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Nuclear fusion New technologies Gas detection FTIR gas analysis

Gas & vapour

Subsea

Gas & vapour

Safety management software

3D virtualisation technology

Benzene - the next asbestos?

April 2018

the journal for hazardous area environments

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contents april 2018 After a grim few years, the nuclear sector is showing renewed signs of health. Several nuclear plants have closed prematurely in the United States, and other shutdowns have been announced, but more than 50 nuclear plants are under construction today around the world, with 150 more planned, and the pace of construction is faster than at any time since the 1990s.

In 2018 some 14 new nuclear plants should come online, with some key new-generation plants, such as Westinghouse’s AP1000 and Framatome’s EPR, both in China, expected at or near completion.

The first of four reactors in the United Arab Emirates, built by Korea’s Kepco, is nearing completion largely on time and on budget. This clearly demonstrates there is nothing inherent about nuclear that prevents this technology from being built economically and on a predictable timeline.

14 17

reorganised to come out leaner and meaner to tackle the global market.

In France, the restructuring of the former Areva into Framatome and Orano is complete, and Brookfield Asset Partners of Canada has agreed to buy Westinghouse Electric Company, which should help the company finalise some of the international deals it has been pursuing.

The requirement for pressure vessel integrity is never more acute than in nuclear fusion, where stresses and temperatures are huge

Elsewhere, the China National Nuclear Company (CNNC) merged with China Nuclear Equipment Company (CNEC) to create another powerhouse aimed at the export market.

20

With the reorganisation of these companies behind them, we can expect to see some major nuclear energy agreements this year.

And in parallel, as we chronicle in this edition, there are a number of interesting new technologies pushing nuclear fusion closer to reality, which could be the real game changer for clean energy generation in future.

Meanwhile some of the biggest players in the nuclear sector have

…Alan Franck, Editor, Hazardex

FTIR analysers are most often used for process control and emissions monitoring, but can be effective in many other applications

in this issue 5

25

News Extra

• China says workplace safety improved in 2017 • Third of Nigeria’s oil production lost to pipeline theft in 2016 • Pipeline company to pay Alabama $3.3 million for 2016 oil spills • IEA forecasts threat for refining sector as gas increasingly used for chemical feedstock • Hinkley Point C needs better supply chain management - UK regulator • US commissioners call for action on used nuclear fuel • Drone to map radiation at Fukushima • UK tech startup pilots innovative approach to nuclear fusion • US regulator issues order to prevent misconduct at Entergy nuclear power plants

UV spectroscopy can detect benzene and other carcinogens that could pose similar public health risks to asbestos

15 Standards: The IECEx Recognized Training Provider Program 17 Pressure vessel integrity - one of the keys to nuclear fusion

31

21 FTIR Gas Analysis 25 Benzene - where detection is better than cure 28 Safety management software and gas monitoring 31 Case study: 3D virtualisation offers realistic subsea project emulation

Taking subsea simulation technology to the emulation stage has generated real value and time and cost savings

34 Events

the journal for hazardous area environments

hazardexonthenet.net

April 2018

35 Buyers Guide

Nuclear fusion New technologies

Hazardex is a controlled circulation journal published monthly.

Completed print or online registration forms will be considered for free supply of printed issues, web site access and online services. Annual subscription for non-qualifying readers is UK £84.00, EU €113.00, Airmail £178.00 and single copy price is £17.00 plus P&P.

Hazardex content is the property of the publishers or relevant content providers. The publishers and sponsors of this magazine are not responsible for the results of any actions or omissions taken on the basis of information in this publication. In particular, no liability can be accepted in respect of any claim based on or in relation to material provided for inclusion.

Gas detection FTIR gas analysis

Gas & vapour

Subsea

Gas & vapour

Safety management software

3D virtualisation technology

Benzene - the next asbestos?

Editor Alan Franck alan.franck@imlgroup.co.uk

Group Publisher Russell Goater russell.goater@imlgroup.co.uk

Sales Executive Kathryn Startin kathryn.startin@imlgroup.co.uk

Circulation subscriptions@imlgroup.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)1732 359990

Production and Events Holly Reed holly.reed@imlgroup.co.uk

Design Graham Rich Design www.grahamrichdesign.co.uk

IML Group plc Blair House, High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BQ, UK Tel: +44 1732 359990 Fax: +44 1732 770049 Email: events@imlgroup.co.uk ISSN 1476-7376

Inside a Tokamak fusion reactor

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News Extra

5

China says workplace safety improved in 2017

C

hina saw fewer work-related

He said 805 people were held accountable

be affiliated to the new ministry, while the

accidents and fatalities last year as government regulators strengthened inspections and penalties. Still, there are more potential safety hazards as the economy develops and urbanisation

for 26 “extremely severe accidents” and 334 of them have been referred to prosecutors.

State Administration of Work Safety will be dismantled.

In a four-month national work safety inspection last year, 63,000 enterprises

This is part of a major overhaul of China’s government. Through mergers and setting

continues, the country’s work safety authority said.

were forced to suspend production and another 31,000 were shut down altogether, he added.

up new ministries, Beijing hopes to make policymaking more efficient – and the changes offer insights into the areas where

About 53,000 work-related accidents occurred in the country last year, a decline of 16.2% from 2016. Those accidents killed 38,000 people, down 12.1%, Wang Yupu, minister of the State Administration of Work Safety, said.

The number of “extremely severe accidents” declined from 32 in 2016 to 25 last year, and fatalities in these accidents decreased since 2016 by 228 to 342, Wang said at a national work safety conference.

Most of these accidents occurred in coal mines and road transportation and because of workplace fires, Wang said.

Accidents are classified as “extremely

The country has seen more challenges in work safety controls as the economy

China’s government is most interested in boosting its performance.

develops and urbanisation continues, he said.

Apart from the Ministry of Emergency Management, other new entities include the Ministry of Ecological Environment and

About 43 million people, the population of a medium-sized country, travel in China every day. A total of 1 billion metric tons

Ministry of Natural Resources.

of hazardous chemical substances are transported in the country each year, he said.

of Environmental Protection (MEP) while also assuming responsibilities previously assigned to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, and Ministry of Land and Resources.

On March 13, Xinhua said a new ministry would take charge of work safety. The Ministry of Emergency Management will be set up to forestall and defuse serious and major risks and improve disaster relief, as well as becoming responsible

severe” if they result in more than 30 deaths or severely injure more than 100 people, or cause direct economic losses of more than 100 million yuan ($15.6 million).

for occupational health and safety.

The improvement occurred thanks to enhanced inspections and penalties, Wang said. Work safety authorities conducted more than 4.6 million on-site inspections last year and the fines they imposed increased by about 58% from 2016 to about 3.3 billion yuan, Wang said.

rescue and relief for disasters and workplace accidents, according to the Chinese State Council’s institutional restructuring plan.

The ministry will be responsible for compiling and implementing emergency management plans, as well as organising

China Earthquake Administration and State Administration of Coal Mine Safety will

The former will replace the previous Ministry

The current MEP is often seen as toothless, unable to adequately enforce environmental regulations – in part because those oversight functions were spread out among different ministries. The plan for a new, streamlined ministry is a sign of China’s upgraded dedication to the task of improving its environment.

The Ministry of Natural Resources will oversee the protection and development of natural resources (including forests, wetlands, and grasslands) as well as maritime resources.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

6

News Extra

NNPC says third of Nigeria’s oil production

lost to pipeline theft in 2016 N

igeria National Petroleum Corp

based pipeline surveillance mechanisms

Baru said: “Nigeria’s energy supply security

(NNPC) Group Managing Director Dr Maikanti Baru claimed in late 2017 that about 700,000 barrels per day

with capability to detect, alert and deny access, and aerial monitoring and marine patrols by the Military Joint Task Force.

is underpinned by a robust pipeline network of over 8,000 kilometres used for transportation of crude oil, petroleum

(bpd) of crude oil were lost in 2016 due to pipeline theft and sabotage.

This brought Nigeria’s production

Companies are also using surveillance helicopters and drones equipped with

down to 1.3 million bpd, against a target of 2.2 million for the period.

infrared cameras and cages on wellheads rigged with alarms.

According to the Pulse.ng news site, Baru said that the 300,000 bpd capacity Trans Forcados Pipeline (TFP) recorded

He said the Nigerian government was trying to build a political solution to the agitation sabotage in the the south, where local

17 breaches in 2016 and 15 in in the first three-quarters of 2017, while the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) also suffered 15 breaches in 2017.

tribes hamper oil operations to bring their grievances to public attention.

He urged members of the Pipeline Professionals’ Association of Nigeria (PLAN) to conduct a systematic diagnosis of the pipeline system in Nigeria and come up with sustainable and actionable solutions to the menace of pipeline vandalism in the country.

Baru said the issue posed a great threat to the Nigerian economy in terms of revenue loss and environmental degradation.

Measures deployed by NNPC to stem vandalism include horizontal directional drilling technology to bury pipelines deeper to prevent easy accessibility, technology-

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products and natural gas.

