HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE DECOMPOSITION IN THE PRESENCE OF ORGANIC MATERIAL - A CASE-STUDY

Hydrogen peroxide is widely used as a bleaching agent. An accident is reported which occurred during the treatment of a surfactant with a peroxide/water solution that is usually highly diluted. Due to several circumstances, a higher concentrated solution was applied at start-up of the unit. This caused a sudden pressure increase which burst a pipe, releasing large quantities of heating fluid, which caught fire. The fire destroyed the unit. The sudden pressure increase was investigated by thermochemical methods. It could be demonstrated in the laboratory that even concentrations of hydrogen peroxide as low as 10% by weight in a homogeneous solution with organic material can cause sudden pressure increases in excess of the regular rating of apparatus used in the chemical industry, and high rates of pressure increase.