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V TECHNICAL 10432 BULLETIN INTRODUCTION VINYL CHLORIDE MONOMER contains an aliphatic double bond which permits it to poly merize, copolymerize and undergo other chemical reactions. It is used chiefly in homopolymerization by the suspension and emulsion polymerization techniques. It should be noted, however, that com mercial production of its copolymers is becoming quite significant, as is its use as a chemical inter mediate to a lesser extent. If a few simple precautions are observed. Vinyl Chloride Monomer can be used, stored, and han dled safely in both large and small quantities. Monsanto is a major producer of Vinyl Chloride Monomer, and our experience in storing and han dling this material for the past several years is out lined briefly here. Monsanto will gladly provide technical assistance to customers in installing stor age and handling facilities for Vinyl Chloride Monomer. MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION Steel is a completely satisfactory material for handling of Vinyl Chloride Monomer. Copper or copper-bearing alloys should never be in contact with either the liquid or vapor of Vinyl Chloride Monomer as it might result in the formation of explosive acetyiides from acetylene which is a trace impurity in Vinyl Chloride Monomer. STORAGE TANKS Local and Underwriters regulations often speci fy certain features which affect actual installation of storage tanks. They should be consulted before the design of storage facilities hac been completed. ^The vapor pressure of Vinyl Chloride Monomer HvjJ^CHLORipf MONOMER STOI W^S*Dl NG APR 17 1972 MO. SAaTO company INFORMATION CENTER ST. LOUIS at ordinary storage temperature necessitates spe cial provisions for either storage under pressure or refrigeration. Refrigerated storage is not consid ered practical due to continuing operation and maintenance cost and due to the risk involved if the refrigeration system should fail. The most common types of pressure tanks are long horizontal cylindrical tanks and spherical tanks. Spherical tanks are believed to be more economical for large tanks since less weight of steel is required to contain a given volume of material. Tanks should be of carbon steel plate and of all-welded construction. Cost evaluations should be run in each individual case to determine if spherical or cylindrical tanks would be more economical and also to determine the optimum size tanks to be installed. Tanks and equipment should have a designed working pressure of from 100 to 150 psi and pro visions should be made for either a water spray system to cool surfaces of tanks, or a suitable in sulation such as foam glass to cover tanks. We strongly recommend a water spray system on the tank in any case to cool its surfaces in case of fire to prevent heat buildup. Liquid fill lines for tanks may enter at the bot tom of tanks, or they may enter at the top. In the latter case, they should extend to the bottom in order to prevent accumulation of static electricity while filling tanks. Liquid outlet lines may enter tanks at either the top, bottom or sides of storage tanks, but it is recommended that they be so fixed as to take material off at a point about six inches above the bottom of the tank. They should also be provided with check valves to prevent contamina tion of tank contents by backflow from the process lines. MONSANTO CHEMICAL COMPANY Hydrocarbons Division St. Louis, Mo. RSV 0006057 Monsanto should be allowed to contact Vinyl Chloride Monomer either in its liquid or vapor form as highly explosive copper acetylides may be formed. All cylinders, tank cars, fill lines, storage tanks, etc. handling Vinyl Chloride Monomer should be grounded. Vinyl Chloride Monomer should be handled in well ventilated areas removed from dangers of open flames, heaters, sparks, and other sources of ignition. In carrying out operations around stor age facilities, only explosion-proof motors and non-sparking tools should be used. Buildings hous ing processing facilities should be completely ex plosion-proof. Fire-fighting equipment should be available to persons working in those areas. Car bon dioxide and dry chemical extinguishers are suitable. Vinyl Chloride Monomer itself is not absorbed by the skin; however, the phenol inhibitor is ab sorbed by the skin and may cause severe skin irritation and bums if portions of the skin exposed to the liquid monomer are not flushed profusely with water. Protective equipment, including face goggles, should be worn where handing may re sult in spillage. Clothing or bandages contami nated with the liquid monomer should be immedi ately removed to prevent freezing of the skin or frostbite caused by evaporation of the monomer in contact with the skin and to prevent the irritat ing effect of the phenol in contact with the skin. High concenration of Vinyl Chloride Monomer vapors can cause dizziness and anesthesia. Persons displaying those symptoms should be immediately removed to an uncontaminated area and the ap propriate first aid treatment given. A physician should be called at once. Areas where Vinyl Chloride Monomer is han dled or stored should be plainly