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Handling and knowledgeabout high purity gases and gas mixturesMelina van Meer, AGA Gas AB, Segment Specialty Gas

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Agenda

AGA Gas AB

Laws, regulations and rules

Gases

Risks

Handling

Storage of gas cylinders

Colour marking of gas cylinders

Gas equipment

Training

Summary

AGA Gas AB

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AB Gasackumulator was founded 1904 with 16 employees in Saltsjö-Järla

AGA Gas AB

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”Solve the problems of customers. Give them the opportunity to increase profitability, safety and quality in their operations. Help them to introduce new, better technology.”

GUSTAF DALÈN, President of AGA 1909-1937

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AGA Gas AB – part of The Linde Group

• 50.000 employees in more than 100 countries

• Turnover 2011 – 100 billion SEK

AGA, Linde och BOC

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The Linde Group Today

Result of world´s biggest gas fusion Merging of Linde Gas, AGA and BOC

with three principal operations:

Industry Gases Engineering Healthcare

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Industry Gases are our main focus

Other Gases

Specialty Gases

Medical Gases

Air Gases • Nitrogen• Oxygen

• Acetylene• Helium• Propane

• HiQ High Purity Gases• HiQ Specialty Mixtures

• Temperatures: from -269 oC up to +3.500 oC

• Pressure: from 0 to 300 bar• Purity: up to 99,99999%

• Medical Oxygen• Nitrous oxide• NO-mixtures

Working Areas

• Carbon dioxide & -monoxide• Hydrogen• Refigerants

• Argon• Inert Gases (Kr, Ne, Xe)

• Methane

Laws, regulations and rules

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Laws, Parliament

Regulations, Government

Rules, Authorities

Standards, not law

EU-directive

Swedish legislation

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Requirements of employer and users

Lag om skydd mot olyckor – Law about protection against accidentsArbetsmiljölagen – Law about working environmentLag om brandfarliga och explosiva varor – Law about flammables and explosives

Kemiska arbetsmiljörisker (AFS 2011:19) – Risks in chemical work environment

Gaser (AFS 1997:7) – Gases

Gasflaskor (AFS 2001:4) – Gas cylinders

Användning av tryckbärande anordningar (AFS 2002:1) – Use of pressurised devices

Brandfarlig gas i lös behållare (SÄIFS 1998:7) – Flammable gas in a cylinder Arbete i explosionsfarlig miljö (AFS 2003:3) – Working in explosive environment

Explosionsfarlig miljö vid hantering av brandfarliga gaser och vätskor (SRVFS 2004:7) – Handling of explosive gases and liquids in an explosive environment

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Regulations of Swedish Work Environment Authority AFS 1997:7

1 § These regulations applies to all operations using gas.

3 § In all operations where gas is used a risk assessment needs to be done. Any change in process, equipment or operating conditions -> new risk assessment needs to be done.

4 § Working with gas can only be managed or performed by a person with enough knowledge about the gas, about the risks when using gases and how to avoid these risks.

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Responsibilty of Gas Superintendent

• Gas storage room locked and not accessible for unauthorized persons

• Always a person attending at unloading/loading of gas deliveries

• Safety signs according to legislations where gas cylinders are stored

• Combustible gases (i e acetylen, LPG) should not be stored together with combustion supporting gases (i e oxygen, nitrous oxide), this also includes empty cylinder

• Store cylinders vertically and securely to prevent them from toppling

• Make sure that protection hood stays on cylinder

• Inside and outside of gas storage room is clean

• That staff are using safety shoes and clothes when working with gas

• That handling of gases are according to regulations

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Who appoints gas superintendent

A person who is in charge of flammable products

A signatory

A suitable gas superintendent:

● Working in the daily operations

● Has knowledge and experience of working with gas

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Risk Assessment

Documented (Best before date 2004)

Should be the basis of:

