2010年7月30日星期五

Using Temperature Switches For Added Manufacturing Plant Safety

With the availability of inexpensive and reliable temperature switches, manufacturers are using them more often -- even in applications that might seem not to need them. The switches provide an extra layer of protection in case of unanticipated temperature changes.

Guard Against Runaway Reactions

A temperature switch installed in a chemical reactor can sound an alarm in the event reactor temperature climbs outside of normal ranges. In serious cases,mbt gesundheitsschuhe, an emergency shutoff can prevent soaring temperatures from setting off undesired chemical changes which can do anything from ruining the current batch to creating a major industrial accident.

One of the most famous examples of this kind of disaster occurred in Sevaso,air max schuhe, Italy in 1976. A chemical plant nearby had been left unattended over the weekend. Residual heat in the reactor raised the contents beyond a critical temperature causing a runaway reaction that resulted in the release of a large amount of carcinogenic dioxins into the atmosphere. A temperature switch set to trigger a cooling system could have prevented this disaster even in the absence of onsite operators.

Protect Equipment from Freezing

Chemical operations located in areas prone to freezing require special designs to ensure all equipment remains at operating temperature. The greatest danger is not in the coldest climates. Plants in these areas typically have ongoing protection against freezing. However operations in warmer climates that see freezing only occasionally may be unprepared for sudden cold snaps. Frozen pipes might result in expensive equipment damage or leaks in the system which spew hazardous chemicals throughout the plant.

Part of the problem is the delay between a drop in ambient temperature and a drop in system temperature. Heat from reactions or protection from insulation allows systems to operate even in sub-freezing weather. A temperature switch attached to an alarm can warn operators to allow them time to react to dropping temperatures.

Temperature Switches Provide Cheap Insurance

Even if there is little reason to believe a reaction will run outside expected temperature ranges,mbt schuhe, the cost of installing temperature switches and alarms is negligible when compared to the cost of industrial disasters. They provide one more warning system to safeguard the equipment.

Additional sensors do more than protect equipment; they save lives. An industrial accident could injure or kill workers. A severe accident could spread contamination far enough it endangers the public. These are situations to be avoided at all costs and it would be a greater tragedy if the entire catastrophe could have avoided with a ten dollar temperature switch.

Take some time to review all industrial operations. Even if temperature changes seem unlikely,air max billig, consider the implications. What would happen if a reactor ran too hot or if a pipe froze? If the potential for disaster seems high, then it's time to implement additional safety systems.

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