posted as fire hazard areas, and employees should be thoroughly indoctrinated in the safe handling and fire fighting procedures for Vinyl Chloride Monomer and in first aid procedures to be performed in cases where persons are splashed with liquid monomer or show signs of being affected by high vapor concentra tions. These first aid procedures and handling and fire fighting procedures are rather thoroughly out lined by the Manufacturing Chemists' Association in their Chemical Safety Data Sheet SD-56, and it is recommended by Monsanto that all users of Vinyl Chloride Monomer follow those precedures. RSV 0006058 The information contained in thu bulletin is. to our best knowledge, true and accurate, but ail recommendations or suggestions are made without guarantee, since the conditions of use are beyond our control. The Monsanto Chemical Company disclaims any liability incurred in connection with the use of these data or suggestions. Furthermore, nothing contained herein (ball be construed as a recommendation to use any product m conflict with existing patents covering any materials or its use. V Monsanto _ _ M_ _ MONSANTO CHEMICAL COMPANY Hydrocarbons Division ST. LOUIS, MO. 63U6 ATLANTA GA. 3390 Peachtree Road N E BOSTON MASS . Everett Station M9i CHICAGO ILL. S20 N Michigan Ave. CINCINNATI. OHIO 2330 Victory Parkway CLEVELAND OHIO 36(5 WarrensvWe Center Road DETROIT. MICH 500 Northland Tower* HOUSTON TEXAS KOI South Coast Building LOS ANGELES. CAL . 6610 E. F.otlllaStreet MINNEAPOLIS MINN. Foshay Tower Bldg. NEW YORK N. T 4(5 Park Avenue PITTSBURGH PA . 4 Gateway Center ST. LOUIS. MO . Lindbergh and Olive St Rd SANTA CLARA CAL.. 2710 Lafayette Street SEATTLE WASH.. 911 Western Avenue SRRINGHELD, MASS.. 812 Monsanto Avenue WILMINGTON. DEL . 200S Concord Pike Printed in U SA. All tanks and filling equipment should be grounded to prevent sparking. Tanks should be provided with temperature in dicators near the bottom to enable observation of the liquid temperature. Pressure gages should be connected to the top of the tanks to measure vapor pressure within. The gages should be located at ground level to eliminate the need for climbing to the top of the tanks for taking readings. Properly sized relief valves should be provided on the tops of tanks to provide for relief of exces sive pressure. Monsanto's practice is to install on each tank two duplicate valves, each of which would allow for relief of the entire contents of the tank in case of fire. These are installed so that each may be blocked off from the tank by plug cock to allow for periodic removal and inspection of valves. If desired, rupture discs may also be placed between the tank and valves. Liquid level gages should be employed and liquid level should not exceed 90% of the total capacity of a tank. Concrete or earth dikes of sufficient size to con tain the contents of a tank should be constructed to contain any spillage that might result. Local or Underwriters regulations should be consulted concerning this and other safety aspects of storage facilities before installation of the facilities is begun. New tanks should be free of all scale, dirt, grease, water or other foreign matter before re ceiving Vinyl Chloride Monomer. Before being put into service a tank should be purged with inert gas until free of air. Monsanto will gladly recom mend cleaning procedures for new tanks or tanks converted from other use so as to insure that the quality of Vinyl Chloride Monomer remains good in storage. Piping Black steel pipe, ASTM A-53 has been found suitable for handling Vinyl Chloride Monomer. Fittings and connections for lYi" and larger pipe should be flanged or butt welded. Fittings and connections for 1" and smaller may be threaded and Best-O-Life No. 270 Joint Compound (I. H. Grancell Co., Los .Angeles, California) or equiva lent used. Pumps Centrifugal, positive displacement and gear type cast steel pumps are satisfactory for Vinyl Chloride Monomer service. Mechanical seals are recommended for use with them. Valves Standard steel gate and globe valves are satis factory for Vinyl Chloride Monomer service. Blue African asbestos is suitable packing for valves. Lubricated steel plugcocks are satisfactory in Vinyl Chloride Monomer lines and may be de signed to use: Nordstrom 755 or P-55 lubricants Stick or pressure lubricants or equivalent. Gaslcefs Garlock No. 7021,1/16" thick asbestos gaskets, or equivalent, are satisfactory for flanged connec tions. Teflon, Velumoid, lead and carbon are also suitable. Filters It is recommended that a filter be inserted be tween storage tanks and processing equipment. A cartridge type filter with fine or medium re placeable cartridge is suggested. This can be a: Staynew ELS-7B (Dollinger Corp., Rochester, New York) Fulflow WXFDS-10-2 (Commercial Filter Corp. Boston, Mass, or equivalent. Filter cartridges should be inspected and re newed periodically. /nsu/of/on Tanks should be insulated with 2 to 4 inches of foamed glass brick, or equivalent, unless they are provided with water spray systems to cool surfaces of tanks. A suitable covering for insulation to pro tect it from the weather is: Insulznatic No. 410 Asbestodte or equivalent