• Actions

• Program for continuos inspections

• Register of gases and how dangerous they are

• Information about possible risks

• Competence of staff working with gases

• Routines and instructions for working with gases

• Design of working area

• Storage/Handling

• Warning signs

• Documentation of explosive protection

• Plan of emergency

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Risk Assessment

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Risk Assessment Matrix

1 2 3 4 5

>1 time per1 month

5

1 time per1 month-1 year

4

1 time per1 year-10 year

3

1 time per10 year-100

year2

<1 time per100 year

1

Health

Transient mild discomfort

Single injured, lasting discomfort

Single severe injured, severe discomfort

Single death, several severe injured

Several deaths , tens severe injured

Environment

No actual damage. Small propagation.

No cleanup.

Transient, brief damage Small propagation. Simple cleanup.

Prolonged damage. Small to big propagation.

Simple cleanup.

Permanent damage. Small propagation.

Difficult cleanup.

Permanent damage. Big propagation.

Difficult cleanup.

Property <0,1 million SEK 0,1-1,0 million SEK 1-5 million SEK 5-20 million SEK >20 million SEK

Midddle risk

High risk

Low risk

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When not following the legislation…

Consequenses

Compensation from insurance company is based on legal requirements.

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Risk- and safety services

Safety Engineers at AGA Gas AB:

Jan FranssonMagnus Olsson

Give a status of your gas systemShow the way to a safety gas system

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Services

Legal Requirements

Safety Review

Risk assessment

Documentation of explosion protection

Plan of classificationC1, C2

Flow chart List of components

Counseling

Documentation

Voluntarily

Gases

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%

Nitrogen 78,09

Oxygen 20,95

Argon 0,93

Sum about 100 100

ppb

Hydrogen 500

Nitrous gas 280

Carbon monoxide60-240

Xenon 90

Ozon 25-45

Acetylene 10

Formaldehyde 10

Ammonia 2-20

Hydrogen sulfide2-20

Sulfur dioxide 0-20

Hydrogen fluoride1-18

Ethylene 3

Nitrogen oxide 1-4

Chlorine ca 1

ppm

Carbon dioxide340

Neon 15

Helium 5

Krypton 1,1

Methane 1-2

ppt

R12 ca 200

R11 ca 200

R22 70

Iodine 4-40

Content of the air that we breathe

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Air separation unit – Oxygen • Nitrogen • Argon

1. Filter2. Compressor3. Cleaning/purification4. Cooling5. Expansion6. Separation7. Argon8. Nitrogen9. Oxygen10.Pump11.Evaporator

1

2

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5 6

7

8 8 97

10

11

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Permanent gases

Oxygen O2 -183 °C

Argon Ar -186 °C

Nitrogen N2 -196 °C

Hydrogen H2 -253

°CHelium He -269 °C

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How much gas in a cylinder?

200 bar50 litres Atmospheric

pressure 10 000 litres = 10 m3

200 x 50 = 10 000 litres = 10 m3

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Condensed gases is liquid in the cylinder

LPG

95% Propane C3H8 - 42 °C

5% Butane C4H10 ± 0 °C

Carbon dioxide CO2 - 78 °C

Nitrous oxide N2O - 88 °C

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Kryos is from greek language, meaning very cold

Liquid gases = Cryogenic gases

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Liquid gas

1 litre of liquid gas -> 500-800 litres of gas in gas phase

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Absorbed gas

Acetylene is a special case

Acetylene C2H2 - 84 °C

Can not be stored in high pressure due to risk of spontaneously decay:

• Porous mass• Acetone• Acetylene solved (absorbed) in acetone

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Light and heavy gases

Hydrogen 0,07

Helium 0,14

Acetylene 0,91

Nitrogen 0,97

Air 1,0

Oxygen 1,11

Argon 1,38

Carbon dioxide 1,53

LPG (propane) 1,56

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Gas cylinders

Gas

Phase of the gas

Pressure of gas (bar)

