Vented Solvent Containment System with Interlocked Safety Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a safe solvent containment, ventilation, and spill management system to enable the storage and use of volatile and hazardous chemicals in ordinary locations that are not classified as hazardous, as existing systems require specific hazardous location classifications and equipment.
Innovation Solution
A solvent containment system comprising a vented cabinet with a liquid containment tray, air flow regulation, and safety sensors that interlock with a solvent control system to manage solvent flow and mitigate hazardous conditions, along with a vented containment skid that provides adequate ventilation and spill management, allowing for safe handling of flammable solvents in non-hazardous locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional ventilation and containment systems are used, then hazardous chemicals can be handled safely, but the location must be classified as hazardous and require special equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the containment space into separate zones: a vented cabinet for solvent storage and handling, a liquid containment tray for spill management, and a ventilation system with air flow regulators. This segmentation allows each component to address specific safety requirements independently, enabling safe chemical handling without requiring the entire location to be classified as hazardous.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces safety sensors and control systems as intermediaries between the hazardous chemicals and the environment. These sensors detect potentially hazardous conditions and trigger interlocked responses that mitigate risks, allowing safe chemical handling in ordinary locations without requiring full hazardous location classification.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If ventilation systems are installed to manage volatile chemicals, then vapor discharge is controlled, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilation system employs air flow regulators that dynamically adjust airflow rates based on detected conditions. The system transitions between different operational states (normal operation, hazard detection, mitigation modes) allowing the ventilation complexity to scale with actual needs rather than requiring maximum capacity equipment continuously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters such as air flow rates, cabinet ventilation status, and solvent flow rates based on detected conditions. By dynamically adjusting these parameters rather than maintaining fixed high-level settings, the system achieves effective vapor control with reduced overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If safety interlocking systems are implemented to detect hazardous conditions, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system automatically detects hazardous conditions through safety sensors and triggers appropriate mitigation actions without requiring external intervention. The system self-manages the response to hazards, reducing the need for complex external safety infrastructure while maintaining high reliability through automated interlocked control of ventilation and solvent flow.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system ensures safe storage and use of volatile and hazardous chemicals by providing adequate ventilation and spill containment, meeting regulatory standards without the need for hazardous location classification, thereby reducing the risk of fire and explosion and protecting personnel.
Implementation Method 1
a ventilation duct at or near the top of the vented cabinet connected to an air flow regulator to draw the ambient air through the at least one aperture into the vented cabinet and out the ventilation duct to an exhaust system
Data Source
AI summary
A solvent containment and solvent handling process interlocking system is described that can be used as a ventilation and spill management system for the storage and use of hazardous and volatile chemicals and solvents in an ordinary or non-hazardous location. The vented solvent containment system has a containment tray for secondary solvent containment and air regulatory to supply negative air pressure to draw in any evaporated solvent from the containment tray to a safe exhaust location. A safety sensor in the solvent containment system is interlocked with the solvent handling and solvent control system to slow or stop solvent flow in the event of a potentially hazardous solvent leak.