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  Home > About Chlorine > Other Hazards

Other Hazards

Fire

 

Chlorine is neither explosive nor flammable; however, chlorine will support combustion.

 

Chemical Action

 

Chlorine has a very strong chemical affinity for many substances. It will react with many inorganic and organic compounds, usually with the evolution of heat. Chlorine reacts with some metals under a variety of conditions.

 

Corrosive Action on Steel

 

At ordinary temperatures, dry chlorine, either liquid or gas, does not corrode steel. Wet chlorine is highly corrosive because it forms hydrochloric and hypochlorous acids. Precautions should be taken to keep chlorine and chlorine equipment dry. Piping, valves and containers should be closed or capped when not in use to keep out atmospheric moisture.  If water is used on a chlorine leak the resulting corrosive conditions will make the leak worse.

 

Volumetric Expansion

 

The volume of liquid chlorine increases with temperature. Precautions should be taken to avoid hydrostatic rupture of piping, vessels, containers or other equipment filled with liquid chlorine.

 

Specific Manufacturing & Use Hazards

 

Hydrogen is a co-product of all chlorine manufactured by the electrolysis of aqueous brine solutions. Within a known concentration range, mixtures of chlorine and hydrogen are flammable and potentially explosive. The reaction of chlorine and hydrogen can be initiated by direct sunlight, other sources of ultraviolet light, static electricity, or sharp impact.

 

Small quantities of nitrogen trichloride, an unstable and highly explosive compound, can be produced in the manufacture of chlorine. When liquid chlorine containing nitrogen trichloride is evaporated, the nitrogen trichloride may reach hazardous concentrations in the residue.

 

Chlorine can react, at times explosively, with a number of organic materials, such as oil and grease from sources such as air compressors, valves, pumps, oil-diaphragm instrumentation, as well as wood and rags from maintenance work.

 

 

Excerpt from The Chlorine Manual, Section 1.7





In This Section:

Benefits of Chlorine

Chlorine Release Fact Sheet Members Only Content

Chlorine Manufacture

Chemical Properties

Health Hazards

Other Hazards

Gaskets for Chlorine Service

Safety Precautions

Testing for Chlorine Leakage



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