Walter F. Stewart, Stephen S. Woods, Harold Deck Beeson-Safe Use of Oxygen and Oxygen Systems_...

8/19/2019 Walter F. Stewart, Stephen S. Woods, Harold Deck Beeson-Safe Use of Oxygen and Oxygen Systems_ Guidelines …

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Safe

se

of

Oxygen and

Oxygen Systems:

Guidelines for Oxygen System Design,

IViaterials Selection, Operations,

Storage, and Transportation

Harold D. Beeson

Walter F. Stewart

Stephen S. Woods

Editors

ASTM Stock No. : MNL 36

m

ASTM International

j j l ^ 100 Ba rr Ha rbo r Drive

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

PO BoX C700

Standards Worldwide West Con shoh ocken , PA 19428-2959

Printed in the U.S.A.


3/113

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Beeson, Harold Deck.

Safe use of oxygen and oxygen systems: guidelines for oxygen system design, ma terials

selection, operations, storage, and transportation/Harold D. Beeson, Walter F. Stewart,

Stephen S. Woods.

p.

cm.—(ASTM manual series; MNL36)

"ASTM Stock Number: MNL36."

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN

0-8031-2083-4

1. Oxygen—^Industrial applications—Equipment and supplies—Safety

measures —S tandards— United States. 2. Fire prevention—S tandards— United States. I.

Stewart, Walter F. II. Woods, Stephen S., 1951— III. Title. FV. Series.

TH9446.095 B44 1999

665.8'23'0289—dc21

99-054559

Copyright © 2000 AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS, West Conshohocke n, PA.

All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced or copied, in whole or in part, in any printed,

mechanical, electronic, film, or other distribution and storage media, without the written consent of the

publisher.

Photocopy Rights

Authorization to photocop y items for internal, personal, or educational classroom u se, or the

internal, personal, or educational classroom use of specific clients, is granted by the American

Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) provided that the appropriate fee is paid to the Copy

right Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923; Tel: 508-750-8400; onUne:

http://www.copyright.com/ .

Th e So c i e ty i s n o t r esp o n s ib l e , a s a b o d y , fo r t h e s t a t em en t s an d o p in io n s ex p ressed i n t h i s

p u b l i c a t i o n .

Third Printing

Printed in Lancaster, PA

March 2005

http://www.copyright.com/http://www.copyright.com/


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Foreword

T H IS M A N U A L O N T H E S A F E U S E O F O XY G E N A ND O XY G E N S Y S T E M S is sponso red by Com

m i t t e e G4 on Co m p at ib i l i t y an d S en s i t i v i ty of M a t e r i a l s in O x y g e n - E n r i c h e d A t m o

s p h e r e s . T h e e d i t o r i a l w o r k w a s c o o r d i n a t e d by H a r o l d D. Bees o n , NASA J o h n so n

Sp ace Cen te r Wh i t e San d s Tes t Fac i l i t y , Las Cru ces , New Mex ico .

Th e o r ig in a l m ate r i a l was co n t a in ed in t h e NASA Safe ty S t an d ar d fo r Ox y g en an d

Ox y g en Sy s t em s , NS S 1 74 0 .1 5 , wh ich es t ab h sh ed a u n i fo rm NASA p ro cess fo r o x y g en

sy s t em d es ig n , m ate r i a l s se l ec t i o n , o p era t i o n , s t o rag e , an d t r an sp o r t a t i o n . Th e NASA

d o c u m e n t r e p r e s e n t e d a w e a l t h of i n fo rm at io n , k n o wled g e , an d ex p er i en c e g a in ed by

NASA an d i t s co n t r ac to r s . Th i s i n fo rm at io n , k n o wled g e , an d ex p er i en ce sh o u ld b e ex

t r e m e l y v a l u a b l e

to

i n d u s t ry , p a r t i c u l a r ly t h e sm al l

o r

i n f r eq u en t u se r

of

o x y g en wh o

h as l i t t l e o r n o ex p er i en ce an d s t a f f t o d raw u p o n .

T h i s m a n u a l c o n t a i n s m i n i m u m g u i d e li n e s ; u s e r s a r e e n c o u r a g e d to as sess t h e i r i n

d i v id u a l p r o g r a m s a n d d e v e l o p a d d i t i o n a l r e q u i r e m e n t s ,

as

n eed ed .

"Sh a l l s " an d "wi l ls " d en o te r eq u i r e m e n t s t h a t a r e m an d a t ed b y o th e r ex is t i n g d o cu

m e n t s , wh ich a re r e fe ren c ed .

u i


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Acknowledgments

TH E NASA OXYGEN SAFETY HANDBOOK was originally prepared und er NASA contract by

Paul M. Ordin, Consulting Engineer. T he suppo rt of the NASA Hydrogen-Oxygen Safety

Standards Review Committee in providing technical monitoring of the original stan

dard is recognized. The Committee included the following members:

William J. Brown—NASA Lew is Research Center

Frank J. Benz—NASA Johnso n Spa ce C enter

Mike Pedley—NASA John son Space Center

Dennis Griffin—NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

Coleman J. Bryan—NASA Kenned y Space Center

Wayne Thomas—NASA Lewis Research Center

Wayne Frazier—NASA Headquarters

The autho rs also gratefully acknowledge the special contributions of Grace B. Ordin

for aiding the preliminary review, organizing the material, and editing the original

drafts, and William A. Price of Vitro Corporation for input into the original standard.

The NASA Oxygen Safety Ha ndboo k wa s prepar ed and edited by personnel at the NASA

Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility. Specific contributors include: David

Hirsch, Jan Goldberg, Elliot Forsyth, Mike Shoffstall, M ohan Gunaji, Rollin Christian-

son, Richard Shelley, Subhasish Sircar, Larry Bamford, Jim Williams, Jack Stradling,

and Joel Stoltzfus. The expertise of these professionals in the area of oxygen system haz

ards,

design, and ope ration is gratefully acknowledged.

The support of NASA Headquarters, Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, and

specifically the support of Wayne Frazier and Claude Smith are gratefully acknowl

edged.

The sponsoring committee for this manual is ASTM G4 on Compatibility and Sensi

tivity of Materials in Oxygen-Enriched Atmospheres. The committee chairman is John

Cronk. The oxygen manual review committee consisted of Paul Klein, Phil Wester-

ma nn, Jo hn C ronk, Michael Yentzen, Dennis Griffin, M ichael Pedley, Ulrich Koch, and

Harold Beeson. The work of these individuals is gratefully acknowledged.

IV


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CONTENTS

Li s t s o f Ta b l e s a n d F i g u res v i

N o m e n c l a t u r e v i i i

T r a d e m a r k s x i

C h a p t e r

1—Basic

O x y g e n S a f e t y G u i d e l i n e s 1

Org a n i z a t i o n a l P o l i c ie s an d P ro c ed u r es 1

P er s o n n e l T ra i n i n g 1

Bas ic Pr inc ip les for the Safe Use of Oxygen 2

W arn i n g S y s t em s an d C o n t ro l s 2

Safety Review s 2

Waivers 3

C h a p t e r 2 — P r o p e r t i e s a n d H a z a r d s o f O x y g e n 4

P ro p er t i e s 4

H a n d l i n g H a z a r d s 4

Ig n i t i o n M e ch a n i s m s 4

Ha z ar d s An a l y s i s 6

Oxygen Pur i ty 7

C h a p t e r 3 — M a t e r ia l s S e l e c t i o n 8

Genera] 8

Ma ter ia l s Con t ro l 8

No n m et a l l i c M a t e r i a l s 9

Metal l i c Ma ter ia l s 11

Ch apte r 4—^Des ign Pr inc ipl es 14

Des i g n Ap p ro ach 1 4

Des i g n fo r H i g h -P res s u re an d Hi g h -Te m p era t u r e Ox y g en S y s t em s 1 4

Des ign for Cryog enic Oxygen Sys tem s 18

C o d e Des i g n R eq u i rem en t s 1 9

C ha pter 5 —C l ea n i ng 2 4

General 24

Clean ing Safety 25

C l ean i n g P ro c ed u r es 2 5

C l ean As s em b l y o f C o m p o n en t s an d S y s t em s 2 8

R ec o rd K eep i n g 2 9


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v i CONTENTS

C h a p t e r 6 — O p e r a t i n g P r o c e d u r e s 3 0

Gen e ra l Gu i d e l i n es 3 0

P er s o n n e l 3 0

C o o l d o w n a n d L o a d i n g P r o c e d u r e s 3 1

E x a m i n a t i o n s 3 1

C h a pter 7 —^Fac ilit y P l a n n i n g a n d I m pl e m en ta t i o n 3 2

Gen era l 3 2

Ha z ar d s an d R ev i ews 3 2

S t o ra g e S y s t em s 3 3

Sto rag e Vessel s 34

F i re P ro t ec t i o n S y s t em s fo r Ox y g en -En r i ch e d En v i ro n m en t s 3 4

B ar r i cad es 3 5

Q u an t i t y -Di s t an ce Gu i d e l i n es fo r B u l k LOX S t o rag e

fo r No n -p ro p e l l an t Us e 3 6

Q u an t i t y -Di s t an ce Gu i d e l i n es fo r B u l k LOX S t o rag e

for P ro pel la n t Use 36

Oxygen De tect ion 39

Ven t i n g an d Di s p o s a l S y s t em s 4 2

C h a p t e r 8 — T r a n s p o r t a t i o n 4 3

Gen era l 4 3

Tra n s p o r t o n P u b l i c Th o r o u g h fa res 4 3

Tra n s p o r t o n S i t e C o n t ro l l ed Th o ro u g h fa res 4 4

T r a n s p o r t a t i o n E m e r g e n c i e s 4 5

C h a p t e r 9 — E m e r g e n c y P r o c e d u r e s 4 6

Ty p es o f Em erg e n c i e s 4 6

E m e r g e n c y A s s i st a n c e P l a n s a n d P r o c e d u r e s 4 7

F i re -F i g h t i n g Tec h n i q u es 4 7

R e f e r e n c e s 4 8

A p p e n d i c e s 5 1

A— C h em i ca l an d P h y s i ca l P ro p e r t i e s 5 1

B — M at e r i a l s Tes t i n g M e t h o d s an d Tes t Da t a 5 3

C —Des i g n Ex a m p l es 6 7

D— P res s u re Ves s e l s —Tes t in g , In s p ec t i o n , an d R ece r t i f i ca t i o n 74

E— C o d es , R eg u l a t i o n s , an d Gu i d e l i n es L i s t i n g 76

F — S ca l i n g Laws , Ex p l o s i o n s , B l as t s , an d F ra g m en t s 8 0

G—Org an i z a t i o n a l P o l i c i e s an d P ro ced u res ; P ro j ec t M an ag em en t ;

Des i g n , S a fe ty , Op e ra t i o n a l , an d Ha z a rd R ev i ews 8 3

H—Gl o s s a ry 9 3

S u b j e c t I n d e x 9 7

Li s t o f Ta b l e s

T a b l e 1—Some pote nt ia l ign i t ion sou rce s of fuel -oxygen mix ture s . 5

Tab l e 2 —Ty p i ca l m ax i m u m a l l o wab l e p a r t i c l e s fo r v a r i o u s c l ean i n g

levels . 27

Tab le 3—Typical non volat i l e res i due (NVR) level speci f ica t ions . 28


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CONTENTS vii

Tab l e 4 —Q u an t i t y -d i s t an ce r eq u i r em en t s fo r n o n p ro p e l l an t b u l k o x y g en

s t o rag e s y s t em s l o ca t ed o u t d o o r s . 3 7

Tab l e 5 —S afe q u an t i t y -d i s t an ce r e l a t i o n s h i p s fo r LOX s t o rag e (Haz a rd

G ro up I I ) . 38

Table 6—L iquid pro pel lan t explos ive equiv alen ts . 39

Tab l e 7—S ep ara t i o n d i s t an ces fo r l i q u i d h y d ro g en -LOX p ro p e l l an t

c o m b i n a t i o n . 4 0

Table 8— Factors for b las t ef fects . 41

Tab l e 9 —In t ra l i n e d i s t an ces fo r l i q u i d h y d ro g en -LOX p ro p e l l an t

c o m b i n a t i o n . 4 1

Lis t o f Figures

Fig.