President Muhammadu Buhari, like successive leaders before him, has vowed to stamp out assaults on oil infrastructure.

This will be hard as long as locals feel they benefit little from living in Africa’s most prolific oil patch -- around half the delta’s 33 million people survive on less than $2 a day.

But better policing and government efforts to engage with communities have helped.

In 2017, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo visited oil states, meeting representatives of militant and community groups and pledging to address grievances over poor infrastructure and a lack of jobs.

In a later meeting with southern politicians reported in The Daily Post, the NNPC’s

“Of this vast access, NNPC has the largest downstream footprint with over 5,130 kilometres of pipeline network and 21 depots around the country.

“This critical national asset has become a subject of incessant vandalism, theft and sabotage.

“The consequence of this act of sabotage has often resulted in damage and shutdown of critical facilities, environmental impacts, injuries and loss of lives and property, thus causing the NNPC and by extension the federation huge maintenance costs.

“Non-availability of critical pipeline infrastructure has resulted in long-range haulage of petroleum products across the country with attendant risk of accidents and damage to our road infrastructure.”

The year 2018 is the 20th anniversary of the worst pipeline fire in Nigerian history in Jesse, Delta State, when in October 1998 a ruptured NNPC pipeline exploded and fire spread to surrounding villages, killing 1,098 people and injuring hundreds more.

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8

News Extra

IEA forecasts threat for refining sector as

gas increasingly used for chemical feedstocks

O

bpd, followed by naphtha with growth of 495,000 bpd and LPG with growth of 40,000 bpd, it forecast.

ne of the conclusions of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) latest five-year forecast is that market changes will shift oil demand away from

crude, but other petrochemical feedstocks ethane or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) - are processed outside traditional oil refineries.

Jet fuel, supported by growing demand for air travel, will grow by 1.2% to 2023, the IEA added.

motor fuels to petrochemicals, with refinery overcapacity a possible result.

World oil demand is expected to rise by 6.9 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2023, with a quarter of this growth coming from demand for petrochemical feedstocks

“Ethane, liquefied petroleum gases and naphtha, pose a bigger threat to the refiners’ market share than electric vehicles and gaspowered transportation combined,” the IEA said, estimating refiners would see just 4.8 million bpd of the demand growth to 2023,

But it said demand for gasoline and diesel would rise by just 0.7% each, with expansion slowed by fuel efficiency standards that now cover two thirds of the world’s top car markets.

ethane and naphtha.

missing out on 30% of it.

“Global economic growth is lifting more people into the middle class in developing countries and

The boom in US shale oil has dramatically expanded the availability of ethane, and a

in markets covered by efficiency standards, including China, India the United States and Europe. The IEA said this “will impact strongly on future oil demand.”

higher incomes mean sharply rising demand for consumer goods and services,” the IEA said.

string of new projects on the US Gulf Coast are underway to process it.

“A large group of chemicals derived from oil and

In total, the world is expected to add 1.4 million

natural gas are crucial to the manufacture of many products that satisfy this rising demand,” it added.

bpd in new petrochemical-producing steam crackers to 2023, the IEA said.

Naphtha is made by oil refineries processing

More than 80% of global car sales are now

Partially as a result, the IEA warned that new refinery capacity totalling 7.7 million bpd would outstrip growth in demand for refined products by 2023 by some 3 million bpd.

“The gap between refinery capacity growth and

Demand for ethane will expand at the fastest pace in the next five years, rising by 885,000

refined product demand growth has never been so large in recent history,” the IEA said.

News Extra

Artist’s impression of Hinkley Point C when complete - Image: EDF

The inspection looked into supply chain management arrangements for the major

signed to examine regulatory matters that are strategic or broader in nature than its

new build project in light of records falsification issues at one of Hinkley Point’s key suppliers – Areva’s Creusot Forge in France [now Framatome].

more routine regulatory inspection activities.

Instigated by the Chief Nuclear Inspector (CNI), they will also raise awareness of important issues and highlight ONR’s regulatory activities and expectations to a wider audience, in addition to the nuclear industry.

The nuclear regulator found that good pro-

UK nuclear project

needs better supply chain management regulator

B

ritain’s Office for Nuclear Regula-

tion (ONR) examined the supply chain arrangements for EDF Energy’s Hinkley Point C project in light of falsi-

gress had been made with improvements in some areas of supply chain management by the nuclear site licensee NNB GenCo.

1

2018/03/01

On this project the ONR collaborated with the French nuclear safety regulator Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire (ASN).

However, five key areas were identified where further improvements are required

A total of 11 ONR inspectors examined the

ahead of acceleration in both construction and manufacturing for the Hinkley Point project. These are detailed in an inspection summary report.

robustness of NNB GenCo’s arrangements for ensuring the quality of plant structures, systems and components for the new nuclear power plant. Inspections took place over seven days in both England and France.

For this reason, ONR has rated the overall inspection finding as ‘amber’. This means that some arrangements are below stand-

The inspection was targeted during the early stages of construction and manufacturing to

ard and ONR is seeking improvements against a number of Regulatory Issues that have been raised.

allow the regulator to reinforce its expectations and allow NNB GenCo to address any identified shortfalls prior to acceleration

fication issues at one of the plant’s key IML Advert QSTX in April 2018.pdf suppliers France.

9

12:28 ONR’s

new themed inspections are de-

of both construction and manufacturing activity.

10 News Extra Representatives debated resurrecting the stalled Yucca Mountain project.

Representative John Shimkus, an Illinois Republican, has proposed draft legislation to restart the licensing of Yucca Mountain.

The government has already spent billions of dollars for initial construction of the project, which has been pending since Ronald Reagan was president.

Former President Barack Obama opposed Yucca and stopped its licensing process in 2010. But President Donald Trump’s

US commissioners call for action on used nuclear fuel T

wenty years after the passing of

NARUC said the government’s failure to

proposed 2018 budget provides $120 million to restart licensing and for development of interim nuclear waste sites until Yucca can be completed.

More details about the Trump administration’s support of Yucca could come when a broader budget is released in May. Currently, spent nuclear fuel, which can be deadly if left unshielded, is stored at reactors across the country, first in cooling ponds and then in

the deadline for the US federal government to start accepting nuclear waste for disposal, the National Association of Regulatory Utility

begin accepting used nuclear fuel has resulted in more than $5 billion dollars in court-awarded damage settlements, at taxpayers’ expense. Damages could

thick casks.

Commissioners (NARUC) has called on lawmakers to support funding for the review process for the Yucca Mountain

reach more than $29 billion by 2022 and up to $500 million annually after 2022, it said. It called on the US administration

cumbersome and costly licensing process that could take years to complete and questions from critics about how long spent

repository licence application.

fuel can remain without radiation leaking into an aquifer.

The US Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982

and Congress to take immediate action to support the review of the Yucca Mountain license application.

established federal responsibility for all civil used nuclear fuel and obliged the government to begin removing used fuel

“It has been 36 years since the Nuclear Waste Policy Act became law and 20 years

from nuclear facilities by 1998 for disposal in a federal facility. Yucca Mountain, in Nevada, was in 1987 designated as the sole site for

since the government defaulted on its obligation. We still have no nuclear repository, and worse yet, we don’t even have the

flow to any river or drinking water supply.

the repository. The Department of Energy (DOE) in 2008 submitted a construction and operation licence application for Yucca Mountain to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). However, the US administration decided to abort the project following 2009’s presidential election.

semblance of a nuclear waste programme,” NARUC president John Betkoski said.

“Taxpayers and ratepayers have poured literally billions into the federal nuclear waste programme and the liability costs continue to increase every day we delay. Moreover, the funding process is broken.”

spent fuel to Yucca mountain safely by train and truck from nuclear reactors sites all across the country.

In August 2013 the federal Appeals Court ordered the NRC to resume its review of DOE’s application following an appeal that was brought by NARUC, two states and others who argued that NRC ignored its statutory responsibility in terminating the

NARUC, based in Washington, DC, is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to representing state public service commissions that regulate energy, telecommunications, power, water and transportation utilities.

are quick to cite. Shimkus, whose state of Illinois has more reactors than any other, says Yucca is ideal because of its remoteness.

review.

In 2017, lawmakers in the US House of

reactors, opposes Yucca.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

The Yucca site itself, about 100 miles (160 km) northwest of Las Vegas, faces a

Yucca supporters say there is little groundwater at the desert site and what is there is contained by barriers and does not

An even trickier problem will be getting the

The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission has pointed out that nuclear waste has been transported safely in the country for more than 40 years, which Yucca backers

But the entire Congressional delegation of Nevada, where there are no nuclear power

News Extra 11

RISER drone - Image: NDA

Drone to map radiation at Fukushima A

lightweight drone equipped with a

nition 3D picture of contamination, quickly

A spokesman for plant operator Tokyo Elec-

radiation detection and mapping system will be used to assess radiation within the heavily contaminated Fukushi-

and safely”, its creators say.

