Thermal hazards of chemical reactions (series: industrial safety series)

Chemical reactions can produce many different types of hazard. One of the most dangerous is the uncontrolled exothermic reaction which may generate high temperatures and pressures and result in bursting of the vessel. Well known examples are the incidents that happened in Bhopal and Seveso. The book explains the exothermic self-heating and explosion processes which are possible and provides methods for estimating and measuring the properties of reacting systems. The exothermic decomposition reactions which often occur as undesired reactions are particularly important. The analysis of incidents in the chemical industry which are described in the book shows the dangers from runaway reactions and gives the information for effective safety measures.

Preface
Acknowledgements
Ch. 1. Introduction
Ch. 2. Phenomenology of explosions in reacting systems
Ch. 3. Test methods for exothermic decomposition and secondary reactions
Ch. 4. Discussion of characteristic data of exothermic decomposition
Ch. 5. Exothermic secondary reactions
Ch. 6. Primary reactions
Ch. 7. Incidents in chemical processes
Ch. 8. Thermal explosion and runaway under practical conditions
Ch. 9. Thermal hazard evaluation of chemical reactions
Ch. 10. Safety relevant data of chemicals

Researchers and practitioners in the chemical industry and consultants to the industry