1—Material

safety logic. 7


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Nomenclature

AAR Am er i can Asso c i a t i o n o f Ra i l ro ad s

AGA Am er i ca n Gas Asso c i a t i o n

AH J Au th o r i t y Hav in g J u r i sd i c t i o n

A I C h E A m e r i c a n I n s t i t u t e o f C h e m i c a l E n g i n e e r s

AIHA Am er i ca n In d u s t r i a l Hy g ien e Asso c i a t i o n

A I T A u t o i g n i t io n T e m p e r a t u r e

AI2O3 Al um inu m Oxide

A N S I A m e r i c a n N a t i o n a l S t a n d a r d s I n s t i t u t e

API Am er i can Pe t ro l eu m In s t i t u t e

ASHR AE Am er i ca n So c i e ty o f Hea t in g , Ref r ig e ra t i o n , an d Ai r -Co n d i t i o n in g

E n g i n e e r s

A S M E A m e r i c a n S o c i e t y o f M e c h a n i c a l E n g i n e e r s

ASRD I Aero s p ace Safe ty Res earc h an d Data In s t i t u t e

ASTM Am er i can So c i e ty fo r Tes t i n g an d Ma te r i a l s

BCL

B M

B a t t e l le C o l u m b u s L a b o r a t o r i e s

Bu reau o f Min es

CDR Co n c ep t Des ig n Rev iew

C F C C h l o r o f l u o r o c a r b o n s

CFR Co d e o f Fed e ra l Reg u la t i o n s

CGA Co m p resse d Gas Asso c i a t i o n

C H E M T R E C C h e m i c a l T r a n s p o r t a t i o n E m e r g e n c y C e n t e r

CPIA Ch em ica l P ro p u l s io n In fo rm at io n Ag en cy

C r a O j C h r o m i u m O x i d e

CTFE Ch lo ro t r i f l u o ro e th y l en e

DCR Des ig n Cer t i f i ca t i o n Rev iew

DI Deio n iz ed

DOD De p ar tm e n t o f Defen se

DO DE SB De p ar tm e n t o f Defen se Ex p lo s iv es Safe ty Bo a rd

D O E D e p a r t m e n t o f E n e r g y

D O T D e p a r t m e n t o f T r a n s p o r t a t i o n

ECTFE Po ly (ch lo ro t r i f l u o ro e th y l en e-co -e th y l en e)

EM U Ex t ra v eh i c u l a r Mo b i l i t y Un i t

E P R E m e r g e n c y P r o c e d u r e s R e v i e w

ETFE Po ly (e th y l en e-co - t e t r a f l u o ro e th y l en e)

FAA

FeO

F E P

F D R

FSA

F M E A

Fed e ra l Av ia t i o n Ad m in i s t r a t i o n

I ro n Ox id e

F l u o r i n a t e d E t h y l e n e - p r o p y l e n e

F in a l Des ig n Rev iew

Final Safety Analysis

Fa i lu re Mo d es an d Ef fec t s An a ly s i s

G O X

GN2

Gaseo u s Ox y g en

G a s e o u s N i t r o g e n

v u i


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NOMENCLATURE ix

H A Z M A T H a z a r d o u s M a t e r i a l s

H C F C H y d r o c h l o r o f l u o r o c a r b o n

H M R B H a z a r d o u s M a t e r i a l s R e g u l a t i o n B o a r d

IEE E In s t i t u t e o f E l ec t r i ca l an d E lec t ro n i c En g in e er in g

IPA Isop ropyl Alcohol

J S C J o h n s o n S p a c e C e n t e r

K S C K e n n e d y S p a c e C e n t e r

LANL Lo s Alam o s Nat io n a l Lab o ra to ry

LeRC Lewis Rese arch Cen te r

LOI L im i t i n g Ox y g en In d ex

LOX Liq u id Ox y g en

MAP TIS Mate r i a l s an d P ro cess es Tes t In fo rm at io n Sy s t em

M A W P M a x i m u m A l l ow a b l e W o r k i n g P r e s s u r e

MCA Ma n u fa c tu re r s ' Ch e m is t s Asso c i a t i o n

MCA Mate r i a l s Co m p at ib i l i t y Assessm en t

M&P Ma te r i a l s an d P ro cesses

MSD S Mate r i a l Safe ty Data Sh ee t

MSEC Mars h a l l Sp ac e F l i g h t Cen te r

M S S M a n u f a c t u r e r s ' S t a n d a r d i z a t i o n S o c i e ty

NASA Na t io n a l Aero n au t i cs an d Sp ac e Ad m in i s t r a t i o n

NB P No rm al Bo i l i n g Po in t

NB S Na t io n a l Bu rea u o f S t a n d a rd s ( t h i s o rg an iz a t i o n i s n o w th e Na t io n a l

In s t i t u t e o f S t an d ard s an d Tech n o lo g y (NIST) )

NEM A Na t io n a l E l ec t r i ca l Ma n u fac tu re r ' s Asso c i a t i o n

NFPA Nat io n a l F i r e P ro t ec t i o n Asso c i a t i o n

N H B N A SA H a n d b o o k

N H S N A S A H e a l t h S t a n d a r d

NiO Nick e l Ox id e

N M I N A S A M a n a g e m e n t I n s t r u c t i o n

NP SP Net Po s i t i v e Su c t io n P ress u re

NS S NASA Safe ty S t a n d a rd

N S T S N a t i o n a l S p a c e T r a n s p o r t a t i o n S y s t e m

NTP No rm a l Te m p era tu re an d P ress u re (Ab so lu t e ) , 2 9 3 .1 5 K (6 8 °F) an d

101.325 kPa (14 .696 psi )

NTIS Na t io n a l Tech n ica l In fo rm at io n Serv i ce

N T S B N a t i o n a l T r a n s p o r t a t i o n S a f et y B o a r d

OH M Offi ce o f Ha z ard o u s Ma te i i a l s

O P R O p e r a t i n g P r o c e d u r e s R e v ie w

O R I O p e r a t i o n a l R e a d i n e s s I n s p e c t i o n

O R R O p e r a t i o n a l R e a d i n e s s R e v i e w

O S H A O c c u p a t i o n a l S a f e ty a n d H e a l t h A d m i n i s t r a t io n

OTR Op era to r T ra in in g Rev iew

PDR Pre l im in ary Des ig n Rev iew

PHA Pre l im in ary Ha z ard An a ly s i s

P M M A P o l y m e t h y l m e t h a c r y l a t e

PSA Pre l im inar y Safety Analysis

PTF E Poly tet raf luoroe thyle ne (Teflon®)

Q A Q u al i t y Assu ran ce

RP-1 Ro ck e t P ro p e l l an t -1 (K ero se n e)

S&A Safe an d Arm

SAR Safety Analysis Re port


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X NOMENCLATURE

SAsR Safety Assessm ent Review

Si02 Silicon Oxide

SOP Standard Operat ing Procedure

SOW Statem ent of Work

SR Safety Review

SRM Solid Rocket Motor

SRM&QA Safety, Reliability, Ma intaina bility & Quality Assu rance

SSA System Safety Analysis

SSA/SR System Safety Analysis/Safety Review

SSPP System Safety Progra m Plan

STP Stand ard Tem peratu re and Pressure (Absolute), 273.15 K (32°F) and

101.325 kPa (14.696 psi)

TNT

TRR

Trinitrotoluene

Test Readiness Review

USCG US Coast Gua rd

WBS

WSTF

Work Breakdown Structure

Wh ite Sands Test Facility

ZrOa Zirco nium Oxide


12/113

Trademarks

Trademark

Acla r*

Avimid*

Berv'lco""

Butaclor®

Celcon®

Celanese*

C h e m i g u m ®

Chemraz®

Colmonoy®

Colo r fas t*

Daran®

Delrin®

Duradene®

Ektar®

Elgiloy®

Epcar®

Fombl in®

Fortiflex®

F l u o r e l *

F luo iogo ld®

Fluorogreen®

G e o n "

Halar®

Hartex®

Has te l loy*

Havnes®

Hostaflon®

H o s t a l e n *

Hycar""

Hypalon®

Inconer ' '

Invar®

Kalrez®

Kapton®

Kel-F®

Kiytox®

Kynar®

Lexan®

Lucite®

Lustran®

Lustrex®

Lycra®

Makrolon®

Marlex®

Monel®

Mylar®

NeoBon®

Nippol®

Noryl®

Paracril®

Pe t ro thene®

Plexiglas®

Plioflex®

Polybon®

Polystyrol®

Profax®

Rulon*

Company Name

AlliedSignal, Inc.

E . I . DuPon t de Nemours & Co .

C a b o t C o i p o r a t i o n

A . S c h u l m a n

Celanese

Ce lanese

Goodyear T i re and Rubber

Green , T weed and Co .

W a l l C o l m o n o y C o r p o r a t i o n

GCC T echno log ies , Inc .

W. R. Grace


F i re s tone Syn the t ic

Rubber & L a tex Co .

E a s t m a n C h e m i c a l C o .

E lg i loy Company

B .

F . Goodr ich

A u s i m o n t

For tex Indus t r ie s , Inc .

Dyneon L L C

Seismic E nergy P roduc ts

U n i t e d F l u o r o C o m p o n e n t s

B .

F . Goodr ich

A u s i m o n t

H a i t i n P a i n t & Fil ler Coip.

Haynes In te rna t iona l , Inc .

Haynes In te rna t iona l , Inc .

Ce lanese

Ce lanese

B .

F . Goodr ich

D u P o n t D o w E l a s t o m e r s

Inco Al loys In te rna t io na l , Inc .

Carpen te r S tee l Co .



3 M C o m p a n y


San Diego Plastics , Inc.

G. E. Plastic

D u P o n t

M o n s a n t o

M o n s a n t o

DuPon t

Miles Corp .

Ph i l l ips Chem ica l Co .

Inco Al loys In te rna t io na l , Inc .

D u P o n t

Daikin

SBR (Zeon)

G, E. Plastics

Uniroya l

Q u a n t u m

R o h m a n d H a a s

Goodyear T i re & Rubber Co .

DuPon t T r ibon Compos i te s , Inc ,

BASF

H i m o n t

Dixon Indus t r ie s Corp .