STORAGE LIFE Monsanto Vinyl Chloride Monomer is inhibted with 40--100 parts per million phenol to provide stability in storage. A typical sample will contain about 70 parts per million. This concentration of inhibitor will provide stability in storage for sev eral months without change in quality. For com parative purposes. Vinyl Chloride Monomer can be considered much more stable in storage than Styrene Monomer. After removal of inhibitor, which is necessary before the material can be poly merized, storage for a relatively short time is RSV 0006059 recommended, and then only in steel vessels. In vessels lined with glass or other material which would prevent contact of monomer with metallic iron, polymerization may be expected to begin in 48 hours. STORAGE IN CYLINDERS Vinyl Chloride Monomer in cylinders of 5,15 and 200 pound capacities are available from Monsanto. These should be stored in an upright position out side buildings in an isolated, well ventilated area which is protected from the sun's rays. Cylinders should be secured to prevent their falling over, and valves and safety devices should be protected from accumulation of grease, dirt, water, ice, snow or other foreign matter. All other safety precau tions for storing and handling flammable, liquified gases in cylinders should be adhered to. LOADING AND UNLOADING TANK CARS# TANK TRUCKS, AND CYLINDERS There are several satisfactory methods for un loading tank cars and tank trucks of Vinyl Chlo ride Monomer. The user should consider the meth od he thinks most convenient and economical in view of his own particular situation. Vinyl Chloride Monomer tank cars may be un loaded by applying inert gas pressure to the gas inlet lines. This forces liquid out the liquid outlet line of the car and into the storage tank. Cylinder nitrogen may be used for this purpose. A variation of this is to pump Vinyl Chloride gas from the gas line on the storage tank into the gas line of the car. The difference in pressures effected by this opera tion will cause the flow of liquid from the car to the tank. It should be pointed out that care must be taken not to exert pressure within the car in excess of its rated working pressure. Another method of unloading tank cars is to connect a line from the gas line of the car to the gas line of the storage tank to maintain equal vapor pressures between the two vessels. Liquid mono mer can then be pumped from the carrier to the storage tank. This procedure can also be used without the vapor equalization line; however, care must be taken that heat and pressure in the storage tank do not become excessive. Vinvl Chloride Monomer tank cars should al ways be left with a positive pressure inside them after unloading. Air must never be allowed to enter these tank cars, and the cars must never have heat applied to them to accelerate unloading. The same provisions for unloading tank cars apply to the unloading of tank trucks. Vinyl Chloride Monomer cylinders may be dis charged by placing them in a water bath which is at a temperature of 50 C. (122F.) to increase vapor pressure. Heat should not be applied to cylinders by other means. Air should never be allowed to enter cylinders, and they should always be returned with positive pressure in them. Users should not attempt to refill cylinders. More detailed instructions for the unloading of tank cars containing flammable liquids is con tained in MCA Manual Sheet TC-4 and in ICC regulations, Sec. 74-560 to 74-568 inclusive. Mon santo will also assist in any technical problems concerning unloading of Vinyl Chloride Monomer. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS Vinyl Chloride Monomer has explosive limits of 4 to 22% by volume in air and a flash point of -- 108.4F. (open cup). It is classified by the In terstate Commerce Commission as a flammable liquified gas. In general, all precautions for the storage of flammable liquified gases should be observed for Vinyl Chloride Monomer. Vinyl Chloride Monomer has a sweet character istic odor; however, its irritating effect may not be sufficient to warn of the presence of dangerous concentrations. It is generally recommended that concentrations for an eight-hour work day not ex ceed 500 parts per million by volume in air. In cases where concentration of vapors may be ex cessive, only persons with approved respiratory equipment should be allowed to enter. Vinyl Chloride Monomer cylinders may be heat ed by means of a 50C. (122F.) water bath to facilitate discharge of monomer by its vapor pres sure; however, heat should not be applied by any other means. Heat should never be applied by any means to a Vinyl Chloride Monomer tank car or storage tank. Air should never be allowed to enter cylinders, tank cars or storage tanks. Cylinders and tank cars should always be left with a positive pressure after unloading. All equipment handling Vinyl Chloride Mono mer at normal temperatures should have a de signed working pressure of 100--150 psi. Anv svstem which may be closed at anytime with Vinvl Chloride Monomer in it should have duplicate relief valves installed. All equipment should be of steel, and no copper or copper-bearing alloys ftSV 0006060