After a series of on-site trials at Sellafield,

tric Power Co. (TEPCO), quoted by Japanese newspaper Mainichi, also identified another problem for the robots. The radiation inside

ma Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan, where three reactors suffered meltdowns after an earthquake and tsunami

RISER was used to collect vital information about radiation conditions in the highlycontaminated Windscale Pile chimney.

the containment vessel was so intense that the images transmitted back from a camera attached to the robot were pitch black.

in 2011. The RISER drone will provide a high-definition 3D picture of contamination, and has already been used to

This data will be used to establish how the chimney can be cleaned out and finally dismantled.

Toshiba has also developed a small swimming robot for use in flooded areas of the

collect information about contamination at Sellafield in the UK.

At Fukushima, the biggest challenge is removing hundreds of tons of melted nu-

The UK-developed Remote Intelligence Survey Equipment for Radiation (RISER) uses lasers to self-navigate deep inside hazardous facilities where GPS signals cannot reach.

It combines two separate pieces of technology: drones and radiation-mapping software.

Each received research and development funding through the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and fellow govern-

clear fuel and debris from the plant’s three wrecked reactors. Scientists need to know the melted nuclear fuel’s exact location and understand structural damage in each of the three reactors to work out the optimum, safest way to remove the fuel.

ment agency, Innovate UK.

inside two of the reactors. The scorpion robot’s crawling function failed and it was left inside the plant’s Unit 2 containment vessel.

The drone is less than one metre in diameter and navigates using its own internal collision avoidance capability. Able to manoeuvre accurately inside complex industrial spaces, data is transmitted to the mapping system and clearly displayed, highlighting areas of contamination.

The unique technology maps radiation with “pinpoint accuracy, producing a high-defi-

Last year, snake and scorpion-shaped robots developed by Toshiba became stuck

reactors, but there are no reports of its successful use as yet.

Japanese officials say they want to determine preliminary removal methods this summer and start work in 2021. The clean up is expected to take 30 to 40 years, at a cost Japan’s trade and industry ministry recently estimated at 21.5tr yen ($189bn). Part of that cost will be included in Japanese utility bills.

According to Mainichi, TEPCO and the Japanese government are using the Three Mile Island Disaster in the US in 1979 as a reference. There, the removal of melted nuclear fuel started 11 years after the initial accident.

The other, designed for cleaning debris for the scorpion probe, was called back after two hours when two of its cameras stopped working after its total radiation exposure reached 1,000 Sievert — a level that would kill a human within seconds. The plan had been to use the robot for 10 hours at an exposure level of 100 Sievert per hour.

However, the situation at Fukushima appears to be more complicated than at Three Mile Island, because in the case of the latter accident, melted nuclear fuel was retained within pressure containers. Conversely, in the case of Fukushima, some of the material has seeped through the pressure containers.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

12 News Extra demonstration of fusion, the pathway to gain and a power plant is potentially much simpler, quicker and cheaper than these mainstream approaches.

First Light’s approach to fusion, which is safe, clean and virtually limitless (with the source of energy drawn from the deuterium

UK tech startup pilots innovative approach to nuclear fusion F

contained in sea water), has the potential to transform the world’s energy supply if it can be applied successfully to power generation.

Unlike existing nuclear power, there is no long-lived waste and raw materials can be found in abundance. As demand for alternatives to carbon-based energy grows, mainstream scientists and research institutions are looking to fusion power to answer the world’s energy requirements.

Nicholas Hawker, Founder and CEO of FLF said: “Machine 3 will be a unique facility.

There is nothing else like it in the world.

irst Light Fusion, an Oxfordbased company researching energy generation via inertial

First Light uses a high-velocity projectile to create a shockwave to collapse a cavity containing plasma inside a ‘target’.

The pressures and velocities that we will be able to access with this machine will massively extend the development of our

confinement fusion, is investing £3.6 million building a pulsed power machine to advance the company’s work exploring nuclear fusion, the

The design of these targets is First Light’s technical USP. The company’s approach was inspired by

fusion target designs. We are confident that we will reach our present goal of demonstrating fusion. Beyond that, the experimental platform that we can build

ultimate clean source of energy.

The device, labelled Machine 3, is

the only example of inertial confinement found on Earth – the pistol shrimp, which clicks its claw to produce a shockwave

with this machine will give us critical insights into the next step, which is to demonstrate gain.

under construction and on track to be commissioned by the end of 2018. It will be the only pulsed power machine

that stuns its prey. The only other naturally occurring inertial confinement phenomenon is a supernova. The reaction created by the

“We also look forward to welcoming our collaborators from the high energy density

of its scale in the world dedicated to researching fusion energy. Once complete, it will be capable of discharging up to

collapsing cavity is what creates energy, which can then be captured and used.

physics community to work with us on these experiments. All of this has been achieved at a drastically reduced cost

200,000 volts and in excess of 14 million ampere – the equivalent of nearly 500 simultaneous lightning strikes – within two

Fusion has already been demonstrated by other approaches. The two most advanced are the tokamak and laser-driven inertial

when compared with other alternative technology choices.”

microseconds. The Machine will use some 3km of high voltage cables and another 10km of diagnostic cables.

fusion. ITER, being built in the south of France, will be the world’s largest tokamak, aiming to demonstrate gain. The National Ignition Facility (NIF) in California is the world’s most energetic laser and is also aiming to demonstrate gain.

First Light Fusion was founded by Hawker and University College London Professor of Mechanical Engineering Yiannis Ventikos.

The company boasts a world-class advisory board including Nobel Prizewinning scientist Prof Steven Chu and Prof Arun Majumdar – who both served in the US Department of Energy under President

Machine 3 will be used to take forward First Light Fusion’s technology as the company seeks to achieve first fusion.

The next step will be to achieve ‘gain’, whereby the amount of energy created outstrips that used to spark the reaction.

Fusion is the ultimate source of the Universe’s energy and is the same process that powers stars, including the Sun.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

Both these projects have encountered substantial difficulties, both relating to the fusion process itself but also the complexity of the engineering required.

First Light must demonstrate fusion before then undertaking an equivalent gain-scale experiment. However, if the

Barack Obama.

company succeeds in the fundamental

baseload energy around the world.

Ultimately, FLF’s aim to achieve gain before seeking to demonstrate the commercial viability of the technology to produce safe, efficient and environmentally friendly

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14 News Extra

Grand Gulf NPP - Image: Entergy

US nuclear regulator issues order to prevent misconduct at Entergy nuclear power plants

T

he US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a Confirmatory Order to

proctor deliberately compromised examinations by providing inappropriate assistance

Waterford in Killona, Louisiana.

to trainees; (2) workers did not perform required rounds to check equipment and plant conditions; and (3) workers deliberately provided inaccurate documentation indicating they had done so. Three apparent violations of NRC requirements are described in a

Within six months, Entergy must perform a “causal evaluation, informed by site evaluations,” to determine why previous corrective actions had not addressed the issues. Management must also inform employees “that willful violations will not

November 20, 2017, inspection report.

be tolerated, and, as a result, Entergy will be undertaking efforts to confirm whether others are engaging in such conduct at any of its sites.”

Entergy requested the Alternative Dispute Resolution process with the NRC to discuss corrective actions. The process uses a neutral mediator with no decision-making authority to

Grand Gulf, a single-unit 1401 MWe boiling

assist the NRC and its licensees in coming to an agreement.

water reactor in Port Gibson, Mississippi, entered commercial operation in 1985.

Following a meeting on February 6 with Entergy

The violations at Grand Gulf are similar to those

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., and Entergy Operations, Inc., documenting actions they have agreed to take to implement programs designed to prevent

officials, the NRC issued a Confirmatory Order documenting actions the company agreed to take.

behind a civil penalty the NRC levied against Southern Nuclear last month.

willful misconduct at their fleet of seven operating nuclear power plants.

In addition to Grand Gulf, the Entergy fleet includes Arkansas Nuclear One in Russellville, Arkansas, Indian Point 2 and 3 in Buchanan,

violations that occurred at the Vogtle nuclear facility in Georgia in 2016. According to the NRC, employees at the plant failed to complete

As a result of investigations at the Grand Gulf nuclear power plant in Port Gibson, Missouri, Entergy identified that (1) an examination

New York, Palisades in Covert, Michigan, Pilgrim in Plymouth, Massachusetts, River Bend in St. Francisville, Louisiana, and

required checks of the facility and equipment on multiple occasions, but then indicated in logs that the inspections had been completed.

The commission proposed a $145,000 fine for

Standards 15

Digitalisation is king!

Digitalisation is king!

The IECEx Recognized Training Provider Program Standards 15

to the business. But why am I giving you

the independent verifier as a “person or

to the business.

