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GEST 80 84 Edition 6 PDF
GEST 80 84 Edition 6 PDF
GEST 80/84
6th Edition
June 2013
Euro Chlor
Euro Chlor is the European federation which represents the producers of chlorine
and its primary derivatives.
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This document has been produced by the members of Euro Chlor and should not be reproduced in
whole or in part without the prior written consent of Euro Chlor.
It is intended to give only guidelines and recommendations. The information is provided in good
faith and was based on the best information available at the time of publication. The
information is to be relied upon at the user’s own risk. Euro Chlor and its members make no
guarantee and assume no liability whatsoever for the use and the interpretation of or the
reliance on any of the information provided.
This document was originally prepared in English by our technical experts. For our members’
convenience, it may have been translated into other EU languages by translators / Euro Chlor
members. Although every effort was made to ensure that the translations were accurate, Euro
Chlor shall not be liable for any losses of accuracy or information due to the translation process.
Prior to 1990, Euro Chlor’s technical activities took place under the name BITC (Bureau
International Technique du Chlore). References to BITC documents may be assumed to be to
Euro Chlor documents.
It has been assumed in the preparation of these publications that the users
will ensure that the contents are relevant to the application selected and
are correctly applied by appropriately qualified and experienced people for
whose guidance they have been prepared. The contents are based on the
most authoritative information available at the time of writing and on good
engineering, medical or technical practice but it is essential to take
account of appropriate subsequent developments or legislation. As a
result, the text may be modified in the future to incorporate evolution of
these and other factors.
This edition of the document has been drawn up by the Storage Transport
and Safety Working Group to whom all suggestions concerning possible
revision should be addressed through the offices of Euro Chlor.
Section Nature
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. DEFINITION 6
2. GENERAL COMMENTS 6
4.1. Inspection 9
4.3.2. Procedure 11
5.2. Preparation 14
6. REFERENCES 14
1. DEFINITION
Practical experience has shown that the commissioning of installations which will
later be used for dry gaseous or liquid chlorine requires specific precautions
before they are put into service if one is to avoid all forms of deterioration and
to maintain them in a state compatible with the normal safety requirements.
This recommendation has as an objective the setting of a certain number of
rules which should be applied before:
2. GENERAL COMMENTS
The aim therefore is to avoid an excessive surface layer of oxide, the presence
of greases or solvents which may be present inside certain equipment or new
pipework, or equipment being put back into service, as well as to eliminate all
sources of moisture which may lead to reactive conditions. The precautions to
be taken are more and more important if the equipment under consideration
includes an internal packing (such as rings, metallic packing, mist filters…).
Different processes are used according whether they are a question of:
Storage vessels
Transport containers (see GEST 79/78 – Code of Good Practice for the
Operations to be Carried out before and after Maintenance on Road
and Rail Tankers and ISO-Containers of Liquid Chlorine)
Smaller vessels such as: tubular heat exchangers, columns, receiving tanks
associated with columns
Pipework
Valves and control equipment (for valves see GEST 80/85 – Code of Good
Practice for Installation Removal and Maintenance of Manually
Operated Chlorine Valves).
The vessel should be approved and cleaned at the constructors premises. After
installation at the users’ premises a qualified person should precede to carry out
the following checks:
A further visual check should then be carried out to confirm the absence
of water pools, dust and any foreign bodies. This check should be carried
out by a suitably qualified person. As soon as possible after this, the
vessels should be closed up by the use of blank flanges, or blank flanges
equipped with valves, with a suitable joint ring/gasket for use with liquid
chlorine.
During venting of the drying gasses the dew point of the exit gas should be
checked from the relevant valves. The drying operation should be continued
until a dew point of less than minus 40°C at atmospheric pressure has been
obtained and confirmed after a suitable period of time allowing the system to
reach equilibrium. After the system is proven to be dry enough it should be kept
at a positive pressure, for example 0,2 barg, in order to avoid the ingress of
moist air.
If this procedure fails one should then proceed to a chemical descaling process.
Although, one can use mixtures of hydrochloric acid (diluted and passivated), it
is preferable to choose mixtures of phosphoric acid which eliminate the oxide
film without attacking the base metal. Whatever mixture is used, it should be
confirmed with the supplier that it does not lead to the formation of any product
which will react with chlorine. The most frequently used technique is to use a
circulating pump and to circulate the liquor in a closed circuit from a small
pumping tank.
The drying of the system (until dew point of minus 40°C or lower) can be done in
sections, without forgetting any of them (care must be paid for sections in
parallel and dead legs); several successive operations are usually necessary:
pressurise with dry air, wait some hours for equilibrium, purge the gas and
measure the dew point (a low dew point in the gas does not give a guarantee on
the absence of water!). The simultaneous pressurisation/depressurisation
process facilitates the drying.
