Analysis of the kinetics of a runaway reaction in a phenol-formaldehyde reactor

The explosion of a reactor for the production of phenolic resins due to an uncontrolled rise in temperature was investigated to assess the kinetic parameters of the reaction and determine their time course experimentally with an Accelerating Rate Calorimeter (ARC). The measured values, which depend on the thermal inertia of the ARC, are used to derive the effective self-heating rate values to be used in sizing the vents installed to discharge the excess pressure in emergency situations.