But why amSpecification I giving you for the verifier as a “person or Explosive Atmospheres: andindependent additional requirements are included, such basic information if, like most of the organisation, with the appropriate competency such basic information if, like most of the organisation, with the appropriate competency competence) such as: readership, you are familiar with the hazardous in the applied protection methodology, readership, youaspects are familiar with in the appliedofprotection methodology, • And other such as the hazardous personnel • Control documents: training course area business? responsible for the verification area business? responsible foretc. the verification of design of design requirements of the IECEx Service Facility materials, calculations, assessment testing who calculations, assessment and testing who Scheme • Information contained within theand RTP`s I mention these facts to highlight a big aissue separate and distinct bydistinct management I mention these facts to highlight big issueare documentation are separate and by management shall be current and for manufacturers of explosion protected andcompatible other resources including 2.for To provide the international market with withresources the IECEx financial, 05 rules. from manufacturers of explosion protected and other including financial, from products and systems: they could come into the person or organisation responsible for confidence that such organisations have • Control of records: documents related products and systems: they could come into the person or organisation responsible for serious conflictprocesses with their to customers. all the activities associated withrecords the design, implemented manage and to the status; training of both serious conflict with their customers. allRTP the activities associated with the design, manufacture sales of the equipment.” provide training services related to the candidatesorand trainers. manufacture or sales of the equipment.”

On the onedesign, hand, end users will not accept a selection, inspection, installation, • Quality management system planning: On the one hand, end users will not accept a situation in which theyoverhaul can establish modern For all EPL (equipment protection level) “a”, the maintenance, repair, and reclamation relevant elements, requirements and

in which they can establish ForofEPL (equipment protection digitalised processes andin procedures in themodern evaluation the equipment has to be donelevel) “a”, the ofsituation equipment operating Ex atmospheres provisions adopted to ensure compliance digitalised processes and procedures in the evaluation of the equipment has safe areas of their process plants, but cannot by three independent verifiers, for EPL in“b” with OD 521 shall be documented a byto be done areas ofexpects their process plants, but cannot byforthree independent verifiers, for EPL “b” by apply same technologies hazardous two,systematic and EPL “c”, one independent verifier 3.safe Thethe market that aninIECEx RTP manner. areas because ofsound a technologies lacktraining of applicable modern • Will provide thatincovers the is enough.

• Responsibility and authority shallindependent be apply the same hazardous two, and for EPL “c”, one verifier Every two months, IECEx Chairman Prof. Dr. Thorsten Arnhold provides Every twotwo months, IECEx an update on developments within Every months, IECExChairman Chairman Prof.

Dr. Thorsten Arnhold his organisation Prof.

Dr. Thorsten Arnholdprovides provides an update developmentswithin within an update onon developments his organisation his organisation t the present time, there are few conferences or technical trade

A AA

products due to restrictions by the safetymodern defined activities above anda lack set i.e. effective coordination of training areas because of of applicable is enough. standards.

On theaother hand, manufacturers Theactivities first two years after the introduction of • Can provide pathway to the IECEx products due to restrictions set by the safety areCoPC obliged to fulfill these safety standards, this•new procedure were quite aofsurprise.

Scheme.

Review and maintenance training No standards. On the other hand, manufacturers The first two years after the introduction of which are defined by the documents IECEx CB asked for a scope extension and course materials

are obliged to fulfill these safety standards,

mentioned All aspectsabove. and elements of the RTPP are which are defined by the documents defined in the Operational Document (OD) mentioned above.

This has beenall a IECEx major concern for IECEx. 521.

As with documents, this paper Three ago, at its annual can beyears downloaded 24/7 and Management free of charge

this new procedure were quite a surprise. No

as a• result, no certificates Competence, trainingwere and published. awareness: IECEx CB asked for aofscope extension and During the lastthe year, however, the situation has especially qualifications training staff. as a result, no certificates were published. changed significantly. Now we have more than During the lastwith year, however, the situation has 10 Ex CBs and Ex TLs askills respective Regarding Knowledge and of the scope

shows that dothe not have the Industrial t thes regards present time, there are fewof industrial internet Internet of Things (IIOT) as the main things and Industry 4.0, conferences or technicalconcerns trade focus.

One of the most important have been raised about the impact of shows that do not have the Industrial

Committee Meeting in The concern Hague, the and aorganisation number of applications.

Thisthe has been a major fora IECEx. extension changed significantly. we have more than from IECEx homepage.

It contains whole training and Now the individual organisation launched a new procedure to framework based on the following elements: trainers, OD 521 says: Three years ago, at its annual Management 10 Ex CBs and Ex TLs with a respective scope adopt the newMeeting IEC A look inextension the online database • Proposition that60079-33 an independent andThis • The RTPIECEx shalland demonstrate capability and Committee in Thestandard.

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innovation cycles in every sector, and happen if intelligent machines replace their human counterparts by carrying drastically value and out workshrinking at less cost and chains more reliably? innovation in safe every sector, and In process facility areas, speed The onlycycles reasonable answer I the have of adaptation to this trend restricted especially thequestion process found tointhis isindustries. toiscontinuously by the innovation of the suppliers improve the competence levels ofand the the financial and technical capabilities of the workforce.

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etc.• This implements a practice which Ex installation ‘safety records can has be • Requirements and recommendations for which waswith introduced to permit the quick ForRTP on IEC 60079-33 have been published, and I been field-proven in the ATEX area IECEx, this development is recognition improved the assistance of extra - trainers: adoption new technologies, new by materials am confident thathas many will follow. since 2003. that its focus on thisCertificate area been useful for tools andof greater awareness achieved * IECEx CoPC is others and high levels of safety will be etc.

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• Adequacy consistency of Ex training * Knowledge Ex technologies and been field-proven in the area For IECEx,ofthis development is recognition the general requirements of appendix II with at national and international levels can be relevant standards is required since 2003. that its focus on this area has been useful for

consequences of this trend are the

these new technologies on the situation Internet of Things (IIOT) as the main drastically shrinking value chains and of the working population.

What will focus. One of the most important

consequences of this trend are the especially in the process industries.

operators.

Provider Program of restricted IECEx is a of adaptation to this(RTPP) trend is perfect example of how to establish an by the innovation of the suppliers and the Many processsystem sector companies havetransfer to appropriate to enable the financial and technical capabilities of the handle substances, with potentially of highhazardous level competence. operators. severe consequences for the life and health of the employees in theirthe plants.

Established in 2016, RTPP now consists

Manyof process sectortraining companies have to 21 international organisations The equipment for all use in these offering training intended courses for aspects ofareas handle hazardous substances, with potentially has to fulfill certain safety requirements in order hazardous area businesses. severe consequences for the life and health of to avoid the ignition of potentially explosive the employees in their plants. atmospheres.

These requirements are defined The goals of this program point in the in the international following directions:standards IEC 60079 and

covers the protection method “s” for “special”, thathistory alreadyofmore than training 20 certificates based voluntary assessment enable providing to technical organisation launchedprogram a new will procedure to which was introduced to permit the quick on IEC 60079-33 have been published, and I employers to evaluate merits of their oriented persons in Ex technologies and adopt the new IEC 60079-33 standard. This A look in the IECEx online database shows adoption of new technologies, new materials am confident that many others will follow. peoples` training and education. related fields.

covers the protection method “s” for “special”,

that already more than 20 certificates based

theensured. basic health and safety requirements is The executive group isofpreparing a promotion * Understanding application of of safety will be the industry and high levels obligatory, and harmonised standards are just conference during the TC 31 spring session in • Assurance that training is being provided standards, directives, specs, etc.

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Croatia onand, 23 as April to be held by Certificates based on IEC 60079-33, users ofSplit Ex equipment, with2018, all IECEx inspection and operation of facilitiesthe using IECEx OperationalisDocument OD 233 and was International attendance free UNECE and Ex equipment for most countries The RTPP ofConferences, IECEx is a success story IECEx in conjunction with theiswhich UN, developed and the second ofincreases charge www.iecex.com/meeting-andnotpublished, well regulated or specified at the safety level in process plants The focus Toindustries enableand the IECEx Certification Bodies the(See: Croatian Standards Institute. edition has been available since February events/iecex).

National Levels.to issue Test Reports and and helps staffconference to improve their and Test Labs of this will personal be on industry and 2017. The central and critical element of both competence. It is useful for all stakeholders Certificates based on IEC 60079-33, the users of Ex equipment, and, as with all IECEx the standard OD and 521 the OD is thesome so-called Ininvolved addition, will be holding a series of Furthermore contains in IECEx hazardous area operations.

The equipment intended for use in these areas IECEx Operational Document OD 233 was International Conferences, attendance is free IEC ‘independent working group meetings in Weimar, Germany, 1. To80079. provide an opportunity for Ex training requirements verifier’. regarding the Quality has to fulfill certain safety requirements in order Management developed and published, and the second inHigh of charge (See:training www.iecex.com/meeting-andJunelevel where feedback from application bodies to benchmark their current operations of RTPs. competence programsofof to avoid the ignition of potentially explosive edition has been available since February events/iecex).