Company location

Morr is town , New Je rsey

Wilming ton , De laware

Boyer town , Pennsy lvan ia

Akron , Oh io

Somerv i l le , New Je rsey


Akron , Oh io

Kulpsv i l le , Pe nnsy lvan ia

Mad ison He igh ts , Mich igan

Acton , Massachuse t t s

Boca Ra ton , F lo r ida

W i l m i n g t o n , D e l a w a r e

Akron , Oh io

Kingspo i t , T ennessee

Elgin, I l l inois

Jacksonv i l le , F lo r ida

T horo fa re , New Je rsey

W i l m i n g t o n , N o r t h C a r o l i n a

Oakda le , Minneso ta

Athens , T exas

Hous ton , T exas

Cleveland, Ohio

T horo fa ie , New Je rsey

Car ls tad t , New Je rsey

K o k o m o , I n d i a n a

K o k o m o , I n d i a n a

Somen ' i l l e , New Je rsey


Cleve land , Oh io


Hun t ing ton , Wes t Vi rg in ia

Read ing , Pennsy lvan ia



S t . Pau l , Minneso ta


National City , California

P i t t s f ie ld , Massachuse t t s


Sa in t L ou is , Missour i

Sa in t L ou is , Missour i


P i t t sbu rgh , Pennsy lvan ia

Pasadena , T exas

Hun t ing ton , Wes t Vi rg in ia


Belvidere, I l l inois

L ou isv i lle , Ken tucky

P i t t s f ie ld , Massachuse t t s

Midd lebury , Connec t icu t

Cinc inna t i , Oh io

Philadelphia , Penn.sylvania

Akron , Oh io

Valley View, Ohio

Mt. Olive, New Jersey


Br is to l , Rhode I s land

X I


13/113

xii

TRADEMARKS

Ryton®

Saran®

Sclair®

Silastic®

Stellite®

Teflon®

Tefeel*

Tenite®

Torlon®

Udel®

Vespel®

Victrex®

Vis ta lon*

Viton®

Zytel®

Phi l l ip s Chemica l Co .

Dow Chemica l Co .

D u P o n t C a n a d a

D o w C o r n i n g

Deloro Stell i te , Inc.



E a s t m a n C h e m i c a l C o .

Amoco Po lymers , Inc .

Amoco Po lymer , Inc .


L NP E ng in ee r ing P las t ic s

E xxon Chemica l Co .



Pasadena , T exas

M i d l a n d , M i c h i g a n

Miss is suaga , On ta r io , Canada

M i d l a n d , M i c h i g a n

Be l lev il le , On ta r io , Can ada



Kingspor t , T ennessee

At lan ta , Georg ia

Alphare t ta , Georg ia


E x ton , Pennsy lvan ia

Hous ton , T exas



N O T E :

U s e o f t h e s e t r a d e m a r k s i s n o t a n e n d o r s e m e n t of t h e p r o d u c t .


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MNL36-EB/Jan. 2000

Basic Oxygen Safety

Guidelines

Th i s m an u a l co n t a in s g u id e l i n es fo r sa fe ly s t o r in g , h an d l in g ,

an d u s in g o x y g en . Th e i n fo rm at io n co n t a in ed i n t h i s m an u a l

i s b ased o n t h e m ate r i a l an d d es ig n i n fo rm at io n i n Ref s 1 a n d

2. D e s i g n e r s , u s e r s , o p e r a t o r s , m a i n t a i n e r s . Q u a l i t y A s s u r

an ce p er so n n e l , i n su ran ce an d sa fe ty i n sp ec to r s , an d p ro j ec t

m a n ag er s wi l l fi nd g u id e l i n es i n t h i s m an u a l fo r i n co rp o ra

t ion in to thei r p ro jects o r faci l i t ies .

Th e i n t en t o f t h e ch ap t e r co n s t ru c t i o n o f t h i s m an u a l i s

su ch t h a t eac h ch a p t e r sh o u ld co n t a in su ff i c ien t i n fo rm at io n

to s t an d a lo n e , y e t n o t b e t o o r ep e t i t i o u s t h ro u g h o u t t h e m a n

ual . This ob ject ive does resu l t in some dupl icat ion of in for

m a t io n i n v a r io u s ch ap t e r s . So m e d u p l i ca t i o n of i n fo rm at io n

wi l l a s s i s t r ead er s wh o b y p ass so m e ch ap t e r s an d p ro ceed d i

r ec t l y to t h e ch a p t e r an d t o p i c of im m ed ia t e i n t e res t .

Th e t o x i c i t y co n cern s as so c i a t ed wi th t h e u se o f o x y g en in

b rea th in g sy s t em s a re n o t ad d ressed i n t h i s m an u a l .

Th e p u rp o se o f t h e Ox y g en Safe ty Man u a l i s t o p ro v id e a

pract ical set o f gu idel ines for safe oxygen use. For the pur

p o ses o f t h i s m an u a l , o x y g en r e fe r s t o g aseo u s o x y g en (GOX )

and l iqu id oxygen (LOX) and not to so l id oxygen nor oxygen-

e n r i c h e d m i x t u r e s , a l t h o u g h m a n y of t h e s a m e c o n s i d e r a

t ions apply .

T h i s m a n u a l c o n t a i n s c h a p t e r s on h a z a r d s t , ' m a t e r i a l s

co m p at ib i l i t y , d es ig n co n cep t s , an d c l ean in g fo r o x y g en se r

v ice. I t a lso covers var ious operat ional i ssues .such as s torage

fac i l i t y d es ig n , t r an sp o r t a t i o n an d t r an s fe r , eq u ip m en t h az

a r d s ,

a n d e m e r g e n c y p r o c e d u r e s .

A se l ec t i o n o f p e r t i n en t ch e m ica l an d p h y s i ca l p ro p er t i e s o f

o x y g en i s g iv en i n Ap p en d ix A. A su m m a ry o f so m e m a te r i a l

t e s t i n g m eth o d s an d t es t d a t a fo r m ate r i a l co m p at ib i l i t y wi th

o x y g en i s g iv en i n Ap p en d ix B . So m e d es ig n ex am p les a re

g iv en in Ap p en d ix C to i l l u s t r a t e t h e ap p l i ca t i o n o f d es ig n

p r in c ip l es g iv en i n t h i s m an u a l . A su m m ar y of so m e p ress u re

v esse l t t e s t i n g , i n sp ec t i o n , an d r ecer t i f i ca t io n f r eq u i r e m e n t s

i s g iv en i n Ap p en d ix D. A g en era l d i scu ss io n o f a p p l i cab l e

co d es , r eg u l a t i o n s , an d g u id e l i n es r e l a t ed t o t h e u se o f o x y

gen is g iven in Ap pend ix E. A br ief rev iew of sca l ing law s, ex

p lo s io n s , b l as t s , an d f r ag m e n t s i s g iven i n Ap p en d ix F t o as

s i s t i n ev a lu a t i n g p o t e n t i a l ex p lo s io n h az a rd s . A r ev i ew i s

p ro v id ed i n Ap p en d ix G fo r t h e o rg an iz a t i o n a l p o l i c i es an d

p r o c e d u r e s , p r o j e ct m a n a g e m e n t t e c h n i q u e s , a n d v a r i o u s r e

v i ews (d es ig n , sa fe ty , o p era t i o n a l , an d h az ard ) t h a t a r e r ec

o m m en d ed fo r m in im iz in g o r e l im in a t i n g t h e r i sk s f i n v o lv ed

in the use of oxygen . Def in i t ions for many of the terms used

in t h i s m an u a l a r e g iv en i n Ap p en d ix H.

Th e i n t en t o f t h i s m an u a l i s t o p ro v id e en o u g h in fo rm at io n

so t h a t it can b e u sed a lo n e , b u t a t t h e sam e t im e , t o r e fe re n ce

' The t indicates a term defined in the Glossary (Appendix H).

d a t a so u rces t h a t can p ro v id e m u ch m o re d e t a i l i f r eq u i r ed .

An y in fo rm at io n c o n t a in ed h ere in o n h az ard s an d u se o f o x y

g en i s b ased o n cu r ren t k n o wled g e an d i s su b j ec t t o ch an g e

a s m o r e te s t i n g i s d o n e a n d m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n b e c o m e s

av a i l ab l e .

ORGANIZATIONAL PO LICIES AND

PROCEDURES

An o rg an iz a t i o n i n v o lv ed i n t h e u se o f o x y g en can co n s id er

ab ly increase i t s ab i l i ty to do so safely by adopt ing and inst i

t u t i n g o rg an iz a t i o n a l p rac t i ces an d p r in c ip l es t h a t h av e b een

d ev e lo p ed a n d u sed su ccess fu l l y b y o th er s . L ik ewi se , co n f i

dence that a pro ject wi l l be successfu l i s much greater i f the

co n t ro l s an d ch eck s t h a t h av e b een d ev e lo p ed t h ro u g h m an y

y ear s o f ex p er i en ce a re ap p l i ed i n t h e p ro j ec t m an ag em en t

fonction of the org ani zat io n .

An organizat ion involved in the use of oxygen shal l def ine,

d e v e l o p , e s t a b l is h , d o c u m e n t , i m p l e m e n t , a n d m a i n t a i n n e c

e s s a r y p o l i c i e s a n d p r o c e d u r e s t o g o v e r n a n d c o n t r o l a l l

p h a ses o f a p ro d u c t o r sy s t em th a t i n v o lv e t h e u se o f o x y g en ,

f ro m i t s co n cep t t o i t s r em o v a l f ro m se rv i ce an d d eco m m is

s io n in g . Im p o r t an t f rm ct io n s i n v o lv ed i n t h i s p ro cess i n c lu d e

ap p ro p r i a t e r ev i ews ( su ch as d es ig n r ev i ews) an d ap p ro v a l s

( su ch as fo r t h e m ate r i a l s an d p ro cesses u sed ) fo r a p ro d u c t

or system that involves oxygen .

A su m m ary o f t h e sa fe ty r e l a t ed o rg an iz a t i o n a l p o l i c i es

a n d p r o c e d u r e s t h a t a r e r e c o m m e n d e d f o r a n o r g a n i z a t i o n

involved in the use of oxygen is g iven in Appendix G. Like

wi se , Ap p en d ix G co n ta in s a rev i ew of r ec o m m e n d e d sa fe ty

re l a t ed p ro j ec t m an ag em en t p r in c ip l es t h a t sh o u ld b e co n

s id ered d u r in g t h e l i f e t im e o f a co m p o n en t , sy s t em , o r f ac i l

i ty involv ing the use of oxygen . Also , a summary of design ,

sa fe ty , o p era t i o n a l , an d h az ard r ev i ews t h a t a r e es sen t i a l fo r

the safe use of oxygen is g iven in Appendix G. These rev iews

p ro v id e an as sessm en t o f t h e en g in eer in g an d sa fe ty f ea tu res

o f a sy s t em d es ig n an d t h e o p era t i o n a l p ro ced u res i n v o lv ed

in the use of the system.

PERSONNEL TRAINING

Perso n n e l sh a l l b e p ro p er ly t r a in ed fo r o x y g en u se an d sh a l l

be famil iar wi th several . speci f ic areas such as the fo l lowing:

1 . Per so n n e l wh o h an d l e an d u se o x y g en o r d es ig n eq u ip

m en t fo r o x y g en sy s t em s m u s t b e f am i l i a r wi th i t s p e r t i

n e n t p h y s i c a l , c h e m i c a l , a n d h a z a r d o u s p r o p e r t i e s . T h e

C o p y r i g h t ' 2 0 0 0 b y A S I M I n t e r n a t i o n a l

w w w . a s t m . o r g


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2 SAFE USE OF OXYGEN AND OXYGEN SYSTEMS

o p e r a t o r s s h a l l b e c e rt i fi e d i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h a p p r o v e d

req u i r em en t s o f t h e Au th o r i t y Hav in g J u r i sd i c t i o n (AHJ ) t .