Temp risk for bursting valve

Excess pressure protection

Weight gas compare to air

Dissolved in acetone in a porous mass

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100 °C

No

Somewhatlighter

Gas

200

350 °C

No

Somewhat heavier

Liquid

50

100 °C

Bursting disc

Heavier

Liquid

7

100 °C

Safety valve

Heavier

AcetyleneOxygen +other air gasesCarbon dioxideLPG

Risks with gases

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Oxygen O2

Nitrogen N2

Argon Ar

Helium He

Hydrogen H2

Carbon dioxide

CO2

Nitrous gas N2O

LPG C3H8

Acetylene C2H2

CombustibleCombustion

supporting gasInert/asphyxiating

Permanent

Condensed

Absorbed

Risks with gases

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Risks with with gases

• High pressure

• Inert/asphyxiating gas

• Fire and explosion

• Poisonous gas

• Low temperature

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Asphyxiating – Invisible danger

Most accidents with asphyxia happends because rules have not been followed.

Typical causes could be:

●Deviated from current working environment rules.

●Training and control of work not sufficient.

●Defiencies in supervision team.

KVÄVNINGSRISK

AFS 1997:7 6 § In working area the ventilation should be good enough that oxygen content normally is not less than 20%. When oxygen content in a working area is below 18% breathing apparatus should be used.

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Risks when oxygen content decreases

21 % 13 %15 % 10 %

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Ammonia Arsenic pentafluoride Bromine chloride

Dicyan Dichlorinesilane 1,1-Dichlorine difluoroethylene

Disilane Ethylene oxide Formaldehyde

Phosphor penta- Germanium tetrahydride Carbonylsulfide

fluoride Silicon tetra fluoride Chlorine

Chlorine trifluoride Carbon monoxide Methylbromide

Methylchlorinesilan Nitrosyl chloridePerchlorylfluoride

Selenium hexa- Selenium hydrogenSulfuryldifluorid

fluoride

Sulfur dioxide Sulphur tetra fluoride Sulfur trioxide

Tellurhexafluoride TrifluoracetylkloridHydrogen chloride

LD50 0,5 - 2 mg gas / litre air

Poisonous gases

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Arsenic hydrogen Boron trifluoride

Bor-tri-chlorideCyanogenchloride

Diborane Fluorine

Fluorväte Phosphine

KarbonylfluoridCarbonylchloride

Chlorine dioxide Chlorinepentafluoride

Nitrogen dioxide Nitrogen monoxide

Ozone Hydrogen sulphide

Syredifluorid Vinyl fluoride

Volframhexafluorid Hydrogen cyanide

LD50

< 0,5 mg gas / litre air

Very poisonous gases

Handling

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• Wear personal protective equipment (PPE) i.e. safety shoes and gloves, gas detector

• Read safety data sheet

• Handle cylinders gently

• Protect cylinder from high temperature and mechanical impact

• Store cylinders vertically and securely to prevent them from toppling

• When transporting gas cylinder use a cart

• Open valve carefully

• Make sure that oxygen is not in contact with grease

• Liquid gases always a risk of frost-bite if contact with skin – wear correct PPE

Handling of gas cylinders

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• Handle and store in well-ventilated spaces

• Not stored in sealed container

• Use personal protective equipment

• In contact with skin –> frost-bite

Carbon dioxide – Handling dry ice

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LPG

Pressure and liquid volume at different temperature for a filled LPG-cylinder

15 °C7 bar

50 °C18 bar

65 °C24 bar

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Safety valve

Gas

Liquid

1 kg leaking LPG in liquid phase -> 525 litre gas

LPG-bottle should always be standing

Outlet

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What is suitable working clothes?

• Safety googles/Visor

• Gloves

• Boots

• Covered working clothes

Personal safety – liquid gases

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1. Frost-bites are treated as burns

- Water!

- Do not put any bandage or similar on the wound! Can cause more damage.

2. If necessary go to hospital

How to treat frost-bite?

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Handling of cryogenic gases

Always pant legs outside boot shafts!

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Handling liquid gases

What is missing?

