Investigative calorimetric studies and kinetic parameters estimation using analytical methods for self-reactive hazardous chemicals in a chemical manufacturing plant

Abstract

Apart from human-error, lack of awareness in handling analytical tools and models avert process thermal hazards, misinterpretation of the exothermic dataset of hazardous chemicals have led to numerous catastrophic incidents in the past. The heating mechanism during the runaway reaction is unclear and important to understand for designing safer reactors. The aim of this study was to analyze thermokinetic parameters using nonisothermal calorimetric studies including differential scanning calorimetry and isothermal methods including thermal activity monitor III for both reactive groups. Furthermore, overpressure and overtemperature of hazardous materials were assessed using an adiabatic calorimeter, namely vent sizing package 2, enabling the use of alerting equipment for various operations. The pure decomposition behavior of 2,2′-azobis (2-methylbutyronitrile) (AMBN) was analyzed with depictions of the short-term release of high pressure and temperature using an infrared thermal imaging camera. Thermokinetic parameters of AMBN, including apparent activation energy Ea, were assessed. Thermal tests elucidated the potential hazard while handling these compounds and delineated the nature of the decomposition reaction of the n-th order or autocatalytic model. These results suggested that energy released from isothermal reactions and gas chromatography/mass spectrometer for decomposition products of azo and peroxide compounds simultaneously to understand the reaction mechanisms of compounds of interest.