P e r s o n n e l s h a l l k n o w w h a t m a t e r i a l s a r e c o m p a t i b l e w i t h

o x y g en , an d t h ey sh a l l b e f am iUar wi th t h e c l ean l in ess r e

q u i r em en t s fo r o x y g en sy s t em s . Al so , t h ey sh a l l b e q u a l i

f i ed t o r eco g n iz e sy s t em l im i t a t i o n s an d h o w to r esp o n d

p ro p er ly t o all foreseeable f a i l u re m o d es .

2 .

Per s o n n e l m u s t b e t h o ro u g h ly f am i l i a r wi th t h e u se an d

care o f p ro t ec t i v e an d sa fe ty eq u ip m en t an d wi th f i r s t a i d

t e c h n i q u e s .

3 . Op era to r s m u s t b e t r a in ed i n t h e se l ec t i o n o f p ro p er eq u ip

m e n t fo r h an d l in g LOX an d GOX an d in t h e p ro ce d u r es fo r

h an d l in g sp i l l s an d l eak s , an d d i sp o s in g o f o x y g en . Per

so n n e l i n v o lv ed i n d es ig n an d o p era t i o n s m u s t ad h ere t o

accep t ed s t an d c i rd s an d g u id e l i n es an d co m p ly wi th es t ab

l i sh ed r eg u l a to ry co d es .

BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR THE SAFE USE OF

OXYGEN

Al th o u g h o x y g en i t se l f i s ch em ica l l y s t ab l e , i s n o t sh o ck - sen

si t ive, wi l l no t deco mp ose , an d is no t f lammable, i t s use in

volves a degree of r i skf that shal l never be over looked . This

r i sk i s t h a t o x y g en i s a s t ro n g o x id i z e r t h a t v ig o ro u s ly su p

p o r t s co m b u s t io n . Ox y g en i s r eac t i v e a t am b ie n t co n d i t i o n s ,

an d i t s r eac t i v i t y i n c reases wi th i n c reas in g p ressu re , t em p er

a t u r e , a n d c o n c e n t r a t i o n .

M o s t m a t e r i a l s , b o t h m e t a l s a n d n o n m e t a l s j , a r e f la m

m ab le i n h ig h -p ressu re o x y g en ; t h e re fo re , sy s t em s m u s t b e

d es ig n ed t o r ed u ce o r e l im in a t e i g n i t i o n h az ard s .

Th e su ccess fu l d es ig n , d ev e lo p m en t , an d o p era t i o n o f h ig h -

p ressu re o x y g en sy s t em s r eq u i r e sp ec i a l k n o wled g e an d u n

d er s t an d in g o f m ate r i a l p ro p er t i e s , d es ig n p rac t i ces , i g n i t i o n

m e c h a n i s m s , t e s t d a t a , a n d m a n u f a c t u r i n g a n d o p e r a t i o n a l

t e c h n i q u e s . T h e u s e o f a p a r t i c u l a r m a t e r i a l m u s t b e a p

p ro v ed i n acco rd an ce wi th sa fe ty p o l i cy o f t h e AHJ . Th e m a

t e r i a l ap p l i ca t i o n sh o u ld b e r ev i ewed b y a p )e r so n t r a in ed i n

o x y g en h az ard s , d es ig n p r in c ip l es , an d m ate r i a l s se l ec t i o n .

S o m e o r g a n i z a t i o n s r e q u i r e a M a t e r i a l s a n d P r o c e s s e s

( M & P ) t a p p r o v a l .

P ro p er d es ig n an d m ate r i a l s e l ec t i o n i s t h e r esp o n s ib i l i t y o f

th e sy s t em d es ig n er , o w n er , an d u se r , an d so i s t h e co n t ro l o f

ch an g es a f t e r a sy s t em is i n se rv i ce . Ea ch o rg a n iz a t i o n m u s t

e s t a b l i s h it s o w n " a p p r o v a l a u t h o r i t y " a n d c o n t r o l m e c h a

n i sm s to su i t i t s o wn n ee d s . Ty p ica l ly , t h ese wi l l i n c lu d e b o t h

Des ig n Rev iew Bo ard s , o r Co m m i t t ees , an d Mate r i a l s Rev iew

Bo ard s , o r Co m m i t t ee s , wh o se r esp o n s ib i l i t y it is t o r ev i ew

d es ig n an d m ate r i a l s e l ec t i o n i n t h e o r ig in a l d es ig n , o r i n

ch an g es t o t h e d es ig n o r f ac i li t y, an d r eco m m en d ap p ro v a l t o

th e AHJ .

Sp ec i f i c h a z ar d s a re ad d ress ed i n Ch ap te r 2 an d i g n i t i o n

m e ch an i sm s in Ap p en d ix C , b u t t h e fo ll o win g p r in c ip l es ap

p ly to al l oxygen systems:

1. M a t e r i a l s t h a t a r e h i g h l y r e a c t i v e i n o x y g e n m u s t b e

av o id ed .

2.

Ma ter ia ls tha t are less reac t ive, bu t are s t i l l f lammable (see

si tua t iona l ly f lammablef , Ap pen dix H) , ca n be use d i f p r o

t ec t ed f ro m ig n i t i o n so u rces .

3 . Ox y g en sy s t em s sh a l l b e k ep t c l ean b eca u se o rg an i c co m

p o u n d c o n t a m i n a t i o n , s u c h a s h y d r o c a r b o n o i l , c a n i g n i t e

eas i l y an d p ro v id e a k in d l in g ch a in t o i g n i t e su r ro u n d in g

m ate r i a l s . Co n tam in a t io n can a l so co n s i s t o f p a r t i c l es t h a t

co u ld i g n i t e o r cau se i g n i t i o n wh en im p ac t in g o th er p a r t s

o f t h e sy s t em .

4 . Wi th LOX an ad d i t i o n a l h az a rd ex i s t s; o p e ra to r s an d sen

s i ti v e e q u i p m e n t m u s t b e p r o t e c t e d f r o m e x t r e m e l y l o w

t e m p e r a t u r e s .

5.

So m e o f t h e m o s t im p o r t an t f ea tu res fo r sa fe o x y g en sy s

t em s in c lu d e l eak p rev e n t io n , ad eq u a t e v en t i l a t i o n , e l im i

n a t i o n o f o r m in im iz in g t h e sev er i t y o f i g n i t i o n so u rces ,

p ro p er m ate r i a l s e l ec t i o n , g o o d h o u sek eep in g , su i t ab l e d e

s ig n o f sy s t em co m j x )n en t s , sy s t em c l ean l in ess , an d p ro p er

s y s t e m o p e r a t i o n . T h e n e c e s s i t y o f m a i n t a i n i n g s y s t e m

clean l in ess an d u s in g i g n i t i o n - an d co m b u s t io n - res i s t an t

m a t e r i a l s c a n n o t b e o v e r e m p h a s i z e d .

6 . S a f e t y s y s t e m s i n c l u d i n g a t l e a s t t w o b a r r i e r s o r s a f e

g u a r d s s h a l l b e p r o v i d e d u n d e r n o r m a l a n d e m e r g e n c y

c o n d i t i o n s s o t h a t a t l e a s t t w o s i m u l t a n e o u s u n d e s i r e d

ev en t s m u s t o ccu r b e fo re an y p o ss ib i l i t y a r i ses o f p e r so n

n e l i n j u ry , l o s s o f l i f e , o r o f m aj o r eq u ip m en t o r p ro p er ty

d a m a g e . A p p r o p r i a t e e v a l u a t i o n s , s u c h a s F a i l u r e M o d e s

a n d E f f e c t s A n a l y s i s ( F M E A ) t o r H a z a r d s A n a l y s i s , o r

b o th , an d ap p ro v a l f b y t h e AHJ a re r eq u i r ed i n t h e ev en t

th a t i t i s n ecessa ry t o d es ig n an d o p era t e a sy s t em in su ch

a way th a t f a i l u re o f a s i n g l e co m p o n en t i n t h e case o f s i n

g l e - f au l t t o l e ran t t , o r two r e l a t ed f a i l u res i n t h e case o f

d u a l - f au l t t o l e r an t d es ig n s , co u ld r esu l t i n an y o f t h e u n

d es i r ab l e co n seq u en ces m en t io n ed ab o v e . Cr i t i ca l f a i l u re

i t em s o r f a i l u re m o d es n eed t o b e i d en t i f i ed an d l i s t ed t o

e n s u r e t h a t s u b s e q u e n t d o c u m e n t a t i o n a p p r o p r i a t e l y a d

d resse s t h e h az a rd s . Po ss ib l e e f fec t s o f t an k f f a i l u res , l eak s

an d sp i ll s , t r an sp o r t a t i o n i n c id en t s , sy s t em fa i l u res , p u m p

fa i l u res , p o wer f a i l u res , f i r es an d ex p lo s io n s , an d p er so n

n e l ex p o su re sh a l l b e co n s id ered wh en d es ig n in g an d i n

s tal l ing safety systems.

7 . Th e eq u ip m en t , p o wer , an d o th er sy s t em se rv i ces sh a l l b e

v er i f ied fo r sa fe p e r f o rm an ce i n b o t h t h e n o r m a l an d m ax

im u m o p e ra t i n g r eg im es . A sy s t em sh a l l r ev er t t o co n d i

t i o n s t h a t wi l l b e t h e sa fes t fo r p e r so n n e l an d cau se t h e

l e a s t d a m a g e t o t h e s u r r o u n d i n g e n v i r o n m e n t i n t h e e v e n t

o f an y f a i l u re t h a t p o t en t i a l l y r esu l t s i n an u n safe co n d i

t ion .

WARNING SYSTEMS AND CONTROLS

Warn in g sy s t em s sh a l l b e i n co rp o ra t ed i n o x y g en sy s t em s to

m o n i t o r s t o r a g e , h a n d l i n g , a n d u s e p a r a m e t e r s s u c h a s p r e s

s u r e , t e m p e r a t u r e , a n d o x y g e n - e n r ic h e d f a t m o s p h e r e s . T h e

o x y g en sy s t em ' s co n t ro l sh a l l i n c lu d e warn in g sy s t em s wi th

s e n s o r s t o d e t e c t m a l f u n c t i o n s a n d i n c i p i e n t f a il u r e s t h a t

m a y e n d a n g e r p e r s o n n e l a n d c a u s e e n v i r o n m e n t a l d a m a g e .

Th ey sh a l l b e d es ig n ed wi th su f f i c i en t r ed u n d an cy to p rev en t

an y s in g l e -p o in t f a i l u re f ro m co m p ro m is in g t h e sy s t em ' s i n

tegr i ty in any way.

SAFETY REVIEWS

As p ar t o f en su r in g sa fe o x y g en u se , v a r io u s sa fe ty r ev i ews

su ch as t h e fo l l o win g sh a l l b e co n d u c t ed r eg u l a r ly .


