A Study about Explosion Hazards in Presence of a Uncontrolled Anaerobic Digestive Process

Abstract

In general, the risk associated at presence of biogas, generated in controlled conditions, is low. However, a recent case teaches that incidents with gaseous mixture like this to occur. The example of a serious incident with gaseous hydrogen, methane, in presence of ammonium ions, is explosion occur in a pharmaceutical industry in Italy. Biogas is considered as a valuable source for its energy potential. Knowledge of its safety characteristics is a very important practical issue. This explosion was a typical example of a low knowledge of chemistry reactions that, if uncontrolled, can produce hazard consequences. Produced biogas during an anaerobic digestion process was investigated to determine relationship between gaseous hydrogen, methane (present in biogas) and substances, like ammonium ions (present in growing medium to production of active principle). In the present study was analysed a case study about a tank explosion occurred in a pharmaceutical company.