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Chlorination Guide
Power Plant Chlorination
Sea Water Chlorination
Combo Unit
Gas Chlorinator
Evaporator
Vapouriser Steam
Electrochlorination
Chlorination Building Design
Hypochlorite Generators
Safety Systems
Chlorination Building design is based on the recommendations of
Chlorine Dioxide Generators
UV Sterilizer System for
{ CHLORINE INSTITUTE –USA,
Cooling Water
{ IS 10553 (Part I) 1983 Requirements of Chlorination equipment
Automatic Valveless Gravity
Filter { IS 4263 for CODE OF SAFETY FOR CHLORINE

Flowmeters
For installation, safe handling, storage and use of chlorination equipment and containers.

GENERAL BUILDING LAYOUT

BULLETINS
Shipping containers and equipment containing chlorine should be located indoors, in a suitable fire-
resistant building. If a separate building is not provided, the chlorine containers and equipment should
be located in an isolated room having floors and walls of fire-resistant construction.

STORAGE AREA

Storage area should be cool, dry, well ventilated, clean of trash and protected from external heat
sources.

Should be remote from elevators, gangways or ventilating systems, because in the event of a chlorine
leak, dangerous concentration of chlorine may spread rapidly.

Ventilation must be sufficient to prevent accumulation of vapour pockets. The fan intake should be
located near the floor and exhaust fan must be sufficient to ventilate the whole area. All fan switches
should be outside the storage area.
As far as possible, the building for the storage of chlorine should be entirely of non-combustible
construction and separate from other buildings. In case the storage is not in a different building, it
should be on ground floor, with at least two exits opening outside, and separated from other parts of the
building by fire resisting walls and floors.
Standard firewalls may be needed to separate chlorine equipment from flammable materials.
Subsurface locations should be avoided. Not less than two means of exit should be provided from each
separate room or building in which chlorine is stored, handled, or used. All exit doors should open out.

HANDLING EQUIPMENT
Careful consideration should be given to methods of handling containers, such as height of ceilings for
overhead hoists or strength of floors for mechanical handling equipment, to ensure their adequacy.
Suitable roller supports for storing containers for easy rotation and alignment for withdrawal of chlorine,
lifting beams, hoist and weigh scale must be provided.
The gross weight of the container is 1,600 Kg. It is recommended to have 2 ton monorail hoist
electrically or manually operated with traveling trolley along with lifting beam to lift the container. Also
attach a load indicator to indicate the full/empty condition of the container.
The lifting arrangement must be given suitably for directly lifting from transport lorry which can stationed
below the monorail for hoisting the tonner to a storage position.

VENTILATION
In designing a ventilating system, the consequences of a chlorine leak should be considered. In some
cases natural ventilation may be adequate. In others, ventilation by means of a suitable fan should be
provided. A one to four minute rate of air change may be required in an emergency. Precautions must
be taken to avoid discharging chlorine into areas where it can cause damage or injury.
If ducts are not necessary a wall-type exhaust fan may be satisfactory if it can be located near the floor
on outside wall. Where ducts are required to bring air to the fan and carry it to a safe point of discharge
outside the building, a pressure type fan is needed. Switches for all ventilating fans should be provided

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outside of chlorine rooms or buildings even when an inside switch is installed.

Air openings
Chlorine gas is heavier than air and has a tendency to collect at floor level. The suction of ventilating
fans should be located at or near floor level. Fresh air inlets should be located to provide cross
ventilation and to prevent developing a vacuum in the room. Multiple fresh air inlets and fan suctions
may be necessary to exhaust air from some equipment areas.