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CHAPTER 1: BASIC OXYGEN SAFETY GUIDELINES 3

1 . A h az ard s an a ly s i s sh a l l b e p e r fo rm ed b o th a t a co m p o

nent and system level (Chapter 2) and at a faci l i ty level

(Ch a p te r 7 ) t o id en t ify co n d i t i o n s t h a t m ay cau se i n j u ry ,

d e a t h , o r m a j o r p r o p e r t y d a m a g e .

2 . O p e r a t i n g p r o c e d u r e s , i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n , a n d p r o c e s s c o n

t ro ls shal l be rev iewed.

3. Em erg en cy p ro ced u res sh a l l b e r ev i ewed .

S a f e t y r e v i e w s t h a t a r e r e c o m m e n d e d a r e d i s c u s s e d i n

Ap p en d ix G.

No te : P la nnin g for pe r son ne l sa fe ty a t or ne a r the oxy

ge n fac i l i ty must be g in in the e ar l i e s t s tage s o f the de

s ign pr oc e ss , to r e duc e the r i sk o f in jur y or lo ss o f l i f e .

WAIVERS

T h i s m a n u a l c o n t a i n s r e q u i r e d s a f e t y p r o v i s i o n s n o t e d b y

"shal l" o r "must" that must be fo l lowed to prevent loss of l i fe ,

i n j u ry , o r p ro p e r ty d am ag e . Waiv e r s t o t h es e sa fe ty p ro v i

s io n s sh a l l n o t b e m ad e ex cep t b y ap p ro v a l o f t h e AHJ t .


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MNL36-EB/Jan. 2000

Properties and Hazards of

Oxygen

PROPERTIES

Ox y g en i s a co lo r l es s , o d o r l es s , an d t as t e l es s g as a t s t an d ar d

t e m p e r a t u r e a n d p r e s s u r e ( S T P ) . E a r t h ' s a t m o s p h e r e , a t S T P ,

co n s i s t s o f ap p ro x im ate ly 2 1 v o l% o x y g en . Th e n o rm al b o i l

i n g p o in t (NB P) t em p era tu re o f o x y g en i s 9 0 .1 8 K ( -2 9 7 .3 °F ) .

H i g h - p u r i t y L O X is l i g h t b l u e , o d o r l e s s , a n d t r a n s p a r e n t .

M an y p er t i n en t p ro p e r t i e s o f o x y g en a re g iv en i n Ap j i en d ix A.

Two s ig n i f i can t p ro p er t i e s o f o x y g en a re i t s ab i l i t y t o su s

t a in l i f e an d i t s ab i l i t y t o su p p o r t co m b u s t io n . Al th o u g h o x y

g en i s n o n f l am m ab le , i t i s a p o wer fu l o x id i z e r i n b o th t h e

g ase o u s an d l iq u id s t a t es . So m e m ate r i a l s t h a t wi ll n o t b u m

in a i r wi l l d o so i n an o x y g en -en r i ch ed a tm o sp h ere , m ate r i a l s

wi l l b u rn a t h ig h er t em p era tu res i n an o x y g en -en r i ch ed en v i

r o n m e n t , a n d s o m e m a t e r i a l s w i l l b u r n w i t h a n a l m o s t e x -

p lo s iv e t r eac t i o n i f i g n i t ed b y a n u m b er o f i g n i t i o n so u rces .

The speci f ic grav i ty of GOX and LOX is 1 .105 and 1 .14 , re

sp ec t i v ely . Th u s , GO X i s s l i g h t ly d en s er t h a n a i r , an d L OX i s

s l i g h t l y d en ser t h an wate r . Th e s ig n i f i can ce o f t h ese p ro p er

t i e s i s t h a t o x y g en i s n o t b u o y an t an d , t h u s , wi l l t en d t o ac

cu m u la t e i n l o w p o in t s o r d ep ress io n s . Th i s sh o u ld b e co n

s id ered i n ev a lu a t i n g t h e d i sp er s io n o f a g aseo u s leak or a

l iqu id sp i l l .

HANDLING HAZARDS

G O X

T h e p r i n c i p a l h a z a r d s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h h a n d l i n g G O X a r e a s

follows:

1. Fire. Mo s t o x y g en - re l a t ed i n c id en t s a r e p ro m o ted b y t h e

p r e s e n c e o f c o n t a m i n a n t s f o r i n c o m p a t i b l e m a t e r i a l s .

F i r es i n o x y g en sy s t em s o ccu r wh en a sy s t em m ate r i a l o r a

c o n t a m i n a n t i n t h e p r e s e n c e o f o x y g e n i g n i te s a n d b u m s ,

an d t h e r esu l t i n g f i r e i n v o lv es o th er sy s t em co m p o n en t s i n

a k in d l in g ch a in p ro cess . In g en era l , m a te r i a l s i g n i t e a t a

l o w e r t e m p e r a t u r e i n G O X t h a n i n a i r , b u m a t a h i g h e r

f la me t e m p e r a t u r e , a n d b u m m o r e ra p i d l y . R e a c t i o n s p e e d

can v ary f ro m a s l o w co m b u s t io n t o an ex p lo s io n . Ox y g en

c a n s a t u r a t e n o r m j j c l o t h i n g a n d s k i n , r e n d e r i n g i t e x

t r e m e l y f l a m m a b l e .

2 . Health. Ox y g en to x i c i t y m u s t b e co n s id ere d fo r ex p o s u re

c o n c e n t r a t i o n s g r e a t e r t h a n 5 0 % a t 1 a t m . P u r e o x y g e n c a n

b e b rea th ed fo r lim i t ed p er io d s o f t im e: u p t o 3 h a t 1 a tm

an d 1 h a t 3 a tm o f p res su re . Ad v er se e f f ect s f ro m b rea th

ing pure oxygen at sea- level p ressure can be fel t in 4 to 24

h [3-51

3. Pressure. GOX i s u su a l l y s t o red u n d e r h ig h pressuref. Any

p re ssu re vesse l ru p tu re can p ro d u ce d an g er o u s f l ying d e

b r i s . Th e p ressu re v esse l m a te r i a l m ay a l so b e f lam m ab le

an d au g m e n t t h e sev er i t y o f t h e e f fec t s o f a p ress u re v esse l

r u p t u r e .

L O X

T h e a d d i t i o n a l h a z a r d s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h h a n d l i n g L O X a n d

lo w t em p era tu re GOX are as fo l l o ws :

1. Fire. In c id en t s h av e o ccu r red wh ere LOX , o r l i q u id a i r ,

c o n d e n s e d f r o m s u r f a c e s t h a t a r e a t a t e m p e r a t u r e b e l o w

9 0 K , su ch as u n in su l a t ed l i q u id n i t ro g en o r h y d ro g en sy s

t e m s , h a s d r i p p e d o n t o i n c o m p a t i b l e s u r f a c e s , s u c h a s a s

p h a l t o r a sp h a l t i c -b ased t i l e s , an d su ch su r faces h av e i g

n i t ed . So m e m ate i i c i l s ( ca rb o n aceo u s m ate r i a l s , ce l l u lo se ,

fu e ls , an d o i l s ) wh en ex p o sed t o LOX can b e i g n i t ed b y

s h o c k i m p a c t . M a t e r i a l s s a t u r a t e d w i t h L O X , s u c h a s

c lo th in g , m a y b ec o m e ex t r em ely f lam m ab le an d i g n i t ed

eas i l y b y s t a t i c d i sch arg es o r o th er sm al l i g n i t i o n en erg y t

sou rce s . A few ma ter ials , t5Apical ly s t ro ng red uc ing age nts

s u c h a s m o n o m e t h y l h y d r a z i n e , m a y s p o n t a n e o u s l y i g n i t e

o n co n t ac t wi th LOX [6 ] .

2. Health. Th e h ea l t h h az a rd s o f LOX are as so c i a t ed wi th i t s

v e r y l o w t e m p e r a t u r e s , w h i c h m a y c a u s e f r os t b it e w h e n

th e l i q u id o r u n in su l a t ed p ip in g co n t a in in g LOX co n tac t s

the sk in .

3. Pressure. Ox y g en ca n n o t b e k ep t as a l i q u id if i t s t em p era

t u r e r i s e s a b o v e t h e c r i t i c a l t e m p e r a t u r e , 1 5 4 .6 K

( -1 8 1 .4 3 °F) . LOX b o i l s a t 9 0.2 K ( -2 9 7 .3 °F ) a t an ab so lu t e

p re ssu re o f 1 0 1 .3 2 5 k Pa (1 4 .6 9 6 p s i ) . An y LOX t r ap p e d

wi th in a c lo sed sy s t em an d a l l o wed to warm can b u i ld u p

t o e x t r e m e p r e s s u r e s , c a u s i n g t h e s y s t e m t o r u p t u r e a n d

p o ss ib ly p ro d u c e d an g er o u s f ly in g d eb r i s .

I G N I T I O N M E C H A N I S M S

G e n e r a l

In o x y g en o r o x y g en -en r i ch ed a tm o sp h eres , i g n i t i o n o f fu e l -

o x y g en m ix tu res wi l l o ccu r wi th l o wer en erg y i n p u t s an d a t

l o w e r t e m p e r a t u r e s t h a n i n a i r . F o r e x a m p l e , t h e m i n i m u m

sp ark en erg y r eq u i r ed fo r t h e i g n i t i o n o f h y d ro g en i n a i r i s

0 .019 m J (1 .8 X 10̂ ** Btu ) at 1 at m [7 ] , bu t the m in im um spa rk

ene rgy for the ign i t ion of hyd rog en in 1 at m of oxyge n is on ly

0 .0 0 1 2 m J (1 .1 X lO^^Btu ) [S ]. So m e p o t en t i a l so u rce s o f t h e r

m al an d e l ec t r i ca l i g n i t i o n o f fu e l -o x y g en m ix tu res a re l i s t ed

in Table 1 .




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CHAPTER 2: PROPERTIES AND HAZARDS OF OXYGEN 5

TABLE 1—Some potential ignition sources of fuel-oxygen

mixtures.

Adiabatic compression

Thermal ignition

Personnel smoking

Open flames

Shock waves from tank rupture

Fragments from bursting vessels

Heating of high-velocity jets

Welding

Explosive cha rges

Friction and galling

Resonance ignition (repeated shock waves in flow system)

Mechanical impact

Tensile rupture

Mechanical vibration

Exhaust from thermal combustion engine

Particle impact

Electrical ignition

Electrical short circuits, sparks, and arcs

Metal fiacture

Static electricity (two-phase flow)

Static electricity (solid particles)

Lightning

Generation of electrical charge by equipment operations

I g n i t i o n C o n d i t i o n s

Th e u su a l co n d i t i o n s fo r ig n i t i o n fo l lo w a "3 T" ru l e o f t h u m b

[9].

The three T 's s tand for :

Temperature

—Mu st b e h ig h en o u g h to cau se m el t i n g , v ap o r

i z a t i o n , s i g n i f i can t ch em ica l r eac t i o n s , o r p y ro ly s i s t -

Time—Mu st b e l o n g en o u g h to a l lo w th e h ea t i n p u t t o b e ab

s o r b e d b y t h e r e a c t a n t s s o t h a t a r u n a w a y t h e r m o c h e m i c a l

p ro c ess can o ccu r .

