HEARTLAND CATFISH - Executive Summary |
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Executive Summary Heartland Catfish (Heartland) owns and operates a catfish processing plant in Itta Bena, Mississippi. Heartland uses and stores anhydrous ammonia (ammonia) in their Ammonia Refrigeration System (the System) in excess of the Risk Management Plan (RMP) Threshold Quantity of 10,000 lbs. Heartland is implemented a Process Safety Management (PSM) program to provide information to employees to deal with the risks involved with the storage, handling and processing of highly hazardous materials. The program emphasizes the application of management controls and standard operating procedures when addressing the risks associated with handling or working near highly hazardous chemicals. The Ammonia Refrigeration System (the System) for Heartland utilizes anhydrous ammonia to function as the heat transfer medium. The System contains five (5) high stage compressors, two (2) low stage compressors and three (3) booster compressors. The System utilizes liquid ammonia injecti on for oil cooling on four (4) of the compressors and thermosyphoning oil coolers on the remaining six (6) compressors. The System contains four (4) evaporative condensers to convert the high pressure ammonia gas into high pressure liquid. After the high pressure ammonia gas is condensed, it is transferred to the high pressure receiver. The System, which maintains a maximum inventory of 16,000 pounds (lbs.) of anhydrous ammonia, includes two (2) high stage recirculators which provide high temperature liquid ammonia to various evaporator units in the facility. The System also includes one (1) low stage recirculator which provide low temperature liquid ammonia to other evaporator units throughout the facility. Ammonia vapor is removed from the low temperature accumulator to the suction of the low stage compressors. The discharge from the low stage compressors goes to the high stage recirculators, which provide ammonia vapor to the suction of the high stage compressors. The dischar ge from the high stage compressors provides high temperature ammonia gas and hot gas defrost to the evaporative condensers. The worst-case release and the alternate release scenarios are delineated below. EPA's RMP*Comp? was used in the consequence analyses. Worst Case Chemical and Amount Released: 16,000 lbs. of anhydrous ammonia in 10 minutes inside the Ammonia Room. Weather Conditions: 77 F with a 3.4 mph wind in Class F atmospheric stability. This release would impact the rural area around Heartland within a 1.5 mile radius and affect 176 residents, a church, a cemetery, three (3) farm shops, a mini-storage facility, two (2) commercial businesses and a manufacturing facility. Alternate Case Chemical and Amount Released: 500 lbs. of anhydrous ammonia in 5 minutes inside the Ammonia Room. Weather Conditions: 77 F with a 6.7 mph wind in Class D atmospheric stability. This release would impact the rural area around Heartland within a 0.2 mile radius and affect 104 resident s. Heartland is in compliance with OSHA PSM and emergency action plan regulations, as well as the EPCRA Section 302 rules. The regularly scheduled maintenance program is key to maintaining the Heartland Refrigeration System in good operation. There have been no reportable accidental releases at Heartland during the last five (5) years. The equipment listed below is inspected daily. ? all refrigeration compressors ? all ammonia pumps ? all condensers ? all ice houses ? all heat exchangers ? all spiral freezers Should there be an ammonia release, the Itta Bena, Mississippi Fire Department (IBFD) will respond. Should the need for an evacuation occur, the LeFlore County, Mississippi Sheriff's Department will notify all households within a 1.5 mile radius. Annual in-house employee training programs maintain and continually improve safety at Heartland. |