Exposures of totally-encapsulating chemical protective suits to high and very high concentrations of hydrogen fluoride along with future experimental plans.

摘要

We conducted a series of tests on nine commercial brands of totally-encapsulating chemical protective (TECP) suits under realistic worst-case exposures to hydrogen fluoride (HF). Most of the tests were carried out using a static mannequin in a large wind tunnel located at the US Department of Energy Liquefied Gaseous Fuels Spill Test Facility at the Nevada Test Site. Several tests were also conducted using another mannequin that articulated at the waist. HF leak-rates into the TECP suits were measured using an integrated field sampler and silica-gel sorbent tubes. At HF concentrations of (approximately)10,000-30,000 ppM, we observed no significant TECP suit leakage. We experienced no field problems in conducting ASTM F1052-87 TECP pressure leak-rate tests. Several tests to determine if positive-pressure vent valves significantly improve TECP suit performance indicated little, if any, difference in leak-rate as compared to the standard vent valves. One final TECP suit exposure to very high concentrations of HF (>500,000 ppM) resulted in a major suit failure. Future laboratory and field experiments are planned to determine why this failure occurred, as well as to better define an experimental method to carry out worst-case TECP suit chemical exposures. 10 refs., 7 figs., 6 tabs.