Turbulence—Mu st b e h ig h en o u g h to a l l o w g o o d m ix in g b e

tween th e fu e l an d t h e o x id i z e r an d h ea t can b e t r an s fe r r ed

f ro m th e r eac t ed m ed ia t o t h e u n reac t ed m ed ia .

I g n i t i o n F a c t o r s

Fac to r s a f f ec t i n g t h e i g n i t i o n o f so l i d m ate r i a l s i n c lu d e m a

t e r i a l co m p o s i t i o n an d p u r i t y ; s i z e , sh ap e , an d co n d i t i o n o f

th e sam p le ; ch arac t e r i s t i c s o f o x id e l ay er s ; p h ase ; t e s t i n g ap

p ara tu s ; i g n i t i o n so u rce ; g as p ressu re ; an d g as co m p o s i t i o n .

I g n i t i o n t e m p e r a t u r e s f a r e p r o v i d e d in R e f 10 for several

so l i d m ate r i a l s i n a i r an d o x y g en . Th e i g n i t i o n p ro cess d e

p en d s o n t h e g eo m et ry an d o p era t i n g co n d i t i o n s ; t h e re fo re ,

cau t io n m u s t b e t ak en i n i n t e rp re t i n g t h e r esu l t s o f an y i g n i

t i o n ex p er im en t an d i n g en era l i z in g i g n i t i o n d a t a . Gen era l l y ,

i n c r e a s i n g t h e p r e s s u r e r e d u c e s t h e i g n i t i o n t e m p e r a t u r e f or

m o s t m a t e r i a l s [11-14].

Care m u s t b e ex erc i sed i n ap p ly in g i g n i t io n t em p er a tu r e

d a t a , e sp ec i a l l y fo r m e ta l s , t o ac tu a l co m p o n en t s . Ig n i t i o n

t e m p e r a t u r e i s n o t a n i n h e r e n t m a t e r i a l p r o p e r t y b u t i s d e

p en d en t u p o n th e i t em s l i s t ed ab o v e . Wh en ap p ly in g i g n i t i o n

t em p era tu re d a t a , i t m u , s t b e en su red t h a t t h e i g n i t i o n t em

p e r a t u r e d a t a w e r e o b t a i n e d i n a m a n n e r s i m i l a r t o t h e e n d -

u se ap p l i ca t i o n . Fa i l u re t o d o t h i s can r esu l t i n e r ro n eo u s d e

c i s io n s i n t h e se l ec t i o n o f m a te r i a l s . Fo r ex am p le , t h e i g n i t i o n

t e m p e r a t u r e o f a l u m i n u m i n o x y g e n v a r i e s f r o m 9 5 3 K

(1 2 5 5 °F) , wh ich i s t h e m el t i n g p o in t o f a lu m in u m , t o 2 0 2 0 K

( 3 1 7 6 ° F ) , w h i c h i s t h e m e l t i n g p o i n t of a l u m i n u m o x i d e

( AI 2O 3) . T h e i g n i t i o n t e m p e r a t u r e o b t a i n e d d e p e n d s o n

wh eth er o r n o t t h e o x id e is p ro t ec t i v e d u r in g t h e i g n i t i o n

p ro cess .

I g n i t i o n M e c h a n i s m s a n d S o u r c e s

P o t e n t i a l i g n i t i o n m e c h a n i s m s a n d i g n i t i o n s o u r c e s t h a t

sh o u ld b e co n s id ered i n c lu d e :

• Fr ict ion .

• H ea t o f co m p ress io n .

• H ea t f ro m m ass im p ac t .

• Hea t f ro m p ar t i c l e im p ac t .

• S t a t i c e l ec t r i c d i sch arg e .

• E l ec t r i c a r c an d sp ark .

• R e s o n a n c e .

• Internal flexing.

• Ex p o su re o f f r esh m e ta l su r f aces .

• E x t e rn a l h ea t so u rce s .

Particle Impact—Heat i s gen era ted f rom the t ran sfe r of k i

n e t i c , t h e r m a l , o r c h e m i c a l e n e r g y w h e n s m a l l p a r t i c l e s ,

m o v i n g a t h i g h v e l o c i t i e s , s t r i k e a c o m p o n e n t . T h i s h e a t ,

wh ich i s ad e q u a t e t o i g n i te t h e p a r t i c l e , m ay b e cau sed b y t h e

ex p o su re o f u n o x id i z ed m eta l su r f aces o r t h e r e l ease o f m e

ch an i ca l s t r a in en erg y . Th e h ea t f ro m th e b u rn in g p ar t i c l e i g

n i t es t h e co m p o n en t [75 ] .

Example: Hig h v e lo c it y p a r t i c l es fro m assem b ly -g en er

a t e d c o n t a m i n a n t s s t r i k i n g a v a l u e b o d y j u s t d o w n

s t r eam o f t h e co n t ro l e l em en t o f t h e v a lv e can cau se p ar

t icle imp act ig n i t ion .

Alu m in u m an d i ro n m eta l a l l o y s h av e b een i g n i t ed b y im

pact of 1600- and 2000-A(m (0.063-

an d 0 .0 79 - in .) d i am ete r

a lu m in u m p ar t i c l es t r av e l i n g a t v e lo c i t i e s g rea t e r t h an 2 4 4

m/s (800 f t / s) , whi le al loys wi th very h igh n ick el and co ppe r

co n ten t h av e n o t b een i g n i t ed as sh o wn in Ap p en d ix B , F ig .

B-la [151

Tes t s co n d u c t ed wi th sm al l q u an t i t i e s o f i ro n p o wd er an d

in er t m ate r i a l s im p ac t in g ag a in s t ca rb o n an d s t a in l es s s t ee l s

in d i ca t ed t h a t wh en th e p ar t i c l e m ix tu re d id n o t i g n i t e , n o i g

n i t i o n o f t h e t a rg e t m ate r i a l s was o b serv ed . Ig n i t i o n o f t h e

p ar t i c l e m ix tu re o c cu r r ed a t v e lo c i t i e s g rea t e r t h an 4 5 m / s

(1 5 0 f t/ s ) an d a t ab so lu t e p ress u res r an g in g f ro m 2 0 to 2 4

MP a (2 9 0 0 to 3 5 0 0 p s i ) . Th e d a t a su g g es t t h a t sp e c im en ig n i

t i o n i s i n d e p en d en t o f ab so lu t e p ressu r e b e twee n 2 an d 3 0

MPa (3 0 0 an d 4 3 0 0 p s i ) [ / 6 ] .

On ly l im i t ed wo rk h as b een d o n e o n p ar t i c l e im p ac t o f

p o ly m ers ; co n seq u en t ly , wi th su ch l im i t ed d a t a n o co n c lu

s io n can b e m ad e r eg ard in g t h e p ar t i c l e im p ac t su scep t ib i l i t y

o f p o ly m ers . Par t i c l e im p ac t o f p o ly m er sea t s h as b een su s

pected as the cause of f i re in oxygen systems.

Mechanical Impact—Heat i s gen erate d from the t ran sfer o f

k in e t i c en erg y wh en an o b j ec t h av in g a r e l a t i v e ly l a rg e m ass

o r m o m e n t u m s t r ik e s a c o m p o n e n t . T h e h e a t a n d m e c h a n i

ca l i n t e rac t i o n b e tw een th e o b j ec t s i s su f f ic i en t t o cau s e i g n i

t i o n of t h e i m p a c t e d c o m p o n e n t .

Example: Th e p o p p e t o f a so l en o id -o p era t e d v a lve s t r ik

in g t h e sea t can cau se m ech an ica l im p ac t i g n i t i o n .

A l a r g e d a t a b a s e o f m e c h a n i c a l i m p a c t t e s t s o f n o n m e t a l s

in GOX an d LOX ex i s t s [17-20\ Gen era l l y , n o n m e ta l s a r e

m o re sen s i t iv e t o m ech an ic a l im p a c t i n GOX th an i n LOX

an d im p ac t sen s it i v i ty i s k n o wn to i n c rease wi th i n c reas in g

p r e s s u r e .


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6 SAFE USE OF OXYGEN AND OXYGEN SYSTEMS

Alu m in u m , t i n , l ead , an d t i t an iu m a l l o y s h av e b een i g n i t ed

ex p er im en ta l l y i n t h i s way b u t i ro n , n i ck e l , co b a l t , an d co p

p er a l l o y s h av e n o t . I t h as b een d e t e rm in ed fo r sev era l a lu

m i n u m a l l oy s t h a t t h e m i n i m u m e n e r g y t o i n d u c e s a m p l e

f r a c t u r e w a s l e s s t h a n o r e q u a l to t h e m i n i m u m e n e r g y r e

q u i r ed t o i n d u ce i g n i t i o n s b y m ech an ica l im p ac t . Th ere fo re ,

m ech an ica l f a i l u re wi l l p reced e o r co in c id e wi th m ech an ica l

im p ac t i g n i t i o n s o f t h ese a l l o y s [2 7 ] .

Tes t i n g i n d i ca t es t h a t co n t am in a t ed su r f aces , su ch as an

o i l f ilm , i n o x y g en r esu l t i n an i n c rea se i n m ech an iccd im p ac t

sensi t iv i ty

[_22}.

Pneumatic Impact—Heat i s g en e ra t ed f ro m th e co n v er s io n

o f m ech an iccJ wo rk wh en a g as i s co m p ressed f ro m a l o w to

a h ig h p res su re . Pn eu m at i c im p ac t i s an e ff ec ti v e i g n i t i o n

m e c h a n i s m w i t h p o l y m e r s b u t n o t w i t h m e t a l s . R e s u l t s o f

tes t ing Tef lon-Uned f lex hoses are presented in Refs 2 3 a n d 24.

Example: Hig h -p ress u re o x y g en r e l eased i n to a d ead -e n d

tu b e o r p ip e co m p resses t h e r es id u a l o x y g en in t h e t u b e

a h e a d a n d c a u s e s p n e u m a t i c i m p a c t .

Promoted Ignition—^A so u rc e of h ea t i n p u t o ccu r s ( p e rh ap s

cau sed b y a k in d l in g ch a in ) t h a t ac t s t o s t a r t t h e n earb y m a

t e r i a l s b u rn in g .

Example: Th e i g n i t i o n of co n t a m i n a n t s (o i l o r d eb r i s )

c o m b u s t s , r e l e a s i n g h e a t t h a t i g n it e s a d j a c e n t c o m p o

n e n t s , t h u s c a u s i n g p r o m o t e d i g n i t i o n . O r a p o l y m e r

v a l v e s e a t c a n i g n i t e a n d c o m b u s t , i g n i t i n g t h e v a l v e

s t em .

S e v e r a l s t u d i e s r e g a r d i n g p r o m o t e d i g n i t i o n a n d p r o m o t e d

c o m b u s t i o n o f m e t a l s h a v e b e e n c o m p l e t e d w i t h i n t h e p a s t

t e n y e a r s [25,26]. T h e p r e s s u r e a t w h i c h s u s t a i n e d u p w a r d

co m b u s t io n o f t h e 0 .3 2 -cm (0 .1 2 5 - in . ) d i am ete r ro d s o ccu r s

i s d e f i n e d a s t h e t h r e s h o l d p r e s s u r e . A s u m m a r y o f t h e

th resh o ld p ressu res fo r sev era l m etcJ s an d a l l o y s i s g iv en i n

Ap p en d ix B , Tab l e B-5 .