Interesting, say, if you are new Under paragraph 3.4, the standard defines this “s”should process willtrained also bepersonnel discussed. to the IECExyou 05might competence requirements thisEx kind give key atmospheres.

These requirements are defined 2017.is The central critical element • As defined in OD 504 (and in future the There no need of a and formally certified QM of both advantages in an increasingly automated in the international standards and the standard theelements OD is the Technical Specification IECIEC TS 60079 60079-44: system, but the and relevant of so-called ISO 9001 world. In addition, IECEx will be holding a series of www.hazardexonthenet.net IEC 80079. ‘independent verifier’. working group meetings in Weimar, Germany, in June where feedback from application of www.hazardexonthenet.net Interesting, you might say, if you are new Under paragraph 3.4, the standard defines this Ex “s” process will also be discussed.

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11/23/2017 11:02:08 AM

Nuclear 17

Pressure vessel integrity - one of the keys to nuclear fusion

I

n a battle to create a world that no longer relies on fossil fuels, Tokamak Energy is aiming to realise the first-

our ever-growing energy demands have thus far proved limited. One more promising technology could well be nuclear

cleaner process, but the trouble is that it has not yet been proven as a technology.

ever reactor that could produce clean power from fusion, the process that happens in the centre of the Sun.

fusion, where, unlike existing nuclear generation, radioactive waste is minimal and meltdown is physically impossible.

Tokamak Energy’s solution, combines two emerging technologies – spherical tokamaks (the most advanced fusion concept in the world) and high-temperature superconductors. The concept behind this is to harness heat right here on Earth within ring shaped chambers that produce cheaper and greener results, hence ‘tokamaks’, derived from the Russian word

The requirement for pressure vessel integrity is never more acute than in the nuclear fusion sector, where tolerances and integrity of seals leave absolutely no room for error.

This article, from high integrity welded structure specialist LTi Metaltech (LTi), which is working with Tokamak Energy on the project, describes some of the challenges of helping develop the ST40 fusion reactor, a crucial step towards a device to produce electricity for the first time from 2025.

The globe’s over reliance on fossil fuels is unsustainable and solutions for meeting

The fusion process creates energy which can then be used to power electric generators

Fusion is what happens in the Sun – when ions in a plasma collide, they fuse together to form larger atoms and release huge amounts of energy. Every nuclear reactor ever made so far has been a fission reactor whereby heavy atoms such as uranium decay into smaller atoms when energy is released. Fusion is a different, safer and

meaning ‘ring shaped chamber’.

The fusion reaction happens between two light hydrogen isotopes, deuterium and tritium, within a plasma hotter than the centre of the sun. The fusion process creates energy which can then be used to power electric generators.

Culham Science Centre has led fusion research for the past 50 years in the UK, and Tokamak Energy, based nearby, has

www.hazardexonthenet.net

18 Nuclear

Tokamak Energy’s basic premise is that smaller reactors can confidently manage the task of creating safe fusion energy. If initial tests prove successful, the new technology will enable production lines to be established manufacturing hundreds of these smaller reactors, similar to making jet engines.

LTi, the UK-based lead manufacturer of the cryogenic pressure vessels used developed a fusion energy plan focused on building smaller reactors faster. Key to the success of this is the development of a containment vessel for the reactor, and the company approached high integrity welded

The most challenging path to fusion energy has been to effectively, consistently and safely heat plasma to the required temperature to sustain fusion in a stable way, whilst doing so within a realistic time-

in Siemens MRI Scanners, has used its fabrication expertise to support Tokamak Energy to create the world’s first highfield spherical tokamak, the ST40 reactor.

Manufacturing of this revolutionary reactor began late last year at the heart of Milton

structure specialist LTi for assistance with this.

frame and budget.

Park, Oxfordshire.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

Nuclear 19

Every nuclear reactor ever made so far has been a fission reactor whereby heavy atoms such as uranium decay into smaller atoms when energy is released

plasma within a field, keeping it away from the walls of the vessel. This will not only prove that fusion power is a viable alternative to environmentally damaging fossil fuels, but that the technology is achievable.

minimum of 4mm, extending to 10mm

The world needs abundant, clean energy. Nuclear fusion - with no CO2

from the edge of the joint to prevent burn through. This would be engineered by a raised surface around the flanges to act as location and weld backing. The company proposed solutions that reduced welding times – eliminating the requirement to grind

emissions, no risk of meltdown and no long-lived radioactive waste – seems like the optimum solution. It is an ambitious challenge that requires serious investment, government backing, R&D initiatives and creative scientists. But if we are successful

back on some double-sided welds.

in commercialising tokamak technologies, widespread adoption of fusion energy could well become a sustainable reality.

The structure was simplified whilst maintaining function by placing prep angles and creating square edges on the coned features. Furthermore, the design was enhanced so that the IVC outer wall is cylindrical and the resulting voids would not

About the author

affect the cone sections.

The reactor vessel is produced using stainless steel, although the companies are considering alternatives to better withstand erosion. Maintaining the plasma within the magnetic field and preventing it from hitting the walls by retaining a small gap requires accurate control of magnetic coils and the current that passes through.

The ST25 reactor, which combines high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets with a smaller than standard spherical tokamak, demonstrated a world record of 29 hours of continuous plasma Conceptualising the IVC Angled Support fabrication structure, LTi envisaged the

in 2015. It is expected that the new ST40 reactor will eventually produce plasma temperatures of 100 million°C – several

formation of single-sided welds including the gap requirements for a backing at a

times hotter than the centre of the Sun, relying on magnetic coils which trap hot

Edgar Rayner is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer and currently holds the role of Technical Director at LTi Metaltech, specialising in manufacturing, engineering and technology management. Prior to his roles at LTi Metaltech, he worked for Siemens where he oversaw a team of physicists, engineers and technicians who developed solutions for pressure vessels and suspension systems.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

20 Gas and vapour

FTIR Gas Analysis F

TIR (Fourier Transform InfraRed) spectroscopy is the most popular

analysis of the gaseous compounds in the sample gas. Importantly, FTIR analysers

Typical applications

analytical technology for industrial applications requiring the continuous measurement of multiple parameters

are able to simultaneously measure multiple analytes in complex gas matrices, detecting virtually all gas-phase species

gases simultaneously, even in hot, wet aggressive gas streams means that it is ideal for emissions monitoring in the power

simultaneously. Typically, FTIR analysers are employed for process control and emissions monitoring,

(both organic and inorganic, except diatomic elements N2, O2 etc. and noble gases He, Ne, etc.).

sector, energy from waste, incineration plants and in industries such as cement and aluminium. These processes have to

however, due to the robustness and flexibility of this technique, it can also be applied in a wide variety of applications.

This article, by Nenne Nordstrรถm of Gasmet Technologies, looks at the advantages and uses of FTIR technology in these different applications.

The portable versions of FTIR analysers offer a range of unique advantages

The ability of FTIR to monitor multiple

demonstrate compliance with emissions limit values specified in regulatory permits using instrumentation with appropriate certification.

A number of typical configurations exist for monitoring emissions including parameters such as CO, NO, H2O, SO2, HCl, NH3, NO2, N2O, CO2, HF, CH4 and CHOH. However, with the ability to monitor thousands of compounds, the opportunities for industrial process monitoring with FTIR are endless.

FTIR gas analysers identify and measure gaseous compounds by their absorbance of infrared radiation. This

FTIR gas analysers can collect a complete infrared spectrum (a measurement of the infrared light absorbed by molecules inside the sample gas cell) 10 times per second.

Multiple spectra are co-added together

is possible because every molecular structure has a unique combination of atoms, and therefore produces a unique spectrum when exposed to infrared light.

Instrumental analysis of the spectrum (2 to 12 micrometer wavelength) enables the

according to a selected measurement time (improving accuracy by raising the signalto-noise ratio). The actual concentrations of gases are calculated from the resulting sample spectrum using a patented modified Classical Least Squares analysis

The emissions from all types of engines are monitored for compliance purposes and also to improve engine efficiency.

Again multigas capability is required and FTIR is therefore commonly applied. With increasing concern over the impact of

qualitative identification and quantitative

algorithm.

vehicle emissions on ambient air quality,

www.hazardexonthenet.net

Gas and vapour 21

FTIR is a popular monitoring technique with engine developers; providing an

1. Fixed Continuous Emissions Monitoring System

spectrum. In order to model moisture and carbon dioxide in the sample, reference

opportunity to refine engine performance whilst measuring the effects on the individual components of emitted gases.

2. Portable heated FTIR for measuring extractive gases 3. Portable ambient gas FTIR analyser 4. Fixed multipoint ambient FTIR gas analyser 5. Stack/duct mounted FTIR gas analyser for measuring gases in-situ

spectra of these gases are used.

