Corroded Bursting Disk Failure

Background

A sulphonyl chloride was being dried over molecular seive by circulating a solution through a pressure filter containing the seive.

The Incident

The bursting disk failed, the product was discharged to the roof.

Cause

It appeared tha the disk had failed due to corrosion. Originally it had been sited away from the process liquors, it had been re-sited for ease of maintenance. When the disk filed the path of least resistance was to the roof.