oldfieldguy
Electrical
Close to home - this is in southeast Texas. I've worked there:
old field guy
old field guy
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Plant explosion
- Thread starter oldfieldguy
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JohnRBaker
Mechanical
Yes, there's been problems like this before in Texas. Ever been to West, TX?
John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without
John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without
"County Judge Jeff Branick says there are no reports of any fatalities and only three people with injuries..."
"There is damage reported to homes and even a school in the area..."
"The plant produces butadiene and raffinate.
"Butadiene is a colorless has used to make synthetic rubber and plastics, and to make other chemicals.
"Raffinate is the residual product left after a reforming process. It’s also a colorless gas."
Sounds to me like maybe a vapor cloud explosion.
I grew up on the coast, and that kind of thing is not THAT uncommon- you have miles and miles of chemical plants and refineries there.
I just assumed that's how the world was.
But I think there is more oil and gas work in Harris County, Texas, than in all of Colorado and Wyoming combined.
West, Texas, however, is kind of a different situation, that could have happened a lot of different places- agricultural application, not related to the oil/gas/chemical production.
When I was a kid, I was going to the doctor's with my mom and we heard a loud "Foom!" from across the way.
Later found out, that was a tank car exploding at Dow Chemical. Seems like a pump had overheated or something of the sort. Killed two or three men, with not much found in the way of remains.
My dad lives several miles from any of the plants, but you can hear occasional emergency sirens (different signals for gas release, all-clear, etc.)
"There is damage reported to homes and even a school in the area..."
"The plant produces butadiene and raffinate.
"Butadiene is a colorless has used to make synthetic rubber and plastics, and to make other chemicals.
"Raffinate is the residual product left after a reforming process. It’s also a colorless gas."
Sounds to me like maybe a vapor cloud explosion.
I grew up on the coast, and that kind of thing is not THAT uncommon- you have miles and miles of chemical plants and refineries there.
I just assumed that's how the world was.
But I think there is more oil and gas work in Harris County, Texas, than in all of Colorado and Wyoming combined.
West, Texas, however, is kind of a different situation, that could have happened a lot of different places- agricultural application, not related to the oil/gas/chemical production.
When I was a kid, I was going to the doctor's with my mom and we heard a loud "Foom!" from across the way.
Later found out, that was a tank car exploding at Dow Chemical. Seems like a pump had overheated or something of the sort. Killed two or three men, with not much found in the way of remains.
My dad lives several miles from any of the plants, but you can hear occasional emergency sirens (different signals for gas release, all-clear, etc.)
LittleInch
Petroleum
The video in the link by old field guy seems to show a vapour cloud explosion ( big flash high in the sky ) as opposed to a BLEVE or a tank explosion.
Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.
Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.
In this video a Saturn V appears to return from the Moon at T+ 0m 20s.
So, assuming that 20 seconds is the TOF at a launch angle of 90 degrees, it results in approximately an initial velocity of 320 fps and apogee at an altitude of 1600 ft! It looks like the explosion must have been right under that VV, as there appears to have been negligible horizontal displacement. If Houston keeps sending up these kinds of things, they will have to reopen NASA' Mission Control Center.
So, assuming that 20 seconds is the TOF at a launch angle of 90 degrees, it results in approximately an initial velocity of 320 fps and apogee at an altitude of 1600 ft! It looks like the explosion must have been right under that VV, as there appears to have been negligible horizontal displacement. If Houston keeps sending up these kinds of things, they will have to reopen NASA' Mission Control Center.
Alistair_Heaton
Mechanical
When the dirty well blew in Scotland at Dunray....
Apparently the 5 ton concrete lid was picked up by a primary radar at 4000ft agl.
Apparently the 5 ton concrete lid was picked up by a primary radar at 4000ft agl.
NOLAscience
Structural
Doorbell cam footage of the explosion:
Second major explostion: a tank (?) went airborne, comes down at 0:06
Has the plant announced in which unit the first explosion occurred?
Second major explostion: a tank (?) went airborne, comes down at 0:06
Has the plant announced in which unit the first explosion occurred?
Usually a major plant incident like this one is investigated by the US Chemical Safety Board
But this important federal agency has been targeted to be defunded and disbanded by the Trump administration ....
MJCronin
Sr. Process Engineer
But this important federal agency has been targeted to be defunded and disbanded by the Trump administration ....
MJCronin
Sr. Process Engineer
JohnRBaker
Mechanical
Which would make a lot of business interests in Texas very happy. After all, the state agency responsible for these plants exists in name only. I understand that the last time this plant failed one of it's inspections, it was fined $30.
John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without
John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without
1- U.S. Chemical Safety Board isn't going anywhere.
2- As with most government agencies there are lots of overlapping responsibilities with the USCSB, OSHA, EPA, etc.
3- Many other commercially funded organizations (like SOCMA, ISO) also oversee regulatory compliance as well as advocacy (AKA lobbying).
4- Most chemical manufacturers (or any other industry) don't like to see explosions and other accidents in their facilities for a number of reasons, fines or not.
5- Accidents happen.
Brad Waybright
It's all okay as long as it's okay.
2- As with most government agencies there are lots of overlapping responsibilities with the USCSB, OSHA, EPA, etc.
3- Many other commercially funded organizations (like SOCMA, ISO) also oversee regulatory compliance as well as advocacy (AKA lobbying).
4- Most chemical manufacturers (or any other industry) don't like to see explosions and other accidents in their facilities for a number of reasons, fines or not.
5- Accidents happen.
Brad Waybright
It's all okay as long as it's okay.
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