Safety in supercritical operations

Publisher Summary Equipments handling supercritical fluids and liquefied gases present important hazards that must be taken into account both for equipment design and construction and for operation and maintenance. This chapter lists the different classes of hazards presented by supercritical fluid operations and ways to avoid them. Various hazards include mechanical hazards, thermodynamical hazards, chemical hazards, biological hazards, and external hazards. Any pressure vessel presents a rupture hazard. However, both design standards and official tests that are enforced by state agencies in combination with strict inspection procedures limit this hazard to a quasi-zero level, especially on large-scale units. Most supercritical fluid equipment use CO2. CO2 build-up in closed rooms could lead to asphyxia in people present there. Therefore, all possible CO2 emissions must be collected in an over-dimensioned vent line ensuring a good dispersion of the gas in the outside atmosphere. A key for a safe and reliable operation of supercritical fluid equipment consists of a very cautious training of the operators in close relation with the equipment designer and supplier.