Document Rj3ZXwBYdNOdLk21vM7p1GyXa

cp^ci- ami Giemica& INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM To _ From E. A. Prlmeau J. C. Novak cc: L. W. Ball T. L. Carey R. E. Jones J. V. Parker H. L. Watson (Subject Date 6 September 1974 Manway Failure - PVC Reactor Escambia______________________ ____ (Lot*I ton, Oc94naz(ion. or Department] Valley Forge (Location, Organisation, or OcoaMment) In the accident report of E. Ray dated 24 April 1974, there is a statement stating that the Lenape Forge people will be contacted to consult on the operation of the manway covers. To my knowledge such contact with Lenape Forge was not established. There is a considerable concern over the integrity of the mechanism of the covers. I know for a fact that operators must hammer on the latch to close the manway. Such practice had proven to cause problems in the past, including the accident on 16 ApTil 1974, which could have resulted in a catastrophic loss. Please bring me up-to-date on the status of the manway covers. Was Lenape Forge contacted, if yes, what is the result of it. If no, please reconfirm that such contact will be made in the near future and a date will be. set for a thorough review cm the serviceability of those covers and locking mechanisms. What modifications will be necessary if any; and how can we avoid the hanmering on the latches. We cannot afford another occurance similar to the one on 16 April 1974. JCN:hog J. C. Novak (3201 AP00035912 I <W{%emca& ESCAMBIA PLANT IMC. INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM To: Distribution list From: R* Lynch Vinyl Chloride Toxicity Date: k December 1973 >' Copies: A. K. McMillan*^ Joe Odom L. L. Plowman R. R. Splegelhalter Ed Ray Bill Smith Attached for your information is a review suggested by PPG relative to threshold Limit values of VCM The distribution is the same as this plant*s material safety data sheet distribution plus one copy to Calvert City. Please be sure interested people get a copy. WRL/llU AP00035913 INDUSTRIES PPG INDUSTRIES, INC. / ONE GATEWAY CENTER / PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA 1 5222 October 29, 1973 The toxicity section of Vinyl Chloride Bulletin 115A, attached, contains later recommendations than appear in the manual, "Vinyl Chloride Monomer Handling and Properties," form A-994-115, currently being revised. Although the threshold limit value (TLV) of 200 ppm, which appears on page 7 of the handling and properties manual, agrees with the latest recommendation of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, PPG Industries now recommends a value of 50 ppm until ongoing toxicological studies are concluded. Zeb G. Bell, Jr., Sc.D. Director Environmental Control Industrial Chemical Division AP00035914 In keeping with its position as a lead ing producer of vinyl chloride monomer for the merchant market only, PPG In dustries expanded its Lake Charles. Louisiana, vinyl chloride plant in 1969. The Guayanilla, Puerto Rico plant, built in 1971, greatly increased PPG's capacity for making vinyl chloride monomer. A new large tanker, the S.S. Puerto Rican, transports refrigerated vinyl chloride monomer to a newly built ter minal at Paulsboro, New Jersey, where it is stored under refrigeration. At the PPG plant In Guayanilla. Puerto Rico, the company's modern 34.000-ton chemical tanker, S.S. Puerto Rican, receives a load or vinyl chloride monomer. PPG produces vinyl chloride monomer by the oxychlorination of ethylene and holds more than 400 domestic and for eign patents on this process. Uninhibited VCM is quite stable and can be routinely shipped, handled and stored provided proper procedures, out lined below, are followed. To prevent polymerization in transit or storage, it is essential that the monomer be protected at all times from contact with air. oxy gen. moisture, catalytic impurities, and light. PPG normally supplies VCM unin hibited. The use of uninhibited VCM eliminates the need for subsequent pro cessing to remove the inhibitor. If re quired. suitable inhibitors will be added. More information appears in the PPG manual. "'Vinyl Chloride Monomer Han dling and Properties." form A-994-II5. GRADES PPG Industries produces polymer- grade vinyl chloride monomer. PROPERTIES Chemical Names: Vinyl chloride; vinyl chloride monomer; chloroethylene; chlorocthene ^H Chemical Formula: CH2CHCI; Molecular Weight: 62.5 C=C ''Cl Description: At ordinary temperatures and pressures, vinyl chloride is a colorless gas with a mild, sweet odor. But as supplied in tank cars and trucks under pressure, it is a liquid. Vinyl chloride is highly volatile and its vapor is extremely flam Boiling Point, C F mable. -13.8 +7.0 Auioignition Temperature, C F 472 KK2 Freezing Point, C -1517 F -245 Flash Point, open cup, C -78 Liquid Density m 60 F Vapor Density, air=l Vapor Pressure, psia at 0oC 0.9192 2.15 25.1 F -108.4 20 C 40C 49.2 87.6 Explosive Limits, volume 9r Solubilitv. water in monomer. in air at 25C (77F) 3.6 to 33 at 25C <77 F). weight % 0.11 - At the Paulsboro, Mew Jersey terminal, the S.S Puerto Rican's load ot vinyl chloride monomer is transferred to the refrigerated storage tanks in the background Solubility: Vinyl chloride is relatively insoluble in water but soluble in most organic solvents. Reactivity: Vinyl chloride polymerizes exothermically in the presence of light, air. oxygen or catalysts. Heat alone will not initiate polymerization. Vinyl chlo ride is thermally stable to quite high temperatures. Although peroxide formation due to air exposure is a slow reaction, certain peroxide products are shocksensitive. Vinyl chloride is noncorrosive to metals when dry at normal tempera tures, but water and elevated temperatures accelerate corrosion. The double bond behaves as in other unsaturated compounds. The chlorine atom is relative ly inactive and is more stable than in saturated or a Hylic compounds. AP00035915 Specification for polymer grade: Carbon dioxide or dry chemical agents extinguish small