Galling and Friction—Heat i s g en e ra t ed b y t h e ru b b in g o f

two p ar t s t o g e th er . Th e h ea t an d i n t e rac t i o n o f t h e two p ar t s ,

co m b in ed wi th t h e r esu l t i n g d es t ru c t i o n o f p ro t ec t i v e o x id e

su r faces o r co a t i n g s , can cau se t h e p ar t s t o i g n i t e .

Example: T h e r u b o f a c e n t r i f u g a l c o m p r e s s o r r o t o r

ag a in s t i t s cas in g cau ses g a l l i n g an d f r i c t io n .

S e v e r a l s t u d i e s r e g a r d i n g f r i c t i o n a l i g n i t i o n h a v e b e e n

c o m p l e t e d [27,28]. Th e r es i s t an ce t o i g n i t i o n b y f r i c t i o n i s

m e a s u r e d i n t e r m s o f t h e

Pv productf,

wh ich i s d e f in ed as t h e

p r o d u c t o f t h e c o n t a c t p r e s s u r e , P, an d t h e s u r f ace v e lo c i ty ,

Pv . Th e r e l a t i v e r an k in g s o f t h e m ate r i a l s a r e sh o wn in Ap

p en d ix B , Tab l es B-2 an d B-3 .

Resonance

—^Acou st ic o sc i l l a t i o n s wi th in r es o n a n t cav i t i e s

cau se a r ap id t em p era tu re r i se . Th i s r i se i s m o re r ap id an d

reac h es h ig h er v a lu es if p a r t i c l e s a r e p rese n t o r g as v e lo c i t i e s

a re h ig h .

Example: A g as f l o w in to a t ee an d o u t o f a b ran ch p o r t

c a n f o r m a r e s o n a n t c h a m b e r a t th e r e m a i n i n g c l o s e d

p o r t .

Du r in g a r ev i ew o f t h e Sp ace Sh u t t l e m ain en g in e ' s o x y g en

f lo w sy s t em to ev a lu a t e p o ss ib l e cau ses o f i g n i t i o n an d b u rn

in g o f m eta l s , i t b ecam e ev id en t t h a t cav i t i e s were p resen t

th a t co u ld b e su b j ec t ed t o r eso n an ce h ea t i n g . P rev io u s ly p er

f o r m e d t e s t s i n d i c a t e d t h a t r e s o n a n c e h e a t i n g c o u l d c a u s e i g

n i t i o n a n d b u r n i n g [29].

Resu l t s o f s t u d i es wi th sev era l t y p es o f t ee co n f ig u ra t i o n s

i n d i c a t e d t h a t t e m p e r a t u r e i n c r e a s e s c a u s e d b y r e s o n a n c e

h e a t i n g w o u l d b e s u f fi c i e nt t o i g n i t e b o t h a l u m i n u m a n d

s t a in l es s s t ee l t u b es . Tes t s wi th a lu m in u m an d s t a in l es s s t ee l

p ar t i c l es ad d ed t o t h e r eso n an ce cav i ty i n d i ca t ed t h a t i g n i

t i o n a n d c o m b u s t i o n w o u l d o c c u r a t l o w e r t e m p e r a t u r e s .

So m e o f t h e t e s t s wi th 4 0 0 - se r i es s t a in l es s s t ee l r esu l t ed i n i g

n i t i o n , b u t i g n i t i o n ap p eared t o d ep en d m o re o n sy s t em p res

su re an d sy s t em d es ig n .

Electrical Arcing—Electrical arc ing ca n oc cu r f rom mo to r

b r u s h e s , e l e c t r i c a l p o w e r s u p p l i e s , l i g h t i n g , e t c . E l e c t r i c a l

a rcs ca n b e v ery e f fec t iv e i g n i t i o n so u rc es fo r an y f l am m a b le

m a t e r i a l .

Example: An in su l a t e d e l ec t r ica l h ea t e r e l em en t can ex

p er i en ce a sh o r t c i r cu i t an d a rc t h ro u g h i t s sh ea th t o t h e

o x y g en g as , cau s in g an i g n i t i o n o f co m b u s t i b l e m ate r i a l s

in the v icin i ty of the arc.

HAZARDS ANALYSIS

A l t h o u g h o x y g e n i s n o t i n t r i n s i c a l l y d a n g e r o u s , i t s u s e

in v o lv es a d eg ree o f r i sk t h a t m u s t n ev er b e o v er lo o k ed . A

h a z a r d s a n a ly s i s f s h o u l d b e p e r f o r m e d o n a n y c o m p o n e n t o r

s y s t e m i n t e n d e d f o r o x y g e n s e r v i c e . T h e h a z a r d s a n a l y s i s

sh o u ld i n c lu d e r ev i ews o f t h e sy s t em d es ig n , co m p o n en t d e

s i g n , o p e r a t i n g p r o c e d u r e s ( e m p h a s i z i n g t h o s e t h a t i n c r e a s e

t h e p r o b a b i l i t y o f p e r s o n n e l e x p o s u r e ) , m a i n t e n a n c e p r o c e

d u r e s , p r o t e c t i v e m e a s u r e s , i n - s e r v i c e i n s p e c t i o n r e q u i r e

m e n t s , a n d e m e r g e n c y p r o c e d u r e s . T h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f t h e

h a z a r d s a n a l y s i s , o t h e r r e v i e w s , a n d t h e v a r i o u s p r o j e c t

p h a ses i s g iv en i n Ap p e n d ix G. Th e h a z ar d s an a ly s i s sh o u ld

id en t i fy s t a t i c an d o p era t i o n a l h az ard s an d p ro v id e i n fo rm a

t i o n fo r d ev e lo p in g sa fe r an d m o re r e l i ab l e co m p o n en t s an d

sy s t em s .

T h e h a z a r d s a n a l y s i s s h o u l d b e c o n d u c t e d a c c o r d i n g t o t h e

fo l lowing out l ine:

1 . De t e rm in e t h e m o s t sev ere o p era t i n g co n d i t i o n s .

2.

Ev a lu a t e t l am m ab i l i t y o f m a te r i a l s a t t h e u se co n d i t i o n s

( s i t u a t i o n a l f l am m ab i l i t y ) .

3. Ev a lu a t e i g n i t i o n so u rces .

4.

Co m p are t h e ab o v e t o ex i s t i n g d a t a an d p er fo rm co n f ig u -

r a t i o n a l a n d c o m p o n e n t t e s t s if r e q u i r e d t o d e t e r m i n e a n d

d e m o n s t r a t e s a f et y m a r g i n s t o i g n i t i o n t h r e s h o l d s .

Th e h az ard s an a ly s i s sh a l l co n s id er t h e m o s t sev ere o p er

a t i n g co n d i t i o n s , an d t h e i r e f f ec t s u p o n th e sy s t em . I t sh a l l

i n c lu d e t h e e f f ec t o f o p era t i o n a l an o m al i es an d s in g l e -p o in t

f a i l u re f m o d es , su c h as i g n i t i o n , co m b u s t io n , ex p lo s io n , o r

t h e e ff e c t o f o x y g e n e n r i c h m e n t o f a n o r m a l l y a m b i e n t

e n v i r o n m e n t .

T h e fo l l ow i n g p a r a m e t e r s d e f i n e s o m e o f t h e o p e r a t i n g

co n d i t i o n s r e l ev an t t o t h e h az ard s o f an o x y g en sy s t em :

• T e m p e r a t u r e .

• P ressu re .

• Ox y g en co n cen t r a t i o n .

• F low veloci ty .

• R u b b i n g p a r a m e t e r s ( l oa d , s p e e d ) .

• M ul t ip le du ty cycles .

C o m p o n e n t s m u s t b e e v a l u a t e d a t t h e w o r s t c o n d i t i o n s

th ey wo u ld ex p er i en ce g iv en a s i n g l e -p o in t f a i l u re i n t h e sy s -


20/113

CHAPTER 2: PROPERTIES AN D HAZARDS OF OXYGEN 7

DEFINE CDNFIGURATIDN

AND WDRST-CASE

OPERATING CDNDITIDNS

IS MATERIAL

'FL AMMABL E/EXPL DSIVE IN

MINIMUM USE

THICKNESS

1^

YES

IES_

J ES_

ND

REJECT CDMPDNENT

DESIGN /MATERIAL

SELECTION

MATERIAL /

CDNFIGURATIDN

ACCEPTABLE

FOR USE

Fig.

1—Material safety logic.

t e rn . I f i t can n o t b e d e t e rm in ed wh ich co n d i t i o n i s m o s t se

v ere o r if t h e t r en d s i n m ate r i a l i g n i t i o n an d l l am m ab i l i t y ( as

a fu n c t i o n o f t h e p a r am ete r s Us t ed p rev io u s ly ) a r e n o t u n d e r

s t o o d , t h e n t h e r a n g e o f o p e r a t i n g c o n d i t i o n s m u s t b e

co n s id ered .

F ig u re 1 sh o ws th e l o g i c fo r d e t e rm in in g wh e th e r o r n o t a

m ate r i a l can b e u sed sa fe ly . Th e f l am m ab i l i t y o f t h e m ate r i

a l s u sed i n t h e o x y g en sy s t em sh a l l b e ev a lu a t ed ( see M ate r i

a l s Se l ec t i o n , Ch a p te r 3 ) . I f a m ate r i a l i s n o t f l am m ab le , t h e n

i t may be used safely even i f ign i t ion sources ex is t . I f the ma

ter ial i s f lammable, an d if no ign i t ion sou rce ex is ts , the m a

ter ial may s t i l l be used safely . However , i f an ign i t ion source

e x i s t s , t h e m a t e r i a l s a n d d e s i g n s s h o u l d b e c o m p a r e d t o

av a i l ab l e d a t a t o d e t e rm in e t h e sa fe ty m arg in s t o t h e i g n i t i o n

th resh o ld s o f t h e m a te r i a l . Ap p en d ic es B an d C g ive m o re i n

fo rm at io n o n i g n i t i o n so u rces an d t es t m eth o d s .

Po t en t i a l i g n i t i o n so u rces sh a l l b e ev a lu a t ed t o en su re n o

h az ard s ex i s t t h a t co u ld cau se an u n accep t ab l e r i sk t o p e r

s o n n e l , p r o p e r t y , o r s y s t e m o b j e c t i v e . P o t e n t i a l i g n i t i o n

s o u r c e s s h o u l d b e e l i m i n a t e d t h r o u g h e n g i n e e r i n g d e s i g n

wh erev er f eas ib l e .

O X Y G EN P U R I T Y

Ox y g en is eas i l y co n t am in a t e d b ecau se m an y g ases an d l i q

u id s a re so lu b l e o r co m p le t e ly m i sc ib l e i n i t . Th ere fo re , d i s

so lv in g an o d o r l es s a n d co lo r l es s g as i n o x y g en can c rea t e a n

in v i s ib l e h az ard . Fo r ex am p le , i n e r t g ases su ch as a rg o n an d

n i t ro g en d i sp l ace o x y g en an d can cau se asp h y x ia t i o n b y r e

ducing the oxygen level in breath ing ai r o r oxygen . A tox ic gas

m i x e d i n a n o x y g e n o r b r e a t h i n g a i r s y s t e m c a n c r e a t e a

h e a l t h h a z a r d . E x p l o s i o n s h a v e r e s u l t e d f r o m i n a d v e r t e n t

mix ing of f lammable gases wi th oxygen .