Always pant legs outside boot shafts!

1. Safety googles / visor

2. Gloves

3. Protect environment to damages

4. Personal gas detector

What else to remember?

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Equipment

• Use proper and approved equipment designed for cryogenic gases

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Combustion gas – what does the law says?

§ Handling and storage should be with precaution to avoid risk for fire.

§ Storage room performed in a safety way, preventing fire to occur.

§ Equipment installed carefully and with competence.

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Actions when fire

Warn staff and evacuate the area

Call 112

If possible with safety respect

Shut off gas cylinders, take away cylinders

Cool cylinders with water from a safe space

Mark gas cylinders that has been in a fire, contact AGA

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Actions when gas leaking out of cylinder

Close the valve of gas cylinder

Ventilate the area

Evacuate

If a bigger gas leakage – rope off the area

Alarm rescue department if a big gas leakage

Identify what was causing the gas leakage – change broken part

If gas is liquid or cold – measure gas content in lower areas

Storage of gas cylinders

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• Separate combustible gases from others gases

• Well closed cylinders

• Protect against abnormal heating

• Well ventilated area

• Store cylinders inaccessible for unauthorized people

• Warning signs

Storage of gas cylinders

Gasstorage

Acetylene Oxygen

Colour marking of gas cylinders

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Colour marking – safety

• Colour marking according to european standard – EN 1089-3

• The colour of the cylinder breast informs about the property of the gas in the cylinder

• Identification of gas property from a long distance

• Important for emergency personnel

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Cylinder colours

Colour of cylinder not regulated by standard. AGA has choosed following colours:

Black

Industrial gases

Acetylene Food gases Specialty gases

Medical gases

Maroon Green Silver grey White

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Specialty gases – Pure gases

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Gas mixtures

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What information on cylinder label?

1. Product name

2. Product information

3. Warning symbol(s)

4. Material number

5. Transport information

6. Safety information

1 2 3 4

5 6

Gas equipment

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Gas equipment

• Gas panels

• Point of use

• Cylinder regulators

• Flame barrier C2H2

• Setback protection C2H2

• Central gas supply system

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Continous supervision

AFS 2002:1 Use of pressurised devices, central gas supply system

• Control• That controls and ev inspections are performed

• Function control• Gas panels, point of uses, setback protection (C2H2) etc

• Leak detection and ocular inspection of pipe system• Recommendation 2 times/year when combustible gases

• Known defiencies corrected • Control of risk assessment, safety inspections, reports of incident • Marking, visible

• Media, flow direction, safety sign• Instructions for operation• Flowchart, updated

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Continous supervision, continued

• Ocular control/change of hose (both high and low pressure hose) • Control of gas system according to supplier both daily and yearly inspections• Control that gas cylinders are chained• Controll of setback protection (C2H2) every 24st month

Part or all of supervision of gas system can be done by another company but it is the responsibility of the owner of the gas system that the supervision is done.

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Portabel gas detector

Stationary CO2 alarm

Use of gas detectors

Training

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Training

AGA Gas AB offers following trainings:

1) Open courses at AGA Gas AB:

● Safety handling of gas

● Gas safety according to laws, regulations and rules

● Superintendent training for a bigger gas system

2) Courses at customer site

More information at: www.aga.se or from your local sales representative

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Summary

• Gas superintendent

• Competent staff

• Risk assessment

• Be aware of risks with gases: high pressure, asphyxiating, poisonous, combustible, coldness

• Correct handling and storage of gas cylinders: chained, separate combustible gases from other gases, well ventilated working areas, personal protective equipment, gas detector

• Colour marking of gas cylinders, especielly yellow and red colours

• Continous supervision / yearly maintenance of gas equioment

• Continous training

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Questions?

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NOTHING CAN STOP PROGRESS

Thanks for your attention!

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Contact information AGA Gas AB

• Melina van Meer

• 0767-244 786

• melina.van.meer@se.aga.com

• www.aga.se

• gasorder@se.aga.com