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Accidental emissions of sulfur oxides from the stack of a sulfuric acid plant: Case study
Author(s) -
Gangopadhyay R. K.,
Das S. K.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
process safety progress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.378
H-Index - 40
eISSN - 1547-5913
pISSN - 1066-8527
DOI - 10.1002/prs.10199
Subject(s) - sulfuric acid , sulfur , sulfur dioxide , stack (abstract data type) , acid gas , oxide , environmental science , waste management , sulfur trioxide , chemistry , engineering , inorganic chemistry , computer science , organic chemistry , operating system
In a manufacturing unit producing sulfuric acid, a large emission of sulfur oxide gases from a stack continued for several minutes. The cause for the emissions could not be determined immediately by the operating people in the control room. The emitted gases not only affected the nearby inhabitants but also affected the vegetation and the environment. This study deals with a release of sulfur oxide gases from a sulfuric acid plant. More than a 100 children in a school, approximately 500 m from the plant boundary, were affected. The incident description and the lessons learned from this tragedy is described in this article. The problem and causes associated with the emission of acid gases and the recommended corrective actions are discussed. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2007