A detailed kinetic model for the thermal decomposition of hydroxylamine.

Hydroxylamine may decompose explosively if processed and stored in certain conditions, posing critical safety issues that need to be carefully addressed. A key aspect is related to the characterization of chemical aspects involved in the explosive decomposition of hydroxylamine (HA), requiring accurate and detailed kinetic mechanisms. This work was devoted to the experimental and numerical characterization of the thermal decomposition of aqueous solutions of HA included in the range of 10% to 50%.

The effect of ultra-low temperature on the flammability limits of a methane/air/diluent mixtures.

Natural gas represents an attractive fuel for industrialized and developing countries seeking an alternative to petroleum. Due to economic and safety considerations, liquefied natural gas (LNG) at cryogenic conditions is preferred for storage and transportation. The main drawback is the poor understanding of the physical and chemical phenomena that occur at the storage conditions of liquid methane, i.

Lessons learned from Toulouse and Buncefield disasters: from risk analysis failures to the identification of atypical scenarios through a better knowledge management.

The recent occurrence of severe major accidents has brought to light flaws and limitations of hazard identification (HAZID) processes performed for safety reports, as in the accidents at Toulouse (France) and Buncefield (UK), where the accident scenarios that occurred were not captured by HAZID techniques. This study focuses on this type of atypical accident scenario deviating from normal expectations. The main purpose is to analyze the examples of atypical accidents mentioned and to attempt to identify them through the application of a well-known methodology such as the bow-tie analysis.

The development of an inherent safety approach to the prevention of domino accidents.

The severity of industrial accidents in which a domino effect takes place is well known in the chemical and process industry. The application of an inherent safety approach for the prevention of escalation events leading to domino accidents was explored in the present study. Reference primary scenarios were analyzed and escalation vectors were defined.

Extending the quantitative assessment of industrial risks to earthquake effects.

In the general framework of quantitative methods for natural-technological (NaTech) risk analysis, a specific methodology was developed for assessing risks caused by hazardous substances released due to earthquakes. The contribution of accidental scenarios initiated by seismic events to the overall industrial risk was assessed in three case studies derived from the actual plant layout of existing oil refineries. Several specific vulnerability models for different equipment classes were compared and assessed.

Prevention of domino effect: from active and passive strategies to inherently safer design.

The possible application of an inherent safety approach to the prevention of domino accidents was explored. The application of the inherent safety guidewords to the definition of effective actions for the prevention of domino events was analyzed. Due to the constraints originated by the conventional approach to process design, the "limitation of effects" guideword resulted the more effective in the identification of inherent safety actions to avoid domino events.

Escalation thresholds in the assessment of domino accidental events.

Domino effect is responsible of several catastrophic accidents that took place in the chemical and process industry. Although the destructive potential of these accidental scenarios is widely recognized, scarce attention was paid to this subject in the scientific and technical literature. Thus, well-assessed procedures for the quantitative evaluation of risk caused by domino effect are still lacking.

Quantitative risk analysis of oil storage facilities in seismic areas.

Quantitative risk analysis (QRA) of industrial facilities has to take into account multiple hazards threatening critical equipment. Nevertheless, engineering procedures able to evaluate quantitatively the effect of seismic action are not well established. Indeed, relevant industrial accidents may be triggered by loss of containment following ground shaking or other relevant natural hazards, either directly or through cascade effects ('domino effects').

The quantitative assessment of domino effect caused by overpressure. Part II. Case studies.

A quantitative assessment of the contribution to industrial risk of domino effect due to overpressure was undertaken by using the damage probability models developed in part I. Two case studies derived from the actual lay-out of an oil refinery were analyzed. Individual and societal risk indexes were estimated both in the absence and in the presence of the domino effects caused by overpressure.

The quantitative assessment of domino effects caused by overpressure. Part I. Probit models.

Accidents caused by domino effect are among the more severe that took place in the chemical and process industry. However, a well established and widely accepted methodology for the quantitative assessment of domino accidents contribution to industrial risk is still missing. Hence, available data on damage to process equipment caused by blast waves were revised in the framework of quantitative risk analysis, aiming at the quantitative assessment of domino effects caused by overpressure.