in the data as 1200 kPa.

Final Answer

The pressure at the base of the riser when the gas bubble reaches the top is calculated as -6,192,000 Pa. This negative value indicates a significant decrease in pressure at the base due to the rising gas bubble displacing the oil column.