SAFE HANDLING OF CHLORINE CYLINDERS & TON CONTAINERS

z Store chlorine cylinders up-right and secure them so that they cannot fall.
z Ton containers should be stored on their sides on rails, a few inches above the floor. They
should not be stacked or racked more than one high.
z Keep enough room between containers so that all are accessible in case of emergency.
z Store the containers in a covered shed only. Keep them away from hot sun or any other source
of heat like hot water, steam, direct flame and furnace, because excessive heating may
tremendously increase the chlorine pressure inside the container resulting in its bursting.
z Do not store chlorine containers with explosives, acids, turpentine, ether, anhydrous ammonia,
finely divided metals or other flammable materials.
z Do not store containers in wet and muddy areas.
z Cylinders should be stored on a cement floor sloping towards a pit capable of collecting all the
liquid in the cylinders. Under no circumstances should water be allowed to run on to the
chlorine in this pit.
z Use cylinders in the order of their receipt, as valve packing can harden during prolonged
storage and cause gas leaks when cylinders are finally used.
z Filled and empty cylinders should be stored separately.
z Protective covers for valves should always be secured, even when the cylinders are empty
z No oil or any lubricant shall be used on any valve of the containers.
z Badly fitting connections should not be forced and the correct tool should not be used for
opening and closing valves, they should never be hammered.
z When being emptied, the key should be opened fully, it should not be used at any time to
regulate the flow of chlorine.
z Implements and other equipment used for emptying the cylinders should be clean and free of
grease, dust or grit.
z Cylinders should never be lifted by means of the metal cap, nor should rope slings, chains or
magnetic devices be used. The ton containers should be handled with a suitable cradle with
chain slings combinations with a hoist or crane having at least 2 metric tonnes capacity.
z Never use cylinders as a roller to move other equipment.
z Never tamper with any fusible plugs of tonners or apply heat to them.
z In case of large leaks first escape is try to stop the flow of liquid by closing the valves.
z Try to contain the spilled liquid by making bunds of sand.
z Ensure that the escaped liquid chlorine does not enter the drains.
z After containing the liquid one can use fluoro protein foam to prevent evaporation of the liquid.
z In case of large leakages the alternative solution is to absorb the chlorine in an alkaline medium
such as caustic soda, soda ash or lime slurry.

Caution
Keep the supply of caustic soda, soda ash or lime available. Do not push the leaking container in the
alkali tank. Connect the container to a hose pipe and put the pipe in alkali tank.

Chlorine Leak
If a container commences leak during transport it should be carried on to its destination or
manufacturer, whichever is nearer. Keeping the vehicle moving will prevent accumulation of high
concentrations.
Only specially trained and equipped workers should deal with emergency arising due to major leakage.
Checks should be made at least daily for any possible leakage of chlorine. Leakage must be attended
immediately or it will become worse. In case the leak in the equipment in which it is being used, STOP
the valve on the container at once. It is on the cylinder valve itself and cannot be stopped quickly, efforts
should be made to shift the container to a safe open area.
Pinhole leaks in the walls of a damaged cylinder or tonner can sometimes be stopped by driving a
hardwood peg or metal pin into the hole. (Do not forget to mark that area). This is only a temporary
measure and the container should be emptied as soon as possible.

CHLORINE LEAK ABSORPTION SYSTEMS

When the leak from a chlorine ton container cannot be arrested then the contents must be disposed
safely. The first priority must be to prevent chlorine gas from spreading. The best method would be to
enclose the leaking container with a FRP hood. The hood is connected with a flexible hose to the
scrubber system.
The scrubber system may be of venturi-ejector type or of absorption column. In both cases the leaked
chlorine is sucked from the hood and delivered to venturi or absorption column where chlorine is
neutralized counter currently with caustic solution.

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SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
Air breathing apparatus with
For attending chlorine leaks
cylinder
For attending minor leaks and during changing of
Cannister gas mask
ton containers
For handling leaks minor nature in ton container,
Emergency kit
piping and valves
Leak detector For sensing chlorine leaks
For washing the eyes when exposed to chlorine
Eyewash shower
leak.
Wind sack For gauging the direction of wind
For the operating personnel used during arresting
Protective clothing, gloves, goggles
leaks and changing containers
Ventilation fans For removing leaked chlorine from the room
For absorbing chlorine leak from one ton
Lime pit
container.

STORAGE LICENSE
According to the “Compressed Gas Cylinder Act” Government of India, it is necessary to obtain a
storage license when five or more containers are to be stored. For obtaining the storage license
safety equipments are essential along with scrubber system. Also the building has to be
constructed as per norms suitable for storing toxic gas cylinders with adequate ventilation
systems and handling accessories.

STATUTORY REQUIREMENT FOR OBTAINING STORAGE LICENCE

{ Leak detector with audible alarm.

{ Disaster plan for operation during emergency leak of chlorine.

{ One or more Hydrant point with adequate pressure near the premises.

{ At least one air breathing apparatus and 2 cannister gas masks.

{ Ammonia torch.

{ Weather cock.

{ Emergency kit .

{ Lime pit with gas manifold leading to pit .

{ Suitable plant layout as per statutory requirements.

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