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Bhopal gas leak

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Mayank Lobhane
Mayank Lobhane

The Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, India released 42 tonnes of toxic methyl isocyanate gas on December 3, 1984, exposing over 630,000 people. This industrial disaster in Bhopal is considered the world's worst, resulting in thousands of immediate deaths and many long-term injuries and illnesses among the local population. The plant had been built by Union Carbide in the 1970s to produce pesticides and stored large quantities of gas on site despite safety risks. Investigations later found issues with the plant's design, equipment, storage practices, and safety procedures that contributed to the massive gas leak and its impacts.

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BHOPAL UNION CARBIDE SUBMITTED BY: Aakash Limbodiya Mayank Lobhane Prakash Patel Shashank Chourasia
Outlines Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, Resulting in the immediate deaths of more than 3,000 people- Indian Supreme Court. Probable figure is that 8,000 died within two weeks. Early hours of the morning of December 3, 1984. A Union Carbide subsidiary pesticide plant released 42 tonnes of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas, Exposing at least 630,000 people to toxic gases. Cited as the world's worst industrial disaster.
under the surface 1970s Indian Government invites UCC to setup Sevin plant. Sevin is a pesticide which was majorly used in southern Asian countries. In production of that a chemical i.e. Phosgene was used which was used in WW1. Plant built in Bhopal to central location and transport infrastructure. Indian Government has 22% stake in UCC. Plant initially approved for formulation only.
under the surface cont... late 1970s and early 1980s. 10 times the daily use amount of MIC stored in plant. Draught causes in market demand for Sevin. Plant confromed to much laxer standards then sister plant West Virginia, US.
facts and figures
facts and figures
Results 45 Tonnes Of MI C and it s react ion product s released. Cold wint er midnight of 2nd -3rd Dec.1984 Bet ween 00:40 and 02:30 AM approx. At 30m (100f t ) height Moved as a 10m (30f t ) high wall Covered resident ial areas, main hospit als, railway st at ion, 65 sq. km. area (25 sq. miles) Approx. 8000 immediat e deat hs, over 200,000 suf f ered Over 12,000 more died since, over 120, 000 st ill suf f ering. Uc cont iued t o deny any long-t erm ef f ect s.
Ethical mistakes The plant was over desinged by 150%, at t he insist ance of t he Head Quar t ers and against t he advice of t he UC personnel in Bhopal. This led t o t he loss and cost cut t ings due t o lower capacit y ut ilizat ion Comput erized ear ly warning syst em and dat a logger wer e not incopor at ed int o t he design Pr ocess design allowed f or long-t er m st or age of ver y large quant it ies of MI C in t anks. Wat er spr ays were designed t o r each only 12- 15 met ers alt hough t he gases f rom t he f lare wer e released at 30 met er s. Maximum allowable scr ubber pr essur e was 15 psi while t he r upt ur e disc allowing t he gas t o
ethical mistakes cont... A single st age, manual saf et y syst em was used in place of an elect ronically cont r olled f our - st age back-up saf et y syst em used in ot her similar plant s. The design did not provide a backup syst em t o diver t escaping MI C t o an ef f luent ar ea f or quick neut ralizat ion as in Bayers MI C plant . A cont inuous r eact or design could have done away wit h MI C st or age. Any r eact or leak would have released a f ew kg, not t ons of MI C and would not have af f ect ed beyond t he boundar y.
SWOT Strength Tie up in different countries leading to better utilization of resources and higher productivity. Varied businesses from specialty chemicals to agrochemicals and geographically diversified revenue stream. Weakness There was no automatic pressure controlling system. Water leaked into the tank E610 through the wall. Water Curtain was not enough high to reach the gas. Connecting pipe of the flare tower which was designed to burn off the gas was removed for the maintainance purposes. Lack of skilled operators Reduction of safety management. Plant location is close to a densely populated area. Opportunity They could have introduced an automatic pressure controlling system. They could have work on a better divertion system of MIC in case of leakage. Threat The pressure of the E610 tank is 40 psi on the place of 15 psi. Leaking of water in the tank results into the exothermic reactions. Water curtain was not able to dilute or detoxify the gas, because of short hieght. Failure of flare tower in buring off the gas. 2000 people died in immediate effect and 8000 died within 1 week.
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Bhopal gas leak

