US EPA

2078317 

Technical Report 

Dinitrotoluene Pipeline Explosion 

Bateman, TL; Small, FH; Snyder, GE 

1974 

NIOSH/00150145 

8 

117-122 

A dinitrotoluene (25321146) pipeline explosion was analyzed. The incident was an explosive thermal decomposition that occurred in a dinitrotoluene transfer line at the Union Carbide Corporation facility, Institute, West Virginia, August 1972. The initial decomposition was quickly followed by several other explosions and small secondary fires. Preliminary investigation showed that dinitrotoluene in the transfer line at the point of explosion had been contained in the line for 10 days and was probably exposed to temperatures of approximately 210 degrees-C during this time. A slow thermal decomposition could have started and increased the temperature of the material in the core of the line, which eventually resulted in a rapid rate of heat production, and increased temperatures to the point where an explosive decomposition occurred. A laboratory test program was implemented to determine the thermal stability and decomposition temperature of dinitrotoluene. Fifty milliliter samples of dinitrotoluene were heated at an increasing rate or were held at a constant temperature under a variety of conditions. The tests found that the temperature of dinitrotoluene should be limited to a maximum of 150 degrees to inhibit pressure generation for a soak period up to 32 days. If a sample at 150 degrees was grossly contaminated with sodium-carbonate solution and rust, pressure could start to increase slowly after about 14 days, indicative of the beginning of significant decomposition. The final conclusion is that a true detonative propagation of the explosion did not occur, but a series of successive explosive decompositions were produced in the region of pipe where temperatures of approximately 200 degrees occurred.