Red oil
Red oil is defined as a substance of varying composition formed when an organic solution, typically
Red oil is relatively stable below 130 °C, but it can decompose explosively when its temperature is raised above 130 °C. Three red oil events have occurred in the United States: at the Hanford Site in 1953, and at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in 1953 and 1975. A red oil explosion also occurred in 1993 at the Tomsk-7 site at Seversk, Russia.
Generic types of equipment capable of producing red oil in the complex are categorized as
Controls for prevention or mitigation of a red oil explosion are generally categorized as controls for temperature, pressure, mass, and concentration. Maintaining a temperature of less than 130 °C is generally accepted as a means to prevent red oil explosions. Sufficient venting serves to keep pressure from destroying the process vessel, while also providing the means for
Ethylene
Within the
External links
- Control of red oil explosions in defense nuclear facilities (PDF, 120KB). Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, 2003.
- Maugans, C.; Howdeshell, M.; De Haan, S.; "The Effects of Caustic Tower Operations and Spent Caustic Handling on the Wet Air Oxidation (WAO) of Ethylene Spent Caustic", 2009 Ethylene Producers Conference, Tampa, FL. 2009.