ANALYSIS OF HYDROGEN-FLUORIDE RELEASE AT TEXAS-CITY

On October 31, 1987 a crane lifting a heat exchanger convection sectio n failed and severed a 4' loading line and a 2'' pressure relief line to an HF alkylation reactor settler drum at a petroleum refinery in Te xas City, Texas. Vapors were emitted under pressure for about two hour s and the vessel was plugged and drained approximately 44 hours later. A plume from this accidental release passed through residential areas , damaging some vegetation (brown lawns), and spawning a class action law suit. An extensive analysis was conducted to determine the total i nventory loss and to model the blowdown process and the concentrations of HF in the plume. Since the discharge rate was decreasing with time , a peak concentration of HF in the emitted vapors occurred just befor e the water spray mitigation system became fully operative. Consequent ly, the mitigation efforts were more effective late in the response wh en concentrations were already low. The predicted plume concentrations are consistent with observed vegetation damage effects, with concentr ations below Emergency Response Planning Guideline Level 3 past 3/4 mi le from the source. These results support a policy of sheltering in pl ace during such an event.