Publication detail

Condensing Shafts on Biogas Stations and Operational Safety

TRÁVNÍČEK, P. KOTEK, L. VÍTĚZ, T. CHOVANEC, J.

English title

Condensing Shafts on Biogas Stations and Operational Safety

Type

journal article in Web of Science

Language

en

Original abstract

This article investigates health and safety risks at a biogas station, in particular the activities in the condensation shaft. There were selected three scenarios in total, which can lead to a fatal accident during the maintenance and servicing of equipment located in the condensation shafts. These are the following scenarios: (1) the worker descends to the condensation shaft and in the subsequent service activities consumes oxygen contained in shaft, falls into unconsciousness and dies. (2) There is such a gas concentration in the condensate shaft that intoxication occurs (but even direct asphyxiation is possible-e.g., methane, carbon dioxide) thereafter subsequent death. (3) The worker suffers fatal injuries due to a fall from a height. The individual scenarios are discussed in the article, including whether and under what circumstances these may occur. To support the authors claims, measurements of selected gases concentrations were made in condensation shafts at eight biogas plants. The aim of this article is to highlight the risks that can be encountered when working in condensing shafts and how they can be prevented.

English abstract

This article investigates health and safety risks at a biogas station, in particular the activities in the condensation shaft. There were selected three scenarios in total, which can lead to a fatal accident during the maintenance and servicing of equipment located in the condensation shafts. These are the following scenarios: (1) the worker descends to the condensation shaft and in the subsequent service activities consumes oxygen contained in shaft, falls into unconsciousness and dies. (2) There is such a gas concentration in the condensate shaft that intoxication occurs (but even direct asphyxiation is possible-e.g., methane, carbon dioxide) thereafter subsequent death. (3) The worker suffers fatal injuries due to a fall from a height. The individual scenarios are discussed in the article, including whether and under what circumstances these may occur. To support the authors claims, measurements of selected gases concentrations were made in condensation shafts at eight biogas plants. The aim of this article is to highlight the risks that can be encountered when working in condensing shafts and how they can be prevented.

Keywords in English

safety; biogas; shafts; poissoning

Released

01.06.2018

Publisher

WILEY

Location

111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN 07030-5774, NJ USA

ISSN

1066-8527

Volume

37

Number

2

Pages from–to

300–304

Pages count

5

BIBTEX


@article{BUT149808,
  author="Petr {Trávníček} and Luboš {Kotek} and Tomáš {Vítěz} and Jan {Chovanec},
  title="Condensing Shafts on Biogas Stations and Operational Safety",
  year="2018",
  volume="37",
  number="2",
  month="June",
  pages="300--304",
  publisher="WILEY",
  address="111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN 07030-5774, NJ USA",
  issn="1066-8527"
}