AUSTHERM Pty Ltd
A.B.N. 83 066 556 661
Hazard and Security Analysis Services
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Austherm are able to evaluate the security sensitivity of pure
chemical substances and of mixtures such as might be used for
unauthorised purposes specifically terrorist acts.
The chemical reactions investigated by Austherm personnel
include prediction of the temperatures achieved by thermite
mixtures containing varying proportions of metals and oxides.
Austherm is able to assist in obtaining the desired outcome
for your welding process.
Other Austherm calculations have involved predicting the energy release
and temperatures achieved by mixtures which include chemicals used
in common explosives and fertilisers such as nitrates. Austherm
is able to predict the mitigation of energy release by the use of
additives. The use of additives may reduce the hazard posed by
the misuse of fertilisers while still enabling them to be used for
their primary purpose.
Other calculations have involved risk analysis of the use of
various fluid substances in supercritical fluid extraction.
(See below)
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Baldwin,D.A., 1992. "Safety and Environmental
Training", Van Nostrand-Reinhold, New York
Beasley,M., 1991., "Reliability for Engineers, an
Introduction", Macmillan, London
Blanchard,B.S. & Lowery,E.E., 1969. "Maintainability
Principles and Practices", McGraw-Hill, New York
Carson,P.A. & Mumford,C.J., 1988. "The Safe Handling of
Chemicals in Industry", Longman, New York
Fullwood,R.R., 2000. "Probablistic Safety Assessment in the
Chemical and Nuclear Industries", Butterworth-Heinemanns, Boston
Harrison,L., 1995. "Environmental, Health, and Safety
Auditing Handbook", 2nd Ed., McGraw-Hill, New York
Kletz,T., 1988. "Learning from Accidents in
Industry", Butterworths, London
Lees,F.P., 1980. "Loss Prevention in the Process
Industries" Vols 1 &2, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford
O'Brien & Gere Engineers Inc, 1988. "Hazardous Waste
Site Remediation - The Engineer's Perspective", Van
Nostrand Reinhold, New York
Otway,H. & Peltu,M., 1985. "Regulating Industrial
Risks", Butterworths, London
Rothwell,A.B. and Wadsley,M.W., 1997 "Fracture
Propagation Control Measures for Gas Pipelines -
Methane", in Rothwell,A.B. Ed., "Fracture Control
in Gas Pipelines" Sydney, 3 June, 1997, Welding
Technology Institute of Australia, Sydney
Rudge,L.M., 1993. "Casson's Occupational Health and
Safety in Australia: A Guide to Sources of Information"
Sherman,J., 1988. "Chemical Exposure and Disease",
Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York
Urben,P.G., Ed., 1999. "Bretherick's Handbook of Reactive
Chemical Hazards", Vols.1&2, 6th Ed., Butterworths-Heinemanns,
Oxford
Wadsley,M.W., Jones,R. and Rothwell,A.B., 1997
"Fracture Control Measures for Rich Gas and Two-Phase
Pipelines", in Rothwell,A.B. Ed., "Fracture
Control in Gas Pipelines" Sydney, 3 June, 1997, Welding
Technology Institute of Australia, Sydney
Wadsley,M.W. and Rothwell,A.B., 1997. "Fracture
Control Measures for Pipelines Carrying Other Gases - HVPL,
CO2 and Others" in Rothwell,A.B. Ed., "Fracture
Control in Gas Pipelines" Sydney, 3 June, 1997, Welding
Technology Institute of Australia, Sydney
Wadsley, M.W.,1996 "Fluid Properties and
Fracture Propagation", Weiss,G. Ed., Vol.1, pp.165-170,
CHEMECA'96, Sydney, October, 1996
Wadsley,M.W., 1996. "Screening Supercritical
Fluid Systems for Potentially Hazardous Chemical
Reactions", Weiss,G. Ed, Vol.1, CHEMECA'96, Sydney,
October, 1996
Withers,J., 1988. "Major Industrial Hazards"
Gower, Aldershot
Zui,C.G.,1995. "Handbook of Double Containment Piping
Systems", McGraw-Hill, New York
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Chemical Reaction
Austherm are able to predict the energy release and the
phase, volume, pressure and aqueous chemistry changes that
may result from interactions between chemicals or the
interaction between chemicals and the environment. As a
consequence we are able to quantitatively evaluate the
potential hazards resulting from the above that exist within
most processing plants, transport and storage facilities.
Austherm have made it their business to collect, or to have
access to, the thermochemical and thermophysical data needed
to make these predictions.
Fracture propagation
Bursting is not the only hazard associated with vessels or
pipelines containing fluids under pressure. If a vessel or
pipeline is damaged mechanically or by corrosion or has a
flaw then the resulting fracture may extend or propagate
leading to escape of the fluid at locations some distance
from the original location. Fractures may propagate at
pressures much lower than are required to cause the vessel
or pipeline to burst. The tendency for a fracture to
propagate is not only a function of the material of
construction but also a function of the properties of the
contained fluid. Industries where this is a known problem
include all those which transfer fluids under pressure in
pipe lines or which operate vessels which contain fluids
under pressure. Many designers only consider self-rupture
and neglect consideration of proagation of fractures
initiated by other causes. Austherm has made it its business
to be aware of the fluid properties which may lead to fracture
propagation and to be able to predict hazardous situations.
Supercritical Fluids
While a major hazard associated with supercritcal fluids
results from the energy stored in fluids at high pressure,
some supercritical fluids may chemically react with
materials with which they come in contact. Austherm has
made it its business to be able to evaluate the chemical
reactivity of supercritical fluid systems and to be able to
predict potentially hazardous situations. Austherm is also
familiar with techniques for modelling the solubility of
subtances in high pressure and super-critical fluids.