Risk Analysis and Environmental Impact Analysis in a Chemical Processing Facility

Abstract

The present work provides a method of risk analysis in chemical processing facilities, which consists primarily of the following steps: description and study of the system, hazard analysis and identification, identification of the accidental scenarios, calculation of the consequences of the scenarios and risk characterization. To illustrate the application of the method, an uranium hexafluoride production facility was selected. The main hazards identified were: fire, explosion, spill of toxic chemical substances and ground contamination due to problems in the waterproof blanket of the waste contention bund. Some cases of environmental impact due to uranium hexafluoride (UF₆) release were quantitatively analyzed for different scenarios, considering two categories of atmospheric stability: Pasquill D and Pasquill F. It was found that the impact which reached a great external area around the plant corresponded to the condition of atmospheric stability F.