Exothermic behaviors in decomposition of three solid organic peroxides by DSC and VSP2

摘要

The decomposition of organic peroxides by their relatively weak oxygen linkage and hydroperoxide radical in the presence of reaction solution is one of the chain reactions to trigger a runaway hazard. Therefore, runaway incidents may occur in oxidation reactors, vacuum condensation reactors, or storage tanks. The classification description of organic peroxides in NFPA 432 is as a kind of flammable material. The exothermic behaviors of three solid organic peroxides, dicumene peroxide (DCPO), benzoyl peroxide (BPO), and lauroyl peroxide (LPO), were determined by the calorimeters, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and vent sizing package 2 (VSP2). Relevant data detected by DSC provide thermal stability information, such as exothermic onset temperature, maximum heat-releasing peak, and heat of decomposition. VSP2 was used to perform a bench scale situation for forcing the expected or unexpected reaction to undergo runaway reaction. Exothermic onset temperature, maximum pressure, self-heating rate, and pressure-release rate were therefore obtained and elucidated. These results are essentially important in process safety design for plants if under upsets.