This document discusses emergency handling procedures for liquid chlorine. It provides background on chlorine including its properties, health effects, and emergency situations. It then outlines safety controls and procedures adopted by the plant including emergency control cycles, personal protective equipment, first aid, dos and don'ts, and prevention measures for chlorine pipelines, storage tanks, and tonners. Certification from regulatory bodies is also mentioned.

1. Emergency Handling In
Liquid Chlorine
BY ASHISH CHAUHAN
CAUSTIC SODA (CAG)

2. Content
 Focus Areas.
 About Chlorine.
 Emergency situations & Control.
 Safety Control adopted in plant.
 DO’s & DON’T.
 Certification by CCE & BSC.

3. Focus Area
 Most significant risk identified in Chlor Alkali Production is Chlorine leakage/
release.
 Plant has max. storage capacity of
150 MT liquid chlorine in storage tanks
1200 tonners of 900 kg liquid chlorine each.

4. About Chlorine
S.No Property State/ Range
1 Physical State & Color Gas/Liquid & Yellowish
Green
2 Odor & Taste Pungent , Suffocant &
bitter
3 Corrosivity Corrosive
4 Water Solubility & Specific Gravity Slightly Soluble & 1.4 at 20
C.
5. Boiling Point & Melting Point -34.5 (1atm) & -100(1atm)
6 Threshold Limit value (TLV) 1 PPM

5. Important Properties
 Chlorine is Highly Oxidizing agent that’s why keeps always from heat source.
 It has high coefficient of expansion that why in tonner it fills only 0.9 ton.
 1 litre of Liquid chlorine is equal to 457.8 litre of gas.
 Solubilty of CL2 is very less in 9.7 c Water . It is only 1% . Forms hydrate at bottom.

6. Cl2 Exposure Health effect
Concentration (PPM in Air ) Health Effect
1-3 PPM Mild mucous membrane irritation
5-15 PPM Upper respiratory tract irritation
30 PPM Immediate Chest Pain, vomiting &
Shortness of Breath ( dysnea) & Cough
40 to 60 PPM Inflammation of Lung Tissue(Toxic
pneumonitis & Fluid Accumulation
(Pulmonary Edema )
1000 PPM Fatal to Death within few minutes

7. Emergency Situations
Chlorine leakage/release can take place from:
process pipelines,
 chlorine storage tanks,
 chlorine tonners in plant,during transport or at customer end.
 Leakage from Sulphuric Acid line.

8. Emergency Control Cycle.

9. General Tips:
 Do not panic. Chlorine does not burn or explodes.
 Avoid deep breathing when Chlorine is present in the atmosphere.
 Go indoors and close the doors and windows of the house and switch off the
ventilation system.
 Move to the upper floor if in a multi store building.
 Cover the face with a wet towel for additional protection.

10. PPE’S uses in Cl2 Leakages
 Air Line continuous respirator
 Self-contained breathing apparatus
 Industrial canister type gas mask
 Emergency escape breathing apparatus: EEBA from ISI is a proven line of
emergency escape breathing devices. These are not used for use as emergency
response SCBA but as a means for personnel to escape hazardous environments in
workplace

11. First Aid
Treatment:
 In all cases, immediately remove the patient from the contaminated area, immediately
begin appropriate treatment. Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious patient.
 Inhalation: If the patient is breathing, place him in comfortable position, keep him
warm and at rest until a physician arrives. It breathing is difficult, administer oxygen if
equipment and trained personnel are available.
 Eyes: If even small quantities of Chlorine have entered in the eyes, flush eyes
immediately with copious amounts of lukewarm running water for at least 15 minutes.
Hold the eyelids apart forcibly to insure complete irritation of all eye and lid tissues.
 Skin: Get patient under a shower immediately remove clothes while the shower is
running wash the skin with large quantities of soap and water. Do not attempt to
neutralize Chlorine with chemical.

12. DO’S & DON’T
DO’S:
Use required PPE’s during Chlorine handling.
Chlorine is 1.8 times heavier than air so, when Chlorine will leak you should leave place
perpendicular or opposite direction of air in respect of working place.
One liter liquid Chlorine = 456.8 liter Chlorine gas so, when liquid Chlorine will leak You
must immediately arrest leakage.
Chlorine is highly Oxidizing agent so keep it away flammable material from
When Chlorine will spillage Chlorine should neutralize with Caustic soda after it should wash with
water
When Chlorine will spray on any parts of body you have to wash with water up to minimum 15
minute
When Chlorine come in respiratory system then affected person shift toward open place and give
artificial respiratory
On above situation immediately give medical treatment.

13. DON’T
 Flammable material should not burnt near to Chlorine.
When liquid Chlorine will spray on any parts of body then skin will affect
with cold burn so, you must not direct contact with liquid Chlorine.
Wet Chlorine is highly corrosive so, dry chlorine never keep in contact
with water.
Chlorine and Petroleum product can form some compound with Hydrogen,
Turpentine, Alcohol, Acetylene, Ammonia and Sulphur etc. and by this
compound it can blast so, it must always keep away from chemicals.

14. Effect of Temperature on Volume:
With increase of temperature of container the volume of liquid increased rapidly and
at 70oC it crosses the capacity of container and damage of container is possible
causing SERIOUS HAZARDS.

15. Emergency Prevention : CL2 Pipelines
• Material of construction of chlorine pipelines used selectively:
– Special grade alpolite resin pipelines are used for wet chlorine gas at
high temperature.
– FRP reinforced PVC pipelines are used for wet chlorine gas at normal
temperatures.
– Sch 80, low temperature carbon steel pipelines are used for dry liquid
chlorine service.
• Flanges of ASA#300 rating are used in liquid chlorine pipelines
• Cl2 service compatible isolation valves provided at strategic locations.
• Periodic inspection and replacement plan is in place

16. Continues..
• Pressure and temperature transmitters with online indications and alarms on
DCS.
• Control valves and DCS logics to divert chlorine gas automatically to chlorine
neutralization section in case of pressure increase.
• Safety interlocks in line to even trip the plant in case chlorine pressure
increases beyond certain limit.
• Liquid chlorine header connected to expansion bottle so as to take care of
increase in pressure due to temperature rise.
• Insulation of liquid chlorine pipeline maintained in good condition

17. Emergency Prevention : CL2 Storage
Tanks
• Design of storage tanks approved by CCE.
• Hydro testing and third party inspection as per SMPV(U), rules 1981 done biennially.
• Load cells installed to measure quantity of chlorine in storage tanks.
• Online indications and alarms provided for internal pressure of each storage tank.
• Dual safety valve arrangement provided in each storage tank.
• Temperature sensors with alarm provided on safety valve outlet line.
• Safety valve discharge connected to chlorine neutralization section.
• Provision for EFV (Excess Flow Valve ) .

18. • Hydro testing and inspection done biennially.
• BIS certified valves used for chlorine tonners.
• Unique double valve system used for filling of chlorine tonners.
• Use of chlorine tonners management software for:
– Online tracking of chlorine tonners.
– Providing information of weight loss and hydro testing details.
– Providing online position of all chlorine tonners at any moment of time.
– Maintaining history of chlorine tonners.
• Filled chlorine tonners kept under observation before dispatch.
• Requirements of Gas cylinder rules 2004 complied for safe storage and dispatch of
cylinders
Emergency prevention: Chlorine tonners