O x y g e n s h o u l d b e p u r c h a s e d t o c o n f o r m t o A v i a t o r 's

Bre a th in g Ox y g en Pu r i t y S t an d ard (AN Sl /SAE AS 8 0 1 0 B) fo r

b rea th in g an d Ox y g en , L iq u id , P ro p e l l an t Grad e (ANSI /SAE

AM S 3 0 1 2 ) fo r p ro p e l l an t f , o r eq u iv a l en t i n d u s t r i a l s t an

d ard s t h a t sp ec i fy t h e o x y g en p u r i t y an d l ev e l t o wh ich co n

t a m i n a n t s a r e a l l o w e d a p p r o p r i a t e t o t h e in t e n d e d a p p l ic a

t i o n . Th e s t an d ard s g iv en h ere r ep l ace MIL-0 -2 72 1 0 E [30]

an d MIL-P-2 5 5 0 8 E [3 / ] , r e sp ec t i v e ly .

Th e v ery l o w t em p er a tu r e o f LOX m ay r esu l t i n co n d e n s in g

o r so li d i fy in g (o r b o th ) m a n y im p u r i t i e s , r e su l t i n g i n t h e co n

cen t r a t i o n o f co n t am in a n t s i n t h e sy s t em .


21/113

Materials Selection

MNL36-EB/Jan. 2000

GENERAL

While material select ion cannot preclude system fai lures,

proper material selection coupled with good design practice

(see Chapter 4) can reduce the probab ility of system failures.

Materials evaluation and selection have been based on both

materials testing for ignition and combustion characteristics

and studies of LOX- and GOX-related failures.

A test that can prod uce ei the r absolute igni t ion l imits

or consistent relative ratings for all materials is not

available [32-35}. Materials have been evaluated by testing for

their ignition and bu rning charac teristics by use of the estab

lished ignition and combustion tests described in Chapter 2.

Studies of oxygen-related incidents, fires, and failures have

shown that some materials and components used in oxygen

systems are vulnerable to igni t ion and may lead to catas

trophic fires [36].

The ASTM Guide for Evaluating Nonm etallic Materials for

Oxygen Service (G 63) and ASTM Guide for Evaluating Met

als for Oxygen Service (G 94) provide guidance in selecting

mate rials for use in oxygen service.

A large experience base and material test database for ma

terial selection exists for oxygen systems between 1 and 20.7

MPa (150 and 3000 psi); limited ex perience exists above 20.7

MPa (3000 psi). When selecting m aterials w here little use ex

perience exists, application-specific materials tests and con

figuration tests should be considered.

Information required to select materials and evaluate sys

tem safety includes material composi t ions and configura

t ions, environmental and operat ional condit ions (tempera

t u re ,

pressure, f low rate, or igni t ion mechanisms), and

ignit ion and combustion behavior of the materials in the

given environmental conditions. Ignition mechanisms to be

considered in selecting materials cu e discussed in Chap ter 2.

Materials in an oxygen environment below their autoigni-

tion temperature (AIT)t do not ignite without an ignition

source. The rate of energy inpu t has to exceed the rate of he at

dissipation before ignition can occur. Ignition temp eratu re is

depen dent on the prope rty of the mater ial, the configuration,

the environment (temperature, pressure, oxygen concen tra

tion, and fuel characteristics), and the dynamic conditions

for flow systems.

The use of nonm etals in oxygen systems is often necessary

for purposes such as valve seats and seals; however, their

use should be limited and their qu antity and exp osure to oxy

gen should be minimized because nonmetals are more sus

ceptible to ignition than metals (nearly all nonmetals are

flammable in oxygen at absolute pressu res above 101.3 kPa

(14.7 psi)). In many instanc es, failures of metallic com po

nents are c aused by a polyme r ignition, which provides suffi

cient energy for the metal to ignite. Nonm etals, such as poly

mers,

generally ignite at lower temperatures and pressures

than m etals; nonmetals may b um in oxygen at absolute pres

sures lower th an 6.9 kPa (1 psi). The primar y con cern with

nonmetals in oxygen systems is that, if ignited, they may

cause damage to the oxygen system or user. Some damage

that might result includes propagation of the fire to metallic

components, loss of function arising from system leaks, and

toxic combustion products entering the oxygen system.

In general, me tals are not easily ignited; however, metal pa r

ticles may ignite easily. When ignited, however, burning met

als can cause more damage than burning nonmetals because

of their higher flame temperatures and because they usually

produc e liquid com bustion produ cts that spread fires readily.

Materials procu red for use in oxygen systems require a m a

terial certificationt from the manufacturer. In addition, it is

good practice to confirm the manufacture r-supplied infor

mation.

The material requirements for LOX service include those

requirements for GOX, and, in addition, materials should

have satisfactory physiced properties, such as strength and

ductility, at low operating temperatures. One additional con

sideration is that vaporization of LOX occuis around heat

sources such as ball bearings. This increases ignition risks

and requires compensation for possible elevated pressure.

For summaries of material test data, see the ASTM Stan

dard Guide for Evaluating Non metallic Materials for Oxygen

Service (G 63), Fire Hazards in Oxygen-Enriched Atmo

spheres (NFPA 53), and Refs

11, 15, 17, 18, 25. 28, 36-42.

Other data obtained from standard NASA materials tests are

stored in the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSEC)

Materials and Processes Test Informa tion System (MAPTIS).

The data in this system are published periodically [/9] (see

Appendix B).

When selecting a material for oxygen systems, it is impor

tant to consider the material 's ability to undergo specific

cleaning procedures (Chapter

5)

to remove contam inants, par-

ticulatest, and combustible materials, without damage (see

ASTM Standard Practice for Cleaning Methods for Material

and Equipment Used in Oxygen-Enriched Environments (G

93), Cleaning Eq uipm ent for Oxygen Service (CGA G 4.1), and

Refs

43, 44).

MATERIALS CONTROL

ASTM standards related to determining the compatibility of

a m aterial to GOX and LOX include the following:




22/113

CHAPTER 3: MATERIALS SELECTION 9

• S t a n d a r d T e s t M e t h o d f o r M e a s u r i n g t h e M i n i m u m O x y

g en Co n cen t r a t i o n t o Su p p o r t Can d le -L ik e Co m b u s t io n o f

Plast ics (Oxygen Indexf) (ASTM D 2863) ,

• S t an d ard Tes t Meth o d fo r Hea t o f Co m b u s t io n t o f L iq u id

H y d r o c a r b o n F u e l s b y B o m b C a l o r i m e t e r ( I n t e r m e d i a t e

P rec i s io n Meth o d ) (ASTM D 4 8 0 9 ) ,

• S t an d ard Gu id e fo r Ev a lu a t i n g No n m e ta l l i c Mate r i a l s fo r

Oxygen Serv ice (ASTM G 63) ,

• S t a n d a rd Tes t Me th o d fo r Au to g en o u s Ig n i t i o n Tem p era

tu re o f L iq u id s an d So l id s i n a Hig h -P ressu re Ox y g en -En

r i ch ed En v i ro n m en t (ASTM G 72 ) ,

• S t an d ard Tes t Meth o d fo r Ig n i t i o n Sen s i t i v i t y o f Mate r i a l s

t o Gase o u s F lu id Im p ac t (ASTM G 74 ) ,

• S t a n d a rd Tes t Me th o d fo r De te rm in in g Ig n i t i o n Sen s i t iv i t y

o f Mate r i a l s t o Mech an ica l Im p ac t i n Am b ien t L iq u id Ox y

g en an d P ressu r i z ed L iq u id an d Gaseo u s Ox y g en En v i ro n

m en t s (ASTM G 8 6 ) ,

• S t a n d a r d T e s t M e t h o d fo r D e t e r m i n i n g t h e C o m b u s t i o n

Beh av io r o f Meta l l i c Mate r i a l s i n Ox y g en -En r i ch ed Atm o

spheres (ASTM G 124) ,

• S t an d ard Gu id e fo r Des ig n in g Sy s t em s fo r Ox y g en Serv i ce

(ASTM G 88) ,

• S t an d ard P rac t i ce fo r C lean in g Meth o d s fo r Mate r i a l an d

E q u i p m e n t U s e d i n O x y g e n - E n r i c h e d E n v i r o n m e n t s

(ASTM G 93) , and

• S t a n d a rd Gu id e fo r Ev a lu a t i n g Meta l s fo r Ox y g en Serv i ce

(ASTM G 94) .

T h r o u g h s t a n d a r d s s u c h a s t h e s e , A S T M i d e n t if i e s t e s t

m eth o d s an d c r i t e r i a b y wh ich t h e t es t r esu l t s a r e ev a lu a t ed

to d e t e rm in e t h e su i t ab i l i t y o f m ate r i a l s fo r u se i n an o x y g en

e n v i r o n m e n t .

Fo r t h e u se o f a m ate r i a l i n a g iv en ap p l i ca t i o n , se l ec t i o n

cr i t e r i a m u s t b e d e t e rm in ed t h a t m a y d if f e r fro m th e se l ec

t i o n c r i t e r i a o f a s t an d ard b ecau se o f t h e u n iq u e asp ec t s o f

th e ap p l i ca t i o n . NASA u ses ASTM s t an d ard s fo r t e s t m eth

o d s , b u t ap p l i es d i ff e ren t f a i l -p ass c r i t e r i a fo r d e t e rm in in g

wh eth er t h e m ate r i a l i s su i t ab l e fo r u se i n an o x y g en en v i

r o n m e n t [45,461. NASA's acc ep t an ce c r i t e r i a i s b ase d o n b o th

t h e e x t r e m e e n v i r o n m e n t c o n d i t i o n s o f p r e s s u r e , t e m p e r a

t u r e ,

and f low, and on the value of the assets involved . Mate

r i a l s t h a t p ass t h e r eq u i r ed t es t s m a y b e co n s id e red fo r u se i n

NASA's o x y g en sy s t em s .

A c c o r d i n g t o S a m p l i n g P r o c e d u r e s a n d T a b l e s f o r I n

sp e c t i o n b y At t r i b u t e s (ANSI /ASQ C Z1 .4 ) , a b a t ch i s t h e

sam e as a l o t , an d i s a co l l ec t i o n o f m ate r i a l t h a t h as b een

m a d e u n d e r t h e s a m e c o n d i t i o n s a n d a t t h e s a m e t i m e , u s

i n g t h e s a m e s t a r t i n g m a t e r i a l s . E x p e r i e n c e h a s s h o w n t h a t

s o m e m a t e r i a l s h a v e s u c h v a r i a b i l i t y i n m a n u f a c t u r i n g t h a t

d i f f e re n t b a t c h e s o f t h e s a m e m a t e r i a l a r e n o t a l w a y s s a t i s

f ac to ry fo r u se . A b a t ch o r l o t m a y h av e a sam p le d ra w n

f r o m i t a n d i n s p e c t e d t o d e t e r m i n e c o n f o r m a n c e w i t h a c

cep t ab i l i t y c r i t e r i a . Ba t ch l o t t e s t i n g was a NASA req u i r e

m e n t {45} b u t t h e n eed fo r b a t ch l o t t e s t i n g i s n o w d e t e r

m i n

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