Case Study in Engineering Flashcards
What is the Socratic method
The Socratic Method (470-399 BCE)
- Form of cooperative argumentative dialogue
- Based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and draw out ideas and underlying presumptions
- He believed human choice was always motivated by inner desire for happiness
How can an engineer use Socratic method?
To analyse a situation to derive ethical judgement based on the inner self
What is NSPE
USA national society of professional engineers
What are the fundamental principles of NSPE
- Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of public
- Perform services in area of competency
- Issue public statement in an objective and truthful manner
- Act for employer or client as a faithful agent and trustees
- Avoid deceptive acts
- Conduct themselves honourably, responsibly and lawfully so as to enhance honour, reputation and usefulness of the profession
What is the Oppenheimer’s Dilemma
(Father of the atomic bomb)
- On July 1945, the first ever atomic bomb was detonated and in Aug 1945 two atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which caused the Japanese to surrender.
- Instead, he felt responsible for the ensuing arms race and threat to civilisation brought about by the bomb
- Due to his complex moral code, he objected to the development of the H-bomb (social and political consequences)
Case A: Disaster at Bhopal - The Plant Background
- Manufactured pesticides in India
- Part of India’s Green Revolution
- Increase the productivity of crops
1) Plant initially welcomed at Bhopal for its economic potential
2) Located 2 miles from city centre; surrounding population expanded significantly after construction
3) Government classified plant as “general” (not “hazardous”) industry in 1976, even after approving MIC-based processes at plant and establishing a “hazardous industry” zone 15 miles from city.
Case A: Why was Bhopal Chosen
- It’s central location in India
- A railway system that spanned the country
- Large lake = reliable source of water
- Sufficient electricity and labor to sustain a large scale industrial plant
Case A: When was the disaster and what happened?
- December 2nd, 1984
- There was a leak in the storage tank at a Union Carbide chemical plant
- The tank contained 10,000 gallons of MIC (Methyl Isocyanide)
- The leak sent a toxic cloud of gas over the surrounding slums of Bhopal, resulting in the death of over 10,000 people and 200,000 more getting injured
Case A: What was the impact from the disaster at Bhopal?
- Over 10,000 deaths in the first three days of the gas leak
- Additional 25,000 people died of related injuries by 1994
Case A: What caused the leakage at Bhopal?
- The leak was attributed to the leakage of water (valve not properly closed) into the MIC storage tank during maintenance
- Water reacts vigorously with MIC, causing heating of the liquid
Case A: What happens when water is mixed with MIC?
- Mixing of water with MIC increased the temperature of the liquid in the tank to 400F causing MIC to vaporise
- Leading to a build up of high pressure within the tank
- When internal pressure became high enough, a pressure relief valve opened, leaking MIC vapour into the air
Case A: What was the root cause of the incident?
- There were several factors that led to the disaster
- A major factor was the curtailment of plant maintenance as part of a cost cutting effort
Case A: What was wrong with the storage tank?
- The MIC tank had a refrigeration unit on it, which should have kept the tank temperatures closer to normal
- This tank stopped working 5 months before the accident and has not been repaired
- Tank was equipped with an alarm, which should have alerted plant workers to the dangerous temperatures
- The alarm was improperly set, no warning was given
Case A: What is the purpose of the flare tower, and what happened?
- The flare tower was designed to burn vapours before they enter the atmosphere
- it would have been able to reduce, if not eliminate, the amount of damage
- The flare was not functioning
Case A: What is the purpose of the scrubber and what happened?
- Scrubber: used to neutralise toxic vapours
- This was not activated until the vapour release was already in progress.
Case A: Who was responsible for the Disaster at Bhopal?
Plant designers - did their job, although with some safety features under design
- Management of the plant seems obviously negligent
- Union Carbide also seems negligent in not preparing a plan for notifying and evacuating the surrounding population in the event of an accident.
- Indian government: Blamed for not putting some safety standards
- Local government: No policy or zoning forbidding squatters and others from living to close to a power plant
- Bulk of the blame goes to UC, for failure to adequately train and supervise its Indian employers in the maintenance and safety procedures that are taken for granted.
Case A: What were the consequences from the disaster at Bhopal?
- Casualties - over 10,000 people
- Injured over 200,000 more
- UC paid $250 billion for the lawsuits
- UC also helped set up job training and relocation programs for the victims of the accident
- Approximately 10,000 victims will suffer from permanent damage