FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARDS OF CHLORINE-CONTAINING SYSTEMS

This paper deals with the fire and explosion hazards of chlorination reactions and the handling of free and bound chlorine-containing systems. Some relevant characteristics are presented, such as flammability limits, auto-ignition, quenching diameter, burning velocity and detonation limits, especially for the system methyl chloride-chlorine. Autoignition temperatures of systems containing chlorine as an oxidant are usually much lower than the corresponding values in air or oxygen. On the basis of the information available and a number of cases illustrating the field of interest, the general case of chlorine-containing systems are discussed and some consideration given to the safe handling of these systems in a chemical plant, especially in the gas phase.