Gas Solid Fluidization Lab Report

A safety audit for the gas-solid fluidization experiment was conducted. The following safety concerns were found when performing the audit: operating beyond the operating limits, spillage of the beads, risk of head injury from bending over to change the beads in the apparatus or from the low bar, and congestion of the workspace.
One of the biggest safety concerns with this lab involved the small glass beads that acted as the solid in the experiment. If the gas flow rate goes below 50 standard cubic feet per hour (SCFH), the small glass beads could enter the flow meters. This would result in damages to the flow meters and in flow meters giving false readings which in return could result in the team, conducting the experiment, to adjust flow
This results in many tiny glass beads to be spilled on the floor of the lab which creates a major slipping hazard for everyone near the experiment. Since the beads are so tiny it is very possible that they travel a far distance. The beads also blend into the floor so it would be very hard to get every bead swept up, resulting in the slip hazard still being there. This also applies to when the beads are being switched out, which could result in spills. Since the size of the beads is important to the experiment, making the beads a lime green color could help them stand out on the floor so they all get swept up.
When the porosity of the glass beads was measured on the lab countertop, several beads were spilled. These beads resulted in the glassware sliding very easily across the countertop. If the glassware fell off the countertop, it would result in broken glass being scattered throughout the lab which presents many safety hazards. To counter this, it is recommended to consistently wipe down the countertop in between porosity measurements with a damp disposal cloth. The spillage of the glass beads on the countertop can be seen in Figure 1
Furthermore, without the flow, there is possible risk of the beads back flowing into critical devices such as the flowmeters. The pipe in question is shown below in Figure 4 with a tall individual who is only centimeters from contact with the pipe. Also, notice that the individual barely has enough space between the seated individual and an individual from another experiment. Our suggested solution for the risk of head injury while bending over to change the beads, the crowded walkway from the seated individual reading solid bed height, and the risks posed by the metal tube is to raise the entire apparatus by a foot or more. If the device were raised, one would not have to bend over in order to change the beads in the system, the risks presented by the low metal tube would be minimized, and the individual responsible for reading the bed height could stand, which would decrease crowding of a critical