Cooling for a Tri Ethyl Aluminum storage area

[sgoel]

Dear Friends

What should be the criteria for design of fire water sprinkler based cooling system for Tri ethyl aluminum cylinder storage area? Objective is to provide protection against heat flux from external fire.

Which code and what density is to be used?

Thanking you in anticipation please.

Shanky

 

[MatthewJWillis]

Sounds like you need NFPA 15 Standard.

I am sure there is a accompanying Code as well. I just don't know it. 15 may reference it....


The density will be determined by like what seems like millions of factors.

In other words, we would need a lot more Detailed information than just Triethl storage. Amounts, location, adjacent stuff.

While typing this I did a google search. A statement caught my eye... So I attached a snip in case other respondents are curios.

This one seems very interesting....



R/
Matt

 

[stookeyfpe]

Before I jump into this rabbit hole, please provide the CAS number for the compound. I'm believing this is an organoaluminum compound, so it may behave as a pyrophoric. Also, how is it packaged and what's the package volume?

 

[MJCronin]

Bad stuff, stookey ..... highly pyrophoric !!!!

Water sprinklers are STRONGLY NOT recommended for storage of this hazardous material

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triethylaluminium

Triethylaluminium (TEAL) is an organoaluminium compound. Despite its name, the formula for this compound is Al2(C2H5)6, shortened to Al2Et6 (Et = ethyl). This volatile, colorless liquid is highly pyrophoric, igniting immediately upon exposure to air. It is normally stored in stainless steel containers either as a pure liquid or as a solution in hydrocarbon solvents such as hexane, heptane, or toluene. TEAL is mainly used as a co-catalyst in the industrial production of polyethylene, polypropylene and for the production of medium chain alcohols.

http://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/1906.pdf

What recommendations does your supplyer suggest ?

Who is your supplier ???

MJCronin
Sr. Process Engineer

 

[stookeyfpe]

MJ,

True. But if this is in the US, and the building is subject to compliance with the IBC, the material is not allowed indoors unless the building is sprinklered. I deal with organometallics as they are used in semiconductor manufacturing. That why I am asking about the CAS number, packaging and container volume. At this point, it's all fluffy to me because the person who started the thread hasn't replied.

 

[MGXFP]

Also the OP stated the sprinkler system was to protect from external heat flux so the packaging should offer protection from air?

Sounds like this stuff is stored in cylinders and the sprinkler density is to keep the cylinders cool?

 

[DieterVk]

To OP:
NFPA 15, chapter 7.4: exposure protection
10,2 l.min[sup]-1[/sup]/m² over the surface of the vessel

To others:
Yes, the compound is pyrophoric. It is most probably stored at 10% in hexane to exclude moist.
Yes, you should cool the vessel with water to protect from an external fire. Only if the vessel fails, it comes into contact with water. But you need to cool it so it doesn't fail.