In addition to emissions monitoring, FTIR analysers are also employed in other environmental applications, particularly where multigas monitoring is required or where it is necessary to be able to identify unknown gases. Portable and ambient versions of the same FTIR technology are therefore available and are employed in applications

2. Which gases can be measured by FTIR Gas Analysers?

The gases measured by FTIR include: • Inorganic gases: Water, CO2, CO, NO,

A reference spectrum is a spectrum of known concentration of one IR absorbing gas diluted in nitrogen. Reference spectra are

NO2, N2O, NH3, SO2, HCl, HF, …

• Volatile organic compounds: hydrocarbons, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, freons, …

The main exceptions are: • noble gases (He, Ar, …)

such as greenhouse gas monitoring in soils, hazardous ga s analysis in contaminated land and chemical leaks and spills, and also for forensic investigations following fires etc.

used to analyse measured sample spectra.

The absorption peaks in a sample gas are compared with those of reference spectra to determine simultaneously the concentrations

• metals (Hg) • molecules with just two atoms of the same element (N2, O2, H2, Cl2) • molecules with very small dipole moment

FTIR analysers are employed in occupational safety applications such as anaesthetic gas monitoring and analysis, shipping container

of multiple gas components of the sample.

For instance, if the absorption due to Methane in the sample is 1.2 times that of a 10 ppm Methane reference spectrum, the

change (H2S) • low volatility organics (high boiling point or room temperature solid) • particulate matter or aerosols (not a gas)

investigation, fumigation monitoring and the testing of compressed breathing air for impurities.

FTIR – common questions 1. What is a Reference Spectrum?

concentration of Methane is 12 ppm.

The reference spectrum is recorded using

3. What are the detection limits for commonly measured gases?

FTIR analysers are available in a variety of different formats to meet the requirements of

a long measurement time to eliminate noise from the spectrum and the instrument is carefully purged to eliminate traces of moisture and carbon dioxide (the two main

FTIR gas analysers can measure from low ppm levels up to vol-% with sub-ppm detection limits for almost all gases. Exact detection limits depend on the type of sample

different applications, including:

atmospheric IR absorbing gases) from the

cell and detector used.

FTIR gas analyser versions

www.hazardexonthenet.net

22 Gas and vapour

www.hazardexonthenet.net

Gas and vapour 23

4. How many gases can be measured and analysed at the same time?

Typically up to 40 or 50 gases can be analysed from a sample spectrum. The exact number of gases depends on the availability of non-saturated absorption peaks in the spectrum (areas of spectrum with absorbance stronger than 0.8 absorbance units should be avoided) and in samples with strong absorbance across the spectrum the number of gases may be lower.

5. What is the Reference Library Collection?

standards and can even measure the components of hot, wet aggressive gas

In conclusion, FTIR is a powerful but flexible monitoring technology; able to

mixtures.

provide comprehensive monitoring data in an enormous variety of monitoring applications.

Comprehensive certification provides regulated processes with the assurance that monitoring data from FTIR analysers will meet or exceed all regulatory requirements across an expanded range of compounds.

One of the most important features of FTIR analysers is their flexibility. If users need to monitor new gases; no extra

The Gasmet reference library collection contains IR spectra and concentration information for over 250 gas species,

hardware is necessary because the addition of new compounds to the list of measured species is a relatively simple procedure. This means that the monitoring

enabling library searches and the use of non-instrument specific references. To complement this collection of spectra, the NIST/EPA vapour phase IR library is also

equipment is future-proof. In addition, software enables users to retrospectively analyse recoded spectra, which means that it is possible to measure compounds

available in a form compatible with Gasmet IR spectra and this allows the identification of an additional 5000+ gases.

in previous data, that were not originally of interest. Many users have found this to be an extremely useful tool in the

Summary

About the author

identification of process related problems.

FTIR analysers offer the ability to monitor multiple gases simultaneously, reliably and

The portable versions of the analysers offer a range of unique advantages. For

accurately in a wide variety of applications.

The best emissions monitoring analysers comply with international performance

example, many stack monitoring locations can be difficult to access so small lightweight equipment is preferred.

Nenne Nordstrรถm graduated from Aalto University School of Science and Technology (School of Chemical Technology) and has an MSc in Technology from the University of Technology in Finland. She now works as a Sales Channels and Marketing Manager at Gasmet Technologies, a leading global manufacturer of industrial gas analysers. In this position Nenne has become an expert in FTIR technology and portable gas analysers, regularly giving presentations on gas analysis to international audiences.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

27th & 28th February • Runcorn • Cheshire • UK

2 019

2019 event stand sales & sponsorship now open

The 2019 Hazardex International Conference and Exhibition will be taking place at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Runcorn, Cheshire, UK, on February 27th & 28th.

The two-day Conference & Exhibition, which also includes workshops, a networking dinner and awards ceremony, aims to strengthen and expand the community that looks to the Hazardex website and journal for industry intelligence and information.

PERFORMANCE Temperature process values MADE SMARTER and diagnosticsSAVE THE DATES! at a glance

CONTACT US NOW FOR SPONSORSHIP & EXHIBITING OPPORTUNITIES CONFERENCE CALL FOR PAPERS TO BE RELEASED SHORTLY

Delegate, exhibitor or sponsorship enquiries should be addressed to Event Director Russell Goater at events@imlgroup.co.uk or phone +44 (0) 1732 359990.

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See the 2018 exhibition review video by clicking here

Gas and vapour 25

Benzene - where detection is better than cure S

teve Billingham, CEO of Duvas

Technologies, discusses the latest developments in air quality monitoring equipment and explores how UV

example is benzene – a chemical widely

Regardless of how you are exposed

present (albeit in microscopic levels) in almost every organic compound on earth.

to benzene, it will quickly enter your bloodstream and is converted into metabolites in the liver. These metabolites

spectroscopy innovation is helping to improve occupational health for workers operating across the petro-chemical

The next asbestos?

First discovered and isolated from coal tar in the 1800s, benzene is widely used as a raw

usually leave the body within 48 hours, however the damage they impart depends on concentration.

industry.

In 1897, the link was made between asbestos

material to make industrial chemicals, such as ethylbenzene, cumene and cyclohexane.

Because of its flexibility and application,

Brief exposure to high levels (10,000 parts per million [ppm]) can result in death. Lower

and fatal lung disease. More than a century later, the material was finally banned from use in the UK after an estimated 2,500 workers

benzene ranks in the top 20 in production volumes for chemicals produced in the United States.

levels (700 ppm) can cause dizziness, vomiting and unconsciousness. Although not immediate, long-term exposure to lower

lost their lives through direct exposure.

Since then, millions of pounds in compensation has been paid out to victims by both employers and governments worldwide. However, with symptoms lying dormant for up to 20 years, this figure will undoubtedly increase.

Benzene is also naturally found in crude oil (refined and separated to produce gasoline, petroleum and lubricants), as well as in air, water and soil.

According to statistics from The Department of Health and Human Services (USA), more

levels can be just as severe as a one-off high dose.

Those who are exposed to benzene for long periods of time experience serious issues with the production of red blood cells. A decrease in production lowers the immune system, which can lead to anaemia, impacts

While the identification and isolation of asbestos as a hazardous substance has helped to save countless lives worldwide, there are a number of other common carcinogens that could pose similar public

than 238,000 people are occupationally exposed to benzene every day. High levels of the chemical have been found in 1,000 of the 1,684 most serious hazardous waste sites in the USA, while traces have also been identified in car exhausts, tobacco smoke

on fertility and can even result in acute myeloid leukaemia – a cancer of the bloodforming organs.

health risks in the long-term. One such

and household detergents.

years.

Like asbestos, the gestation of benzenerelated symptoms can be as long as 20

www.hazardexonthenet.net

26 Gas and vapour Global legislation Benzene legislation is inconsistent worldwide.

While some countries only classify the toxin within general air quality initiatives, others do not regulate maximum exposure levels at all.

In the USA, however, the picture is different.

Benzene use and exposure is specifically covered by section 112d of the Clean Air

Historically, these solutions have either utilised photoionization detection

Gas chromatography, on the other hand, delivers more reliable and detailed

(PID) or gas chromatography (GC) to measure volatile organic compounds in concentrations from sub ppb to 10,000ppm. Both solutions seemingly deliver similar results on the surface, but have clearly differentiating functionality.

monitoring. Widely used in analytical chemistry to separate and analyse compounds, the technology is capable of detecting components to within microscopic concentrations.

GC – In gas chromatography, different

The US chemical engineering industry, for example, is required to monitor and report on

PID – Efficient and cost-effective, photoionization detectors are widely used. PIDs produce immediate readings and operate continuously, making them ideal for use in confined facilities. Their primary use is for monitoring exposure

chemical constituents of a sample pass through a stationary tube within a gas stream.

Depending on their various chemical and physical properties, different chemicals exit the column at different times and are recorded electronically.

ambient levels both inside and outside of site parameters. Fence line monitoring is required to ensure levels remain just under 3 parts per

to solvents, fuels and plastics during the manufacturing process, providing quick results for health and safety reporting.

Generally, substances are identified by the order in which they emerge and by the time

billion [ppb] (9 µg/m3), while the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has set a permissible exposure limit of 1ppm in the workplace during an 8-hour work day, 40hour work week.