To accelerate the process, and if the design of the system allows for operating
at the corresponding pressure and temperature, steaming out with superheated
steam can be used, avoiding condensate forming at any low point.
Another alternative method for piping systems is to vacuum dry. The vacuum
must be as low as the water vapour pressure at the actual temperature.
In all circumstances, this should be followed by purging with dry air or nitrogen,
after replacement of the gaskets until a dew point of less than minus 40°C at
atmospheric pressure is obtained on the gas purged from the equipment (see
Appendix); an on-line analyser (e.g. based on P2O5) could help in checking the
dryness of the gas. The purge gas should be allowed to bleed from all
connections to ensure that there are no dead spots.
Dried in a vacuum oven, if it has not already been dried by the supplier
and then been kept in a vapour tight package with internal drying agents
(dessicants).
The components that could come in contact with chlorine and which require to
be greased, must exclusively be treated with a grease compatible with chlorine
(special chloro-fluorinated grease).
They should not be installed until after completion of the operations described
in sections 3.1 and 3.2.
4.1. Inspection
After reinstallation, one should confirm that all the equipment conforms with
the drawings and specifications for the original equipment and in particular that:
All the connections have been correctly re-established (blank flanges, pipe
sections, etc.). For bolts for liquid chlorine, see GEST 88/134 - Stud Bolts,
Hexagon Head Bolts and Nuts for Liquid Chlorine.
Particular care should be taken to confirm that the gaskets are all of a
type suitable for chlorine (see GEST 94/216 - Experience of Gaskets on
Liquid and Dry Chlorine Gas Service), and that any temporary additions
have been removed.
Dry air or nitrogen connections which are not necessary have been
disconnected.
The absorption installation for any effluent gas is in a state ready for
operation and that connections to this system have been properly
connected without any restriction.
Before putting the equipment into service, the entire system, including all
valves and other accessories should be tested in order to guarantee their perfect
leak tightness under all conditions of service.
A leak test should be carried out by the normal soap and water test, with a low
internal pressure, for example 0.4 to 2 barg and detection of leaks with water
containing a foaming agent.
After having completed the procedure of the above section, a small quantity of
chlorine should be introduced. The use of dry air mixed with a low concentration
(a few per cents) of chlorine gas at a low pressure provides for safe and easy
detection of any possible leakage, and at the same time conditions the internal
surfaces of the equipment by allowing for a slow rate of reaction of chlorine
with the steel, or any areas of damp rust, which may exist in spite of the
precautions indicated earlier.
After checking by a small purge that there is sufficient chlorine to make a test
with an ammonia vapour bottle, the pressure should be progressively increased
to the operating pressure by addition of dry inert gas. One should at each stage
check all of the gaskets, accessories and other parts of the equipment with an
ammonia bottle. If possible, valves should be exercised as part of this
procedure.
Before pure chlorine is introduced in the system, one must confirm the quality of
the product.
The chlorine should be dry (see GEST 10/362 – Corrosion Behaviour of Carbon
Steel in Wet and Dry Chlorine) and clean. The gaseous chlorine can form an
explosive mixture with hydrogen and the current information relating to the
flammable limits of hydrogen in gaseous chlorine is detailed in the GEST 168 –
Physical, Thermodynamic and Selected Chemical Properties of Chlorine –
Chapter 9 - Safety.
For liquid chlorine, the NCl3 content will be in accordance with GEST 76/55 -
Maximum Levels of Nitrogen Trichloride in Liquid Chlorine.
4.3.2. Procedure
On all the parts of equipment which will carry chlorine, the leak tightness of the
gaskets should be checked once more with only chlorine gas in the equipment
and after the final pressure and temperature regime has been established.
Note: flange insulation should only be carried out after the system has passed all
pressure and leak tests.
All interlock functions should be tested for a last time before putting the system
in service and a visual check should be performed.
The flow rate will then be increased progressively to the desired throughput.
Empty the vessel from liquid chlorine. For nitrogen trichloride hazards (see GEST
76/55 – Maximum Levels of Nitrogen Trichloride in Liquid Chlorine).
One should first reduce the pressure within the equipment and/or pipework by
venting them down to a chlorine absorption or neutralisation system, (see GEST
76/52 – Equipment for the Treatment of Gaseous Effluents Containing
Chlorine), or by purging towards a chlorine consuming unit until pressure within
the equipment or pipework is equal to or less than 1 bar(a). In order to
accelerate the vaporisation of chlorine remaining within the vessel, one may
purge the system with inert dry gas at a higher temperature, always less than
40°C to prevent overpressure. If during the purging with inert gasses the
equipment or piping still contains liquid chlorine special attention has to be
taken in order not to lower the temperature of the liquid chlorine below minus
40 oC.