fires effectively, Appearance clear, free of suspended matter but no extinguisher is known for laige Color colorless, water-white fires. Streams of water cannot extin \cidity, as HC1, maximum ppm 5 guish a liquid vinyl chloride fire because ,ron, as Fe, maximum ppm 0.5 the monomer does not mix with water Nonvolatile residue, maximum weight % 0.05 and will float on top. Water may be Water, maximum ppm 100 sprayed to cool equipment. If the source Sulfur, as S0>, maximum ppm 3 -1.' of the vinyl chloride monomer leak has Acetaldehyde, maximum ppm 5 not been closed off. do not attempt to Acetylene, maximum* ppm 2 extinguish a large fire because hot metal can re-ignite an unburned vapor *This maximum is an industry'standard; however, the PPG product contains no cloud. No one without proper protective detectable amount of acetylene. respiratory equipment- should enter an area where there has been a fire until the area has been adequately ventilated. USES Most vinyl chloride is polymerized to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or copoly merized with other monomers such as PPG's vinylidene chloride, Vinyl chlo ride monomer should not be used as an aerosol propellant. TOXICITY Uninhibited monomer is not absorbed through the skin, but the liquid may cause frostbite because it evaporates so fast. If an inhibitor is included, it may cause local skin burns. Studies are currently being made on possible health hazards that may be associated with exposure to the vapor. Until these studies are completed. PPG recommends that vapor concentrations in work areas should not exceed 50 ppm as a time-weighted average atmospheric **onccntration for an 8-hour day to avoid issiblc adverse health effects on work men. Inhalation of high vapor concen trations can cause dizziness and anes thesia. Therefore, during periods of exposure to high vapor concentration, workmen should use self-contained or air-supplied breathing apparatus. More toxicity information appears on Page 7 of the PPG Manual, "Vinyl Chloride Monomer Handling and Properties." foim A-994-115. HANDLING AND STORAGE Aluminum and its alloys must not be used in equipment to store or handle vinyl chloride because explosive alumi num chlunxilkyls can be formed, PPG's vinyl chloride is made from ethylene and contains no detectable amount oT acety lene, Vinyl chloride made from acetylene by an older process contains traces of acetylene that could react explosively with copper or its alloys to form copper acctylides. It is not safe to use such vinyl chloride in processing equipment con taining copper or brass. Exposure of vinyl chloride to oxygen and air results, after a time, in polymer formation. This can cause problems in equipment used for storage and transfer of monomer. The nitrogen supply for use wiih vinyl chloride should have a maximum oxygen content of 10 ppm. In the vapor phase of a vinyl chloride storage tank, the oxygen content should not exceed 1.000 ppm. More information appears in Chemi cal Safety Data Sheet SD-56. "Vinyl Chloride." published by the Manu facturing Chemists Association. 1825 Connecticut Avenue. N.W.. Washing ton. D.C, 20009. Fire hazard Vinyl chloride vapor is extremely flam mable. Its explosive limits arc between 3.6 and 33Cc by volume in air. Proper ventilation and the elimination of igni tion sources arc mandatory in areas where vapor concentrations may reach a flammable level. When a tank car is un loaded. both the car tank and the un loading pump should be electrically grounded. The major products of combustion in clude toxic and corrosive hydrogen chloride as well as carbon monoxide, and less than H) ppm of phosgene. Only in the \ery near vicinity of a vinyl chlo ride monomer fire could detectable amounts ol phosgene he present, Unloading tank cars If tank car valves are defective or leaky, do not unload. Telephone the PPG Chemicals plant at Lake Charles, Louisi ana. 318-882-1-200. Information on un loading tank cars and trucks appears in the PPG manual. "Vinyl Chloride Mono mer Handling and Properties, form A994-115," Warning: Air should never be permit ted to enter vinyl chloride tank cars or other containers during oir after unload ing. Close and seal all openings. Leave at least 10 pslgof vinyl chloride vapor pressure in empty tank car being re turned. PACKAGING AND SHIPPING PPG industries delivers vinyl chloride by ship, barge, tank car and tank truck. There are 3 shipping points: Lake Charles, Louisiana; Guayanilia. Puerto Rico; and Paulsboro, New Jersey. PPG maintains a fleet of tank cars for vinyl chloride service. All cars are equipped for top unloading. There are three car sizes; 100.000-pound. 180.000pound iind 220.000-pound net weight. Tank trucks hold up to 40.000 pounds. Ships and barges hold up to several million pounds. SAMPLES AND SERVICE Samples of vinyl chloride are available on special request in returnable labora tory-size steel cylinders holding 5 puunds or in cylinders holding 200 pounds. The technical service staff of PPG In dustries Chemical Division is available for consulting on handling, storage and use. mi AlPl : INDUSTRIES A-lOOO-tlS 2M 1073 PPG iNbUSTFtiPS, Inc. Chemical Division hnp Gatewav CPhfer Pitts' burgh, Pa. I1- 5222 Statements and methods presented are 03sert uptn tire best information and practices known to PPG Industries, Ina hut are not representations or warranties of rrrloimanrf or resultjnor do they imply arty recommendations to infringe any patent cy an offer of license under any patent. With respect to ns products PPG InaimnM !nc. warrants only mji u c conform tb ns quality tundaiUs. Some of the niatoriiil4rr.entior,edal>Ov.-ns3yBcha23ra:jusln nature and should tic handled with cum Hr.in the label tarelully **"d observe and comply win an ti..> lalio' .v.irnmij* ami fjifcautionaiy directions Although these materia'*, at not intended fpr household use. they, ns alt potentially harar lions materials, most ti 1 kept out of the reach of children. Printed in USA AP00035916