Probabilistic risk assessment in the CPI
Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) is a method of quantifying the frequency of occurrence and magnitude of the consequences of accidents in systems that contain hazardous materials such as toxic, flammable or explosive chemicals. The frequency and magnitude of the consequences are the basic elements in the definition of risk, often simply expressed as the product of frequency and magnitude, summed over all accident sequences. PRA is a mature technique that has been used to estimate risk for a number of industrial facilities: for example, the Canvey Island Petrochemical complex; the Port of Rotterdam; the Reactor Safety Study, the first study to put the risks associated with nuclear power into perspective; and the transportation of chlorine. PRA has been developed to a greater level of sophistication in the nuclear industry than in the chemical industry. In the nuclear area, its usefulness has been demonstrated by increased plant safety, engineering insights, and cost-saving recommendations. Data and methods have been developed to increase the level of realism of the treatment of operator actions in PRA studies. It can be stated generally that the same methods can be applied with equal success in the chemical industry. However, there are pitfalls into which the unwary nuclear-oriented PRA analyst may stumble if he does not bear in mind that there are significant differences between nuclear plants and chemical plants.
- Research Organization:
- NUS Corp., Gaithersburg, MD 20878
- OSTI ID:
- 6903182
- Journal Information:
- Chem. Eng. Prog.; (United States), Journal Name: Chem. Eng. Prog.; (United States) Vol. 83:1; ISSN CEPRA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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ACCIDENTS
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
CHEMICAL PLANTS
CHLORINE
COMBUSTION PROPERTIES
COST
ELEMENTS
ENGINEERING
EXPLOSIVES
FLAMMABILITY
HALOGENS
HARBORS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDUSTRY
MATERIALS
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR INDUSTRY
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
PETROCHEMICAL PLANTS
POWER PLANTS
PROBABILITY
REACTOR SAFETY
RECOMMENDATIONS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SAFETY
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
TOXIC MATERIALS
TRANSPORT