HAZARDS OF TRAPPED PRESSURE AND VACUUM

3
Hazards of vacuum

3.1 Ignorance of hazards of ambient pressure

The same concepts for pressure apply to vacuum. However, in vacuum
systems the pressure is pushing inward, not outward.
The pressure comes from the atmosphere — we don’t feel it but a tank does
when you pull vacuum on it.
If a tank is not designed for vacuum, it will likely be damaged if placed under
vacuum.

Storage tanks and railcars are particularly susceptible to damage, but it can
also happen to process vessels that are only rated for low pressures or very
large pipes.

75
HAZARDS OF TRAPPED PRESSURE AND VACUUM

Too much vacuum damaged this catalyst Result of condensation. This can was
storage drum. filled with steam and then closed. The
steam condensed, and the resulting
vacuum caused the damage shown.

A number of incidents occurred due to ignorance of the most elementary

properties of materials and equipment. For example, an operator had to empty
some tank trucks by gravity. He had been instructed to:

• open the valve on top of the tank;

• open the drain valve;
• when the tank was empty, close the valve on top of the tank.
He had to climb onto the top of the tank twice. He therefore decided to close the
vent before emptying the tank. To his surprise, the tank was sucked in.

76