In a PID, high-energy photons, typically in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) range, break molecules into positively charged ions. As compounds enter the detector,

Act (CAA), which provides meticulous detail into ‘safe’ levels across a broad range of scenarios.

taken to do so. This produces a reliable diagnosis of chemical type and frequency contained within a sample.

While highly precise, size and power

they are saturated by high-energy UV photons and ionized when they absorb the UV light, resulting in ejection of

requirements mean that samples must be collected and delivered to a laboratory setting before they can be analysed via GC. This not

monitoring equipment is considered proven technology. Even for benzene, numerous technologies can provide detailed analytics

electrons and the formation of positively charged ions.

only impacts on the time taken to process results, but can also lead to a potential inaccuracy in readings.

into concentration levels.

The ions produce an electric current, which is the output of the detector.

The greater the concentration of the

Measurement technologies In the USA and further afield, air quality

www.hazardexonthenet.net

While both PID and GC have their place in measuring compound concentrations, their

component, the more ions are produced and the greater the current.

application for monitoring real-time benzene levels is far from ideal – especially when it comes to meeting specific legislation.

While portable, lightweight and capable of delivering instantaneous results, PID can only measure concentrations to within relatively broad parameters.

As such, the technology is ideal when managing a leak crisis scenario, but relatively ineffective for understanding precise fluctuations in chemical concentrations during long-term

For example, while GC technology can be used to periodically analyse ambient levels, it doesn’t provide the capability to identify a leak and is too cumbersome to facilitate fence line reporting. Furthermore, initial investment costs are prohibitive.

analysis.

immediate results, the inability to be specific and determine individual species means analytics will be insufficient to meet regulated requirements.

PID, on the other hand, also has its flaws.

Despite being mobile and delivering

Gas and vapour 27

As such, the industry has been engaging in significant R&D activity – driven in part

deliver mobile readings. Providing ppb-level detail, this analysis will provide detailed,

Governments around the world need to come together in partnership and draw up a clear

by US air quality legislation – to develop more suitable solutions. Progress in UV spectroscopy has been one key resulting breakthrough.

yet immediate insight, to meet legislative requirements.

structure for the international regulation of benzene, but industry also has its part to play.

Safety of staff must be a priority – embracing the latest technology is a simple step to achieve this.

Developments in UV spectroscopy Offering an alternative, or complimentary, solution to PID or GC, UV Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (UV-DOAS) is quickly becoming the go-to technology for monitoring benzene concentrations in the petrochemicals industry.

New detection analysers are already being used by companies across the petrochemicals industry to deliver fast, accurate, real-time benzene data. However,

Changing regulation Although USA air quality legislation for

Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy refers to the absorption spectroscopy in the ultraviolet-

benzene is clearly streets ahead, over the coming years we expect more countries to follow suit with similar guidelines. Businesses

visible spectral region. When a UV lamp shines light into a gas cell, the beam of light is reflected via a series of mirrors and collected by a UV spectrometer. Because every type of gas absorbs UV radiation along its own

– not just across the petrochemicals industry, but every sector involved in the production or use of benzene – will have to implement new processes to demonstrate safe working environments.

unique band of the spectrum, it is possible to precisely identify the concentration of the gases present.

While the impact of over-exposure can be catastrophic, fortunately the technology is

UV-DOAS can, therefore, simultaneously measure benzene concentrations alongside

available to identify levels early and implement immediate changes to eliminate the negative consequences. As a highly progressive

a plethora of additional species – nitrogen dioxide and toluene, for example.

industry, air quality analysis R&D will inevitably continue, ensuring even greater levels of accuracy and capability. We are at the tipping

Furthermore, with no ‘sample’ needed, specially-designed equipment can measure real-time levels – making it perfect for both

point of global behavioural change.

ambient and fence line reporting.

Until tighter legislative controls are introduced, the increasing prevalence of benzene use within industrial applications means millions of workers around the world are dying through over-exposure every year.

While heavier than PID systems, UV-DOAS monitoring units are portable and can be easily fitted into bespoke vehicles to

About the author

with the capability of monitoring for up to 13 additional species, its application can play a far wider part in the global air quality market.

Steve Billingham is CEO of Duvas Technologies, which specialises in ultra-violet absorption spectroscopy to facilitate multi-species mobile gas analysis in real-time. He was previously Sales Director and then Managing Director of Geotech UK.

The future of air quality .

www.hazardexonthenet.net

28 Gas and vapour

Safety management

software and gas monitoring C

ompanies that invest in the latest

connected technology not only ensure regulatory compliance and the regular maintenance of safety equipment that is key to protecting workers, they also gain a far-reaching business benefit: a competitive advantage. Here, Prabhu Soundarrajan of Honeywell Industrial Safety explains how cutting-edge safety management and monitoring software can enable businesses to streamline safety processes, reduce safety compliance and maintenance costs.

management software, such as Honeywell’s

The latest safety software solutions enable managers to access, in real-time and from remote locations, the data that is collected by the portable devices worn by workers

new Connected Worker Platform, is now responding to these fundamental challenges.

Take portable gas detectors. Typically, companies operating in sectors where workers require protection from potential

around £40,000 a year for health and safety compliance, but could end up paying £75,000 more in fines if found guilty of a breach [2].

exposure to toxic gases rely on large fleets of portable gas detectors. All of these devices need to be maintained on a regular basis to ensure that workers can rely on them.

Keeping records of all these operations manually can be very time consuming and costly. And because companies often use a range of portable gas monitors for measuring

Failing to comply with safety standards and regulations can not only put workers at risk, but can also be extremely costly. In the financial year 2015/2016, injuries and work-related illnesses cost UK employers £2.9 billion [1]. On average, a typical small-

With these figures in mind, it is not difficult to understand why making safety management processes easier and more efficient, while enabling businesses to gain better visibility of their workforce and safety

toxic and flammable gases under varying conditions, safety managers can benefit from using a common interface, or visual display, that shows information from different types and brands of gas monitoring instrumentation, and is both simple to understand and easy

to-medium enterprise can expect to pay

equipment, is crucial. The latest safety

to use.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

Gas and vapour 29

Historically, the only option for companies wanting to streamline maintenance operations has been to use a different standalone software for each product, which poses a real challenge when it comes to collecting and interpreting the data that has to be aggregated from different sources. The new software platforms, however, have been developed to address this challenge and offer maintenance engineers and safety managers one, overarching open platform solution that is able to connect with different devices, so that all safety systems can be managed through one simple tool.

health by consolidating calibration, bump and event data.

Bluetooth, these devices also support WiFi, Mesh, and GPS wireless communication protocols.

Research shows connected workers increase output by up to 9%, and reduce costs by up to 8% Perhaps more importantly, the latest safety software solutions enable safety managers to access, in real-time and from remote

The most compehensive systems will support connected worker offerings such as two-way communications, geo-location and automatic safety alerts to provide employers with real-time awareness of safety incidents. This vital information enables the safety manager to respond quickly if an employee is injured in a remote location, or even to prevent an incident.

These offer a highly intuitive and userfriendly interface which simplifies device

locations, the data that is collected by the portable devices worn by the workers.

For example, Bluetooth connectivity now enables the worker to automatically

For example, the safety manager can immediately alert a worker operating in a confined space to step out of a dangerous situation or send immediate rescue if a

configuration, testing and maintenance, streamlining compliance administration for safety managers by generating testing, certification, incident and other key reports

connect their portable gas detector or other device to their smartphone.

Wireless connectivity then enables the safety manager to immediately view, on

‘man down’ alert is received. The data is also stored so that safety managers can run reports on a population of workers or an individual worker and monitor their

at a glance. It also makes the work of maintenance engineers easier by providing them with intuitive device configuration

their laptop or smartphone, which worker is using the device. In this way, remote stakeholders can monitor each individual

exposure to hazardous substances over time. This is key to tackling ill health before it is too late with data informing decisions

using logical data groups, consistent configuration across all devices and quick instrument configuration supported by device templates. An automated notification

worker’s safety closely. It is possible to access critical data such as toxic gas readings or radiation levels, man-down alerts and locations that are automatically

about working patterns so that, for example, a worker’s exposure levels over a particular shift are reduced.

alerts the safety manager if a product certification is expiring. The platform also offers a comprehensive view of device

transmitted, wirelessly, by the portable device so the company can provide immediate help if needed. In addition to

By enabling portable gas detectors and other devices to automatically communicate data directly to the control

www.hazardexonthenet.net

30 Gas and vapour

Sample Honeywell CWP screen room, in real time, safety compliance and monitoring can enhance productivity

Connected worker technologies allow businesses to make workplaces safer and

in a number of ways. Firstly, it makes it unnecessary for workers to stop every few minutes to send the information

operations more efficient while helping companies reduce costly downtime and administrative burden. With the

back manually, thus reducing downtime.

