I work in chemicals and have spent time in a methyl methacrylate plant. This is MMA. It’s downstream from either acetone or more likely propianaldehyde. In the US, this is downstream from Ethylene cracked from gas. Fracking is the reason that the US still has manufacturing and also why our energy costs are lower versus much of the world.
This is the product that’s made into acrylic. All of those clear plastic screens in front of the grocery checkout are acrylic. It’s also the thick plastic used in large aquariums, bullet proof glass etc. I’d love to hear how the “petrogarchs” eliminating our access to acrylic makes our lives better? It’s lighter than glass, stronger, and doesn’t require strip mining to produce.
MMA improperly stored or having a contaminant in the tank can cause polymerization. The liquid is basically cross linking in the tank to transform into another chemical. The waste product to that reaction is heat.
The tank is too far gone and is exponentially building heat and pressure. They can cool the tank but not stop the reaction. At some point the tank can’t handle the pressure and will rupture or explode. At this point, for safety, it’s best to turn on the hoses and back all emergency crew away. If it happens it happens. There iso no stopping it.
= new reply since forum marked as read