The equipment may be continuously purged with dry air or nitrogen to the
chlorine absorption installation, checking the residual chlorine content of the
gas. (ammonia vapour test).
Alternatively the equipment can be pressurised with dry air or nitrogen and then
vented down to the chlorine absorption installation. This operation must be
repeated several times, followed by a check on the residual chlorine content of
the gas (ammonia test).
Control equipment should be removed after the system has been opened to the
air and before carrying out any washing procedure. Once this work has been
started, it should be finalised without interruption. Their branches should also
be blanked off and the equipment itself should be decontaminated as quickly as
possible to avoid any corrosion prior to inspection.
These should be removed, all the joint rings/gaskets etc. should be removed and
discarded. Valves should then be immersed in a bath of soda ash solution. They
should then systematically be sent for overhaul in conformity with GEST 80/85 –
Code of Good Practice for Installation Removal and Maintenance of
Manually Operated Chlorine Valves.
In order to eliminate all traces of chlorine and ferric chloride the installation
parts should be cleaned by the introduction of water which is sufficiently
alkaline, either by a dip pipe or from a low point of the equipment, allowing air
to escape at the top. As an alternative for large vessels, the manhole should be
opened and the water should be introduced through it. To avoid any corrosion,
this operation should be carried out with a large throughput of water
continuously and it must be ensured that the equipment has been filled
completely. The water should then be discharged directly or displaced by
compressed air whichever is preferred. It is recommended that this cleaning
procedure should be repeated a second time.
The cleaning work should be carried out by two operators, the one who enters
the vessel being equipped with an external breathing air supply equipment and
wearing a harness attached by a cord leading to the second man who should
throughout remain outside the vessel providing overall surveillance.
5.2. Preparation
After completion of the previous work, the preparation to put the installation
back into chlorine service can start. The various operations described above in
section 3 should then be carried out.
6. REFERENCES
GEST 79/78 – Code of Good Practice for the Operations to be Carried out
before and after Maintenance on Road and Rail Tankers and ISO-
Containers of Liquid Chlorine
GEST 88/134 - Stud Bolts , Hexagon Head Bolts and Nuts for Liquid
Chlorine
Principle:
Equipment:
2. An air dryer to provide the dry air required (dew point minus 40°C) including
filter.
The number of purges which are actually necessary is found to be very little
different from the theoretical requirement, provided that sufficient time is
allowed before each purge for equilibrium conditions to be attained.
1st purge
For 1 m³ at 0°C saturated, that is a water content of 4.868 g/m 3 , a purge of dry
air with a dew point of minus 40°C (in effect, 0,86 m3 of air under a pressure of
7 barg) at a temperature of 30°C, containing 0,117 g of water per Nm³, is
discharged into the barrel giving 7 Nm³ of gas mixture at atmospheric pressure,
or 1 m³ at a pressure of 7 bars.
1 m³ * 4,868 = 4,868
6 m³ * 0,117 = 0,702
Total 5,570
2nd purge
The calculation can be carried out in the same manner but beginning with a
moisture content of air 0,7957 g of water per m³.
1 m³ * 0,7957 = 0,7957
6 m³ * 0,117 = 0,702
Total 1,4977
3rd purge
1 m³ * 0,2129 = 0,2129
6 m³ * 0,117 = 0,702
Total 0,9149
That is: 0,9149 / 7 = 0,1307 g/m³ corresponding to a dew point of minus 39°C.
2nd Example: air at 20°C saturated with moisture contained in the equipment
1st purge
For 1 m³ of air at 20°C, with a water content of 17,148 g/m³ contained in the
equipment. 6 Nm³ of dry air (in effect 0,86 m³ at 7 bar pressure), with a dew
point of minus 40°C, temperature 30°C, containing 0,117g of water per Nm³ is
added. The water content of the mixture is:
1 m³ * 17,148 = 17,148
6 m³ * 0,117 = 0,702
Total 17,850
2nd purge
1 m³ * 2,55 = 2,55
6 m³ * 0,117 = 0,702
Total 3,252
The water content of the mixture is: 3,252 /7 = 0,464 corresponding to a dew
point of minus 27°C.
3rd purge
1 m³ * 0,464 = 0,464
6 m³ * 0,117 = 0,702
Total 1,166
The water content of the mixture is: 1,166 /7 = 0,165 corresponding to a dew
point of minus 37°C.
It can be seen that in the two cases the approach to a dew point of minus 40°C
is almost the same with three purges, even if one assumes that the air at the
beginning of the operation was saturated with water vapour, which is very
conservative.
After the 3rd purge, it is necessary to maintain the equipment under a pressure
of air for a minimum of one hour and then, by further venting down, to confirm,
by dew point measurement, that the drying operation has been sufficiently well
carried out.
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