Secondly, it gives workers the confidence that the equipment they’re using is fit for

prominence of connectivity in industrial settings set to grow in years to come, connected technology, underpinned

purpose and that their exposure levels are being monitored closely. Thirdly, software technology gives workers the ability to

by safety management and monitoring software, will certainly have a crucial role to play in this fundamental shift

focus more on the job in hand, thus improving overall productivity.

to a safer and more productive work environment. Business executives can now make smarter investment and financial

Honeywell estimates that this capability can significantly increase overall productivity.

This is corroborated by studies on the benefits of connected workers, which estimate an increase in output of roughly 8-9 percent, with a reduction in costs of approximately 7-8 percent. In industrial operations it is estimated that companies

decisions to enhance their profitability and competitive advantage with connected worker technologies.

could see as much as a 300-basispoint boost to their bottom line. [3] The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) [4] and National Safety Council (NSC)[5] have estimated that every dollar invested in safety yields

3. www.telegraph.co.uk/business/digital-leaders/

$5 in benefits - a 500 percent return.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

References 1. www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overall/hssh1617.pdf 2. www.arinite.co.uk/the-cost-of-health-andsafety-compliance-vs-a-prosecution-fine/ horizons/telegraph-horizons-connectedindustrial-worker/ 4. www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/safetypays/ 5. www.nsc.org/JSEWorkplaceDocuments/ Journey-to-Safety-Excellence-Safety-BusinessCase-Executives.pdf

About the author

Prabhu Soundarrajan is Global Director connected worker for Honeywell Industrial Safety. He is Lead strategic marketing and global business development for connected worker solutions within Honeywell for the mission-critical oil and gas, industrial safety, environmental, and security markets. His key focus is on solution selling, product strategy, strategic partnerships, corporate accounts, and partnership channel development.

Honeywell Analytics is the #1 gas detection company in the world.

Simulation 31

Case study: 3D virtualisation offers realistic project emulation in subsea environments S

ubsea 7 is a leading global contractor in seabed-to-surface

engineering, construction and services to the offshore industry. The company has worked with Siemens for some time to develop effective in-house control systems, using Siemens SIMIT simulation technology to help iron out any potential software bugs before installation. By creating a virtual model from its Aberdeen base, Subsea 7 can effectively test the control systems under as near to ‘live‘ conditions as possible, incorporating sea states and other external influences to suit almost any offshore location worldwide.

This innovative development taking our simulation technology to the emulation stage has generated real value and time and cost savings to Subsea 7

high standard of 3-D graphics incorporated.

He calls this ‘emulation‘ and it has a number of significant benefits for Subsea 7 projects.

Key benefits Due to the nature of the installations Subsea 7 carries out, often for consistently hostile offshore environments, safety is a prime consideration. Using the Subsea 7 emulation system means operatives can be trained on virtual software in advance of actual construction, from the safety of an office desk, rather than in real conditions on a vessel. Different tidal and weather conditions can be built in so that the equipment can effectively be tested under ‘real‘ conditions and any issues resolved prior to construction.

As Leslie comments: “We’ve developed

Senior control systems group engineer at Subsea 7, Leslie McGuire, has been working with emulation for over six years.

“As well as testing the control system functions, we can implement environmental influences. Adding this extra layer with good emulation techniques, we can also fully test

an interface which enables operators to move the machinery on the vessel using 3-D technology, giving them full function training as well as testing the software

He developed an animated version of the Siemens digital twin (the virtual model) for

how a system will behave or react while being controlled by the actual unmodified

works in advance of actual installation.

Being able to experience the conditions the

use with projects, which comes with a very

machinery software.“

crane (for example) will experience, with

www.hazardexonthenet.net

32 Simulation

As well as testing the control system functions, we can implement environmental influences to operate anywhere in the world, Subsea 7 engineers are able to save costs and time, both for the initial design and construction work, and subsequently, for updates and future modifications, as the emulations can be re-used and expanded.

Leslie estimates that over 80 per cent of software bugs can be ironed out prior to installation, a significant advantage for operations.

In safety terms, if there is any accident or

Near-real conditions can be emulated to improve familiarity with operating systems

component failure on any vessel carrying the real equipment, the processes leading up to it and around it can be replayed in-house and assessed through local time stamped event logs. But, by being able

full virtualisation of the control software,

functions so it is absolutely tailored to their

SCADA, PLC, etc, help to prove how it will work and react in particular situations. We can bring the control operators in at this

specific needs with unique factors built in.“ By being able to design codes from an

to emulate a range of conditions prior to construction, many potential emergency scenarios can be played out and

stage to see it, and they can add in other

office base, for vessels ultimately designed

appropriate precautions taken in advance.

Realistic 3-D technology means Subsea 7 can fully test equipment prior to installation

www.hazardexonthenet.net

Simulation 33

Stephen Crimin of Siemens says: “This innovative development taking our simulation technology to the emulation stage has generated real value and time and cost savings to Subsea 7. They can effectively design in ‘real‘ conditions for trainee operators to tackle from the safety of an office desk, under supervision, dramatically improving familiarity with the operating systems prior to installation, and any potential issues can be ironed out early on.“

About the author Significant detail is captured in safe, near-real conditions Speed to market has become a key factor

As Leslie McGuire concludes: “Where

for operators, and the Subsea 7 design and emulation system helps to considerably shorten the development time, saving months in many cases. It is a highly accurate system, and with the familiarisation

people might struggle with programming, they can immediately relate to a 3-D working model. We can even inject deliberate faults into the system via a tester PC, so a trainee operator has to find the sensor source of

training that can be carried out in near-real conditions, it is also an intrinsically safer system.

an alarm going off, for example. It means people can effectively practise with what is just like the real thing.“

Stephen Crimin is an environmental power development manager at Siemens, responsible for industrial automation, digitisation and integrated drive systems sales and account development in renewable, thermal power generation and oil & gas across a wide variety of UK accounts.

He covers many Siemens products including MCCs, VSD, motors, PLCs, DCS, SCADA, digitalisation and cyber security.

Near-real weather conditions are emulated with the Subsea 7 software

www.hazardexonthenet.net

34 Events

ARC European Industry Forum (EIF) Date: 15 to 16 May 2018 Location: Sitges, Spain Digitalizing & Securing Plants, Equipment and Infrastructure - Smart Solutions for Industry, Logistics & Cities It’s happening fast. Everywhere we turn, devices and processes are becoming more connected and intelligent. Production machines, gas turbines, and thermostats all stream data. Refineries, oil platforms, mines, and wind turbines are optimizing asset and operating performance. Design software links to additive machines to print parts directly. And it’s only the beginning.

Challenges continue to grow for the

industrial cybersecurity community. Broader deployment of operational technology is expanding the use cases requiring protection. Resource shortages are undermining the effectiveness of established defenses. Blurring boundaries between IT, OT, and IoT are increasing the need for more integrated, collaborative cybersecurity strategies.

• How will disruptive technologies change existing products, processes and plants?

• Can cybersecurity threats be overcome?

• When will machine learning and artificial intelligence transform operations?

• Will open source solutions impact traditional software and automation

• How will a digitally-enhanced workforce stem the loss of tribal knowledge?

• How do connected products create opportunities in aftermarket services?

• What steps can organizations take to foster innovative thinking?

At the European Industry Forum (EIF), end users present case studies that inspire participants to network and ask questions related to their own operations.

Website: www.arcweb.com/events/arcindustry-forum-europe

domains?

Hazards 28 Date: 15 to 17 May 2018 Location: Edinburgh, UK Risk will never be eliminated, but it can be better managed and reduced.

IChemE Hazards conferences share best practice, latest developments and lessons learned in process safety, promoting a continuous focus on improving process safety performance.

Covering every major aspect of process safety, and aimed at anyone who is active in process safety and risk management,

they provide essential insight into how to manage and reduce risk effectively and offer excellent networking opportunities.

First staged in 1960, Hazards is held annually in the UK and is widely recognised as Europe’s leading process safety event.

Sister conferences are held regularly in Australasia and Asia too.

Hazards 28 takes place on 15–17 May 2018 at the EICC in Edinburgh, Scotland, and will bring together process safety practitioners from around the globe.

Key features • approximately 100 oral presentations and posters from leading industry practitioners, researchers and regulators • invited keynote speakers from industry • trade exhibition of process safety related products and services • excellent networking opportunities • optional pre-conference workshops Website: http://www.icheme.org/ hazards28

PS Congres Date: 30 May 2018 Location: Dordrecht, Netherlands

support of the industry societies VNCI, KIVI, EPSC & NAP.

For the 4th time, PS Congres will gather some 300 technical safety specialists and managers to discuss all aspects of process safety and to network in Dordrecht (near Rotterdam).

We have assembled a programme of world class speakers, and a network forum supports knowledge exchange at an individual level. The conference is aimed at technical safety specialists, managers

It is organised by the NPO PScongres with

and inspectors in companies that deal with hazardous chemical processes.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

Organiser: European Process Safety Centre (EPSC) Website: http://www.pscongres.nl

Buyers Guide 35

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