Vacuum - a deadly killer

A news article mentions that a man was sucked into a huge duct conducting gaseous silicic acid that led to his death. The duct was about three feet in diameter. Besides inhaling the gas, he had also suffered injuries on the head while being sucked in. Another employee was also partially sucked into the duct but managed to escape with minor injuries.Read the article in this link.

Vacuum hazards - Another one bites the dust!

I came to know yesterday of an incident in India where a pressure vessel collapsed due to vacuum. The hazards of vacuum in vessels that are not designed for them is great. Please see my earlier post on the subject.

Vacuum - the frequent killer!

During the last one year I came across 4 cases of tanks/pressure vessels collapsing/buckling due to vacuum developing inside. Why do we forget so easily that tanks/vessels that are not designed for vacuum will fail if vacuum develops inside? Time and again operating personnel make the mistake of either draining the tank/vessel, with the vent valve or vacuum breaker blocked in, or allow the tank/vessel to cool without ensuring the vent valve or vacuum breaker is lined up. The reason for this, I think, is due to human psychology. When we look a a large tank/vessel, we tend to believe it is very strong! If the tank/vessel is not designed for vacuum, this is a dangerous thought! It is a matter of education and all organizations must train their personnel on the hazards of vacuum. Why must be keep repeating the same mistakes?
Watch a beautiful youtube video about a rail tank car implosion due to vacuum at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_hci9vrvfw