DELTA GROUP, INC. - Executive Summary |
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CHLORINE AND ANHYDROUS AMMONIA ARE TWO CHEMICALS USED AT THE PLANT. THE CHLORINE IS USED AS A REACTANT TO REFINE ALUMINUM ALLOY. IT IS WITHDRAWN FROM THE ONE TON CYLINDERS AS A GAS AND INTRODUCED VIA SHORT TUBING THROUGH A GRAPHITE TUBE INTO THE MOLTEN BATH. POSSIBLE SOURCES OF CHLORINE LOSS WILL BE BREAKAGE OF THE GRAPHITE IMMERSION TUBE OR FAILURE OF THE FLEXIBLE COPPER TUBING. THE VALVE ON THE CYLINDER IS REBUILT PRIOR TO EACH REFILLING OF THE CYLINDERS BY THE CHLORINE REPACKAGING COMPANY. IN THE EVENT OF A VALVE FAILURE, A CHLORINE INSTITUTE 'B' KIT IS AVAILABLE TO SEAL OFF THE LEAKING VALVE. IF A VALVE LEAK OCCURS THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT IS CALLED WHO CALLS THE WAUKESHA COUNTY HAZMAT TEAM. THE SUPPLIER IS ALSO NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY. THE SUPPLIER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PICKING UP THE CYLINDER AND REPLACING THE 'B' EMERGENCY KIT. CHLORINE SUPPLIERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PERIODIC TESTING OF THEIR CYLINDERS INCLUDING VALVES, BASED ON D.O.T. REGULATION AND NFPA RULES. ANHYDROUS A MMONIA SUCH AS IS USED ON FARMS IS USED AT THIS FACILITY TO REACT CHEMICALLY TO ASSIST IN THE REDUCTION OF ACID GASES FROM THE POLLUTION CONTROL SYSTEM. AMMONIA IS STORED IN A SINGLE, 4,000 POUND CAPACITY, HIGH PRESSURE CYLINDER. IT IS REFILLED ONSITE BY THE AMMONIA SUPPLIER. THE MOST PROBABLE CAUSE OF AMMONIA LEAKAGE IS AT A VALVE. THE AMMONIA PIPING IS SCHEDULE 80 WITH FORGED FITTINGS. THE CYLINDER IS LOCATED IN AN AREA WHERE INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS CANNOT GAIN ACCESS. IN THE EVENT OF LEAKAGE IN THE SYSTEM, THE EMERGENCY SHUTOFF VALVE AT THE CYLINDER IS CLOSED. IN THE EVENT OF A LEAK FROM EITHER SYSTEM, THE MUSKEGO FIRE DEPARTMENT IS CONTACTED IMMEDIATELY. THEY CONTACT WAUKESHA LERC WHICH DISPATCHES THE HAZMAT TEAM. THE COMPANY'S TRAINED PERSONNEL, DON THEIR SUPPLIED AIR GEAR (SCOTT AIR PACKS) AND APPROACH THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK TO ESTABLISH ITS LOCATION. IN THE EVENT OF A FAILURE OF THE CHLORINATION TUBE, THE FURNACE OPERATOR IMMEDIATELY SHUTS OFF THE VALVE ON THE CYLINDER. THE AMOUNT OF CHLORINE THAT MAY ESCAPE UNDER THIS CIRCUMSTANCE IS EXTREMELY LIMITED. IN THE EVENT THAT THE FLEXIBLE TUBING CONNECTING THE CYLINDER TO THE GRAPHITE TUBE BREAKS, THE SAME ROUTINE OCCURS. IN THE EVENT THAT THE CYLINDER VALVE LEAKS, THE CHLORINATION PROCESS IS STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WAUKESHA HAZMAT TEAM ARE CALLED. IN THE MEANTIME, THE FLEXIBLE TUBING IS REMOVED FROM THE VALVE AND THE 'B' KIT IS INSTALLED OVER THE VALVE IF POSSIBLE. IF UNABLE, THE LEAK CONTINUES UNTIL THE WAUKESHA HAZMAT TEAM ARRIVES. IF THE PLANT CAN STOP THE LEAK, THIS CAN TAKE UP TO 10 MINUTES WHILE PEOPLE PUT ON THE AIR PACKS AND BRING THE 'B' KIT TO THE CYLINDER OR MORE LIKELY, MOVE THE CYLINDER AWAY FROM THE FURNACE TO INSTALL THE KIT IN THE RECEIVING DEPARTMENT. IF WAUKESHA HAZMAT TEAM MUST DO THE JOB, THEN UP TO 30 MINUTES MAY ELAPSE. THE AMMONIA SYSTEM IS HARD PIPED FROM THE STORAGE TANK THROUGH A REGULATING AND FLOW METERING SYSTEM INTO THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL S YSTEM. IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT OF A LEAK IN THE AMMONIA PIPING, THE CUTOFF VALVE AT THE TANK IS CLOSED IMMEDIATELY. IN THE EVENT OF REGULATOR FAILURE, ALLOWING EXCESSIVE LEVELS OF AMMONIA TO FLOW INTO THE SYSTEM, THE FLOW METER LIMITS THE EXCESS FLOW BY THE NATURE OF ITS CONSTRUCTION. tHE TANK VALVE IS CLOSED TO STOP FLOW. IN THE EVENT THAT THE FLOW METER FAILS AND LEAKS, THE BYPASS VALVING AROUND THE FLOW METER IS OPENED WHILE THE VALVING INTO AND OUT OF THE FLOW METER IS CLOSED AND THE TANK VALVE IS CLOSED. USING THE EPA DISPERSION MODEL IN RMP COMP, NO "CREDIT" IS GIVEN FOR THE FACT THAT MOIST AIR WILL REACT WITH EITHER CHLORINE OR AMMONIA, THUS SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCING THE TOXIC ENDPOINTS. A PROGRAM SUPPLIED BY BLAZE TECH (ADORA) INDICATES THAT THE TOXIC ENDPOINT FOR CHLORINE IS ONLY ABOUT 0.10 MILES. RMP COMP INDICATES THE TOXIC ENDPOINT AT 0.90 MILES. |