A Laboratory Experiment on Thermal Hazard Assessment Using a Bench-Scale Isothermal Heat-Flow Reaction Calorimetry Platform

Abstract

Reaction calorimetry is an important tool for chemical process-safety assessment, but conventional research-grade instruments are often too costly and complex for routine undergraduate teaching. This article describes a laboratory experiment that uses a bench-scale isothermal heat-flow reaction calorimetry platform to teach quantitative thermal-hazard assessment in chemical safety engineering. Using the neutralization of acetic acid with sodium hydroxide as a model system, students determine the heat of reaction (Qr) and use it to estimate the adiabatic temperature rise (ΔTad) and the maximum temperature of the synthesis reaction (MTSR). Under selected classroom operating conditions, the experiment produced a well-defined exothermic peak and reaction-heat values that were in acceptable agreement with the literature value for the neutralization enthalpy. Among 15 student groups formed from 30 third-year undergraduates, 14 groups (93%) successfully completed peak integration and subsequent calculations of ΔTad and MTSR.