  • 1. BHOPAL UNION CARBIDE SUBMITTED BY: Aakash Limbodiya Mayank Lobhane Prakash Patel Shashank Chourasia
  • 2. Outlines Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, Resulting in the immediate deaths of more than 3,000 people- Indian Supreme Court. Probable figure is that 8,000 died within two weeks. Early hours of the morning of December 3, 1984. A Union Carbide subsidiary pesticide plant released 42 tonnes of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas, Exposing at least 630,000 people to toxic gases. Cited as the world's worst industrial disaster.
  • 3. under the surface 1970s Indian Government invites UCC to setup Sevin plant. Sevin is a pesticide which was majorly used in southern Asian countries. In production of that a chemical i.e. Phosgene was used which was used in WW1. Plant built in Bhopal to central location and transport infrastructure. Indian Government has 22% stake in UCC. Plant initially approved for formulation only.
  • 4. under the surface cont... late 1970s and early 1980s. 10 times the daily use amount of MIC stored in plant. Draught causes in market demand for Sevin. Plant confromed to much laxer standards then sister plant West Virginia, US.
  • 7. Results 45 Tonnes Of MI C and it s react ion product s released. Cold wint er midnight of 2nd -3rd Dec.1984 Bet ween 00:40 and 02:30 AM approx. At 30m (100f t ) height Moved as a 10m (30f t ) high wall Covered resident ial areas, main hospit als, railway st at ion, 65 sq. km. area (25 sq. miles) Approx. 8000 immediat e deat hs, over 200,000 suf f ered Over 12,000 more died since, over 120, 000 st ill suf f ering. Uc cont iued t o deny any long-t erm ef f ect s.
  • 8. Ethical mistakes The plant was over desinged by 150%, at t he insist ance of t he Head Quar t ers and against t he advice of t he UC personnel in Bhopal. This led t o t he loss and cost cut t ings due t o lower capacit y ut ilizat ion Comput erized ear ly warning syst em and dat a logger wer e not incopor at ed int o t he design Pr ocess design allowed f or long-t er m st or age of ver y large quant it ies of MI C in t anks. Wat er spr ays were designed t o r each only 12- 15 met ers alt hough t he gases f rom t he f lare wer e released at 30 met er s. Maximum allowable scr ubber pr essur e was 15 psi while t he r upt ur e disc allowing t he gas t o
  • 9. ethical mistakes cont... A single st age, manual saf et y syst em was used in place of an elect ronically cont r olled f our - st age back-up saf et y syst em used in ot her similar plant s. The design did not provide a backup syst em t o diver t escaping MI C t o an ef f luent ar ea f or quick neut ralizat ion as in Bayers MI C plant . A cont inuous r eact or design could have done away wit h MI C st or age. Any r eact or leak would have released a f ew kg, not t ons of MI C and would not have af f ect ed beyond t he boundar y.
  • 10. SWOT Strength Tie up in different countries leading to better utilization of resources and higher productivity. Varied businesses from specialty chemicals to agrochemicals and geographically diversified revenue stream. Weakness There was no automatic pressure controlling system. Water leaked into the tank E610 through the wall. Water Curtain was not enough high to reach the gas. Connecting pipe of the flare tower which was designed to burn off the gas was removed for the maintainance purposes. Lack of skilled operators Reduction of safety management. Plant location is close to a densely populated area. Opportunity They could have introduced an automatic pressure controlling system. They could have work on a better divertion system of MIC in case of leakage. Threat The pressure of the E610 tank is 40 psi on the place of 15 psi. Leaking of water in the tank results into the exothermic reactions. Water curtain was not able to dilute or detoxify the gas, because of short hieght. Failure of flare tower in buring off the gas. 2000 people died in immediate effect and 8000 died within 1 week.