Gases Flashcards
Name 8 gases relevant to the coal mining industries, chemical symbol, and specific gravity
Hydrogen H2 0.07 Methane CH4 0.55 Carbon monoxide CO 0.97 Oxygen O2 1.11 Hydrogen Sulphide H2S 1.18 Carbon Dioxide CO2 1.52 Nitrogen Dioxide NO2 1.6 Sulphur Dioxide SO2 2.2
Oxygen. Explain the effect
A. 16-14%- Slight increase in pulse and breathing rate, night and colour vision and judgement affected, Abnormal fatigue upon exertion
B. 14-10%- Poor judgement, abnormal fatigue upon exertion
3. 10-6%- Nausea, vomiting, inability to move or cry out, loss of consciousness may occur.
Minimum concentration which coal mine worker can be exposed
19.5%
Gases that constitute normal air & percentages
Oxygen 20.95 Nitrogen 78.08 Carbon dioxide .04 Argon/Inert gases .93 Water vapour 0-3%
What percentage of oxygen
a) Flammable liquid cease
b) All flaming combustion ceases
c) All combustion ceases
17%
10-12%
2%
What effect does atmosphere enriched with oxygen have on Upper flammable limit.
Expands the flammable limits of a flammable gas.
Name 2 Gases released when blasting.
Nitric oxide & Nitrogen dioxide
How do you identify if nitrogen dioxide has been released in a blast?
Reddish brown colour in gas fume.
For nitrogen dioxide what is the
TWA
STEL
IDHL
TWA - 3ppm (0.0003%)
STEL - 5ppm
IDHL - 20ppm
Name 4 signs or symptoms of exposure to Nitrogen Dioxide.
- Feeling ill
- Coughing violently
- Symptoms of bronchitis and pneumonia
- Death
Carbon Dioxide. A person must not be exposed to an atmospheric concentration at a coal mine exceeding a general body concentration of carbon dioxide exceeding and convert % to ppm of above:
a) TWA of 1.25% - 12500 ppm
b) STEL 3.0 %- 30000 ppm
- Explain the effect of the following CO2 concentrations on a person:
a) 2%- 50% increase in lung ventilation
b) 4.5-5%- Anxiety, panic, irritability
c) 10%- Toxic, depresses Central Nervous System, violent panting, exhaustion, headache
- Carbon dioxide is regarded as a hot gas due to its low thermal conductivity, explain:
Due to its insulating properties it gives a feeling of warmth
Carbon dioxide:
a) How is it produced?
b) Where is it found in a coal mine?
Oxidation of coal and carb materials, diesel exhausts, blasting operations, fires
Diesel exhausts, fires, spon com, fire fighting inert gas. Breathing
Describe the physical and chemical properties of CO2
Colourless, slight pungent odour. Soda water taste. Non-flammable. SG of 1.52
- Describe the physiological effects of carbon dioxide at high and low concentrations:
Low- Stimulates the CNS. High-depresses the CNS
Is CO2 a flammable gas
Not Flammable
- State the long-term exposure limit concentrations for:
a) Carbon Monoxide
b) Hydrogen Sulphide
c) Sulphur dioxide
d) Nitrogen Dioxide
a) Carbon Monoxide: 30ppm
b) Hydrogen Sulphide: 10ppm
c) Sulphur dioxide: 2ppm
d) Nitrogen Dioxide: 3ppm
How is the body poisoned by CO Carbon monoxide
CO is absorbed 300 times more readily than 02 and prevents 02 from binding to the red bloods cells
- In regard to CO what is meant by the term “blood saturation”?
Blood becomes saturated with CO preventing the blood from taking on any more O2 or CO
- CO is said to have a cumulative effect. What is meant by cumulative effect?
CO can build up in a person from multiple, small exposures to CO, making the person more susceptible to it’s effect.
4 Examples of how CO is produced in a coal mine
Oxidization, heating, fire/explosion, diesel engines
Is CO an explosive gas? And at what concentration?
Yes – 12.5% to 74.2% explosive range
Name 6 signs or symptoms of CO poisoning
Impairment of visual threshold, unsteady gait, becoming silent, r osy/flushed face, heavy feeling in legs, Headache, nausea
State the chemical & physical properties of CO
Highly poisonous gas. Colourless, tasteless.
Flammable gas.
SG of 0.97.
What is the ignition temperature of Methane?
595 C
What is the minimum concentration of Oxygen (at norm temp) for methane explosion to occur?
12.2%
Is methane poisonous?
NT but will not support life
State physical and chemical properties of methane
Colourless, Tasteless, Odourless. Flammable gas. SG of 0.55
What is the explosive range of methane (in normal air and temp)?
5-15%
Explain “lag on ignition”?
The time period that a flammable gas mixture is in contact with a heat source prior to an ignition taking place. Dependent on concentration of gas and temp of heat source
What is the lag on ignition for methane at 5-6%?
2 seconds