All methanol storage tanks are equipped with nitrogen seals, and their exhaust gases must be washed with water
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According to SH3047-93 \"Code for Occupational Safety and Health Design in Petrochemical Enterprises\", Article 5.16 regarding polyvinyl alcohol (produced by the ethylene process) and Article 5.16.6 state that \"storage tanks for methanol, vinyl acetate, methyl acetate, and acetaldehyde should be equipped with nitrogen purging systems, and their exhaust gases should be treated with water washing.\" If the exhaust gas from a methanol storage tank’s nitrogen purging system is not treated with water washing, does this constitute a potential hazard?
Waiting for an answer; I want to know too,,,
The exhaust gas contains a certain amount of volatile methanol; washing with water allows the methanol to dissolve in water. If no washing is done, the methanol will be released along with the exhaust gas, and accumulation may occur. It’s just my personal understanding – the methanol storage tanks designed in the past used internal floating roofs along with nitrogen sealing to reduce methanol evaporation; I hadn’t noticed that the exhaust gas needed to be washed with water. Learned something new :)
Of course it’s a hidden danger! According to the definition of potential hazards given in the Guidelines for the Identification and Rectification of Hazardous Potential in Chemical Hazardous Enterprises, Document No. San (2012) 103, it is clearly a potential hazard. It is in accordance with the definitions of risks and hazards as outlined in the latest guidelines issued by the Ministry of Emergency Management, namely Guideline [2019] No. 78 on the Inspection, Identification, and Rectification of Safety Risks and Hazards in Hazardous Chemical Enterprises; it is clearly stated that \"deficiencies or omissions in control measures\" constitute hazards
It has a nitrogen seal and exhaust gas recovery; no water treatment is required. The relevant standards are old-fashioned and limited to safety-related technical measures – as long as the safety and environmental protection requirements are met, that is sufficient.
It’s mainly a matter of occupational safety and health
The authorities can classify them, but can ordinary companies do the same?:)