[labnetwork] Exhaust of corrosive chemical storage cabinets

[Bill Flounders]

Jim, Peter,
The TGO Synopsis from South Bay Pipe is a useful guide for many
in this community. Thank you for providing the on line link for all. 
However,
I do not consider using the TGO and its  description of requirements for 
toxic
gases and gas cabinets (chemicals in use) the best reference for evaluating
ventilation requirements for chemical storage cabinets.

I suspect you are evaluating ventilation from chemical storage cabinets
used to store your closed containers of liquid chemicals and whether
this effluent must go through a building scrubber or can be exhausted
directly - or in other cases is not required to be exhausted. My dated
recall is the mechanical and fire code had specific requirements for the
overall room ventilation but not requirements for cabinet ventilation.

Your local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ, most commonly
your local or campus fire marshal) will make the call but I expect you can
obtain guidance on this situation by comparing your storage cabinets to
the situation at your shipping and receiving or EH&S waste handling 
facility.
I expect the requirements for storage cabinets of closed (not in use) 
containers
to be far more modest than the requirement for a chemical fume hood or 
other
process equipment that is used to handle open chemical containers.

Re pros and cons instead of discussing code requirements - we have both.
Our chemical inventory room which meets specific overall room ventilation
requirements, has sealed bottles from the manufacturer, and chemical
cabinets that don't stink when you open them - has chem cabinets that 
are not
separately ventilated. This saved money and reserved exhaust capacity for
higher priority needs.
When we have a stinky cabinet in the main lab with half filled 
photoresist and
waste solvent bottles - even though this is storage - and the room meets 
overall
ventilation requirements - and the cabinet is not required to be 
exhausted - we added
ventilation to the cabinet and insure we met all 1/2 IDLH exhaust 
requirements.

Bill Flounders
UC Berkeley




Peter J Duda III wrote:
>
> Jim
>
> Santa Clara developed what is now known as the Toxic Gas Ordinance way 
> back in 1988 as a response to the growing number of semiconductor 
> facilities in that area.  It has since been modified and is mostly 
> used as the model for the Universal Fire Code. _While no source is 
> definitive_ and local codes vary – I have found this document:
>
> http://www.sbaypipe.org/assets/pdf/TGO_Toxic_Brochure_single%20pages_0519.pdf
>
> to be extremely helpful in providing general guidance regarding most 
> standard semiconductor gases.  Not only does it cover generally where 
> TGO varies from the model fire code - There are a lot of good 
> definitions, the general requirements are very easy to follow and the 
> table of gases provides easy access to classifications and IDLH, etc.  
>  Again – one needs to cross check against your local requirements, but 
> a 20 minute read can give you an abundance of info regarding what is 
> required throughout much of the US.
>
> Specifically to your question – you can see under the general 
> requirements in the “Exhaust Ventilation System” which class of gasses 
> are required to be “treated” to ½ IDLH.  Under the TGO Synopsis you 
> can see under bullet
>
> “S” what is involved in a “treatment system”.  I leave it to you to 
> interpret those for your specific application and again – to cross 
> check those requirements against local codes.
>
> Thanks
>
> Peter J Duda
>
> Technical Director, Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility
>
> Institute for Molecular Engineering
>
> University of Chicago
>
> 5640 South Ellis Avenue
>
> ERC LL178
>
> Chicago, IL  60637
>
> Office: 773-702-8903
> Pager/Text:  773-652-0480
>
> duda at uchicago.edu
>
> ime.uchicago.edu
>
> *From:*labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu 
> [mailto:labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu] *On Behalf Of *James Marsh
> *Sent:* Monday, November 21, 2016 10:15 AM
> *To:* labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu
> *Cc:* James Marsh (mail.mil) <James.e.marsh14.ctr at mail.mil>
> *Subject:* [labnetwork] Exhaust of corrosive chemical storage cabinets
>
> Hello,
>
> I would like some feedback regarding the pros/cons of venting 
> corrosive chemical storage cabinets to outdoors. I may be looking at 
> the wrong resources, but after checking NFPA, SEMI, FM Global, both 
> state and international fire and mechanical codes, I have found only 
> sketchy guidance.
>
> I would welcome either ideas or suggestions of where to look for 
> definitive guidance.
>
> Thanks, and have a great day.
>
> Jim
>
> James “Jim” Marsh, Contractor
>
> Facility Manager/Test Coordinator
>
> EOIR Technologies, Inc. – A Polaris Company
>
> Supporting
>
> US Army Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate
>
> Semiconductor Material and Fabrication Research Center
>
> 10221 Burbeck Rd.
>
> Ft. Belvoir, VA  22060
>
> Ph: (703) 704-1778
>
> Mobile: (703) 498-1279
>
>
>
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