Fire Hazard of PP and LLDPE dust in Chemical Plant Process

석유화학플랜트에서 발생하는 PP(Poly Propylene) 및 LLDPE(Linear Low Density Poly Ethylene) 분진의 연소 위험성에 관한 연구

Thermal properties of PP and LLDPE dusts from chemical plant and their risks of coexisting with oxidizer were investigated by a pressure vessel. The thermal decomposition of PP and LLDPE dusts with temperature using DSC and the weight loss with temperature using TGA were also investigated to find the thermal hazard of PP and LLDPE dusts. Using the pressure vessel which can estimate ignition and explosion of PP and LLDPE dusts coexisting with oxidizer, a series of bursting of a rupture disc, experiments has been conducted by varying the orifice diameters the weight ratio of the sample coexisting with oxidizers and the species of oxidizer. And fire gases was measured by gas analyser ($ECOM-A^+$). According to the results of the thermal analysis of PP and LLDPE dusts, the decomposition temperature range of PP and LLDPE dusts was 200 to 350 and 300 to $500^{\circ}c$, respectively. The risk of PP and LLDPE dusts coexisting with oxidizer was increased as the orifice diameter was decreased. On the other hand, it was increased as the weight ratio of the sample to the oxidizer were increased. In addition, the risk of PP and LLDPE dusts coexisting with oxidizer was affected by the decomposition temperature of the sample and oxidizer. It is found that the risk of fire becomes high when the decomposition temperature of the sample is about same as that of oxidizer. Also, the fire gases was occurred carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. The amount of carbon monoxide generated was found to be much higher in PP decomposition than in LLDPE due to incomplete combustion of PP which has high content of carbon in chemical compound.

석유화학플랜트에서 다량 부산되는 가연성 고체인 PP(Polypropylene) 및 LLDPE(Linear low density polyethylene)의 열적특성과 압력용기를 이용하여 산화제와의 혼촉위험성을 조사하였다. 시차주사열량계 및 열중량 분석기를 이용하여 온도에 따른 발열개시온도 및 중량감소를 조사하였고, PP 및 LLDPE의 혼촉위험성을 살펴보고자 소방법상 제1류 위험물로 분류되고 있는 몇 가지 대표적인 산화성 고체와 혼합하여 무게비에 따른 압력용기 내에서의 혼촉위험성을 조사하였다. 또한 가스농도 측정기를 이용하여 PP 및 LLDPE에 대한 연소생성물의 농도를 측정하였다. DSC분석 결과 열분해에 따른 발열 피크가 PP의 경우 220~$250^{\circ}c$ 부근에서 나타나고 있으며, TGA분석결과 PP 및 LLDPE의 분해온도는 각각 200~$350^{\circ}c$, 300~$500^{\circ}c$ 범위이다. 압력용기 시험에 의한 산화제와 PP 및 LLDPE 분진의 혼촉위험성은 오리피스 직경이 감소할수록, 산화제와의 혼촉 무게비가 증가할수록 그리고 시료의 분해온도와 산화제의 분해온도가 비슷한 경우 흔촉위험성이 크게 나타났다. 또한 시료의 연소가스 분석결과 PP의 경우 LLDPE보다 상당히 많은 양의 일 산화탄소가 발생하는 반면 LLDPE가 PP보다 더 많은 양의 이산화탄소 가스를 발생하였다.