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Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 4:27 pm
by GuingesRock
Yesterday I had a keg of beer I really liked and wanted to hang on to the last half keg so I took the liquid connector off, but I didn’t notice that the poppet hadn’t re-seated properly and was leaking slowly.

Today I went to the keezer and FUCK! It had emptied into the keezer. My precious beer. But that isn’t the end of it. Kathleen felt sorry for me and helped me clean out the keezer. I got the kegs out and washed them off and she leaned over and started scooping the beer out into a bucket. She’s fine now, but she nearly passed out. I didn't realize it but after the keg emptied, then the CO2 tank had emptied itself, through the keg into the keezer and she had her head in pure CO2 as she was right down in there with a scoop. She said it was interesting ...she started breathing faster and faster and then started feeling faint.

When you breath high concentrations of CO2 you asphyxiate and don’t know what’s going on. Someone on their own doing that could possibly be in a dangerous situation. The keezer is in a small room and the cat sleeps on the floor in there. The 10lb tank must have emptied in there overnight. The cat also survived and seems none the worse for wear.

To end on a happy note. I do have another keg of that beer. It has a tap on it now, and we're drinkin it :lol:

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 5:48 pm
by GuingesRock
Kathleen actually had previously written a safe workplace procedure paper on CO2 (she works in a biochemistry Lab) so she knew exactly what was happening to her. We thought it was the CO2 coming out of the beer until I discovered the tank was empty. CO2 is a rare risk, but one of the most catastrophic, because you don’t know what is happening and you pass out.

Watch out for CO2 in confined spaces.

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 7:14 pm
by Celiacbrew
Damn glad you guys are alright.

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 8:09 pm
by GuingesRock
Celiacbrew wrote:Damn glad you guys are alright.
Thanks ...and it continues. House full of wild 5 year olds, one fell over and hurt his knee, one got soaked with the water gun, several times (he seemed to enjoy it) and constantly needed new clothes. Parents came to pick up the kids and got into my good beer, one spilt a whole glass on the floor. Kids screaming and refusing to leave. Cat vomited on the carpet. Hell of a mess to clean up all round. In laws then arrived, drank more of the beer ...one of those days :lol:

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 8:59 pm
by Keith
haha. to the last post. that's friggin funny stuff.
But as for the first post, glad all is well in the Grock household. :cheers2:

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 9:11 pm
by GAM
GuingesRock wrote: Thanks ...and it continues. House full of wild 5 year olds, one fell over and hurt his knee, one got soaked with the water gun, several times (he seemed to enjoy it) and constantly needed new clothes. Parents came to pick up the kids and got into my good beer, one spilt a whole glass on the floor. Kids screaming and refusing to leave. Cat vomited on the carpet. Hell of a mess to clean up all round. In laws then arrived, drank more of the beer ...one of those days :lol:
Good times, good times.

Sandy

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 9:25 pm
by amartin
I'm glad nobody got hurt on that one. I know a guy who was fermenting three buckets of cider in a small basement, and went down and found a dead rat on the floor. Oops.

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 9:53 pm
by CorneliusAlphonse
glad we dont use CO to give our beer those nice bubbles

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 10:10 pm
by amartin
Me too. I bottle my beer with a little sugar, and a week later, it's fizzy! I credit gnomes.

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 10:22 pm
by CorneliusAlphonse
ha, sorry, i meant carbon monoxide - i wonder if it would make beer fizzy - and if there are any health effects from ingesting carbon monoxide (not inhaling)

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 10:34 pm
by amartin
Oh yeah, blast my grade 11 chemistry.

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 7:49 am
by GuingesRock
Keith wrote:the Grock household.
:think:
Grock:

understand,appreciate actively and profoundly, fully comprehend; also, to think about, listen to, play, or contemplate something or someone with full love and understanding, even ecstacy. Often done stoned.

(s)he spent the whole museum visit just grocking one painting. I go to the park to grock the trees. MCEscher really grocked Goedel's theorem. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=grock" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I like it :D


:spilly:

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 8:31 am
by McGruff
I found that out when I bent down in my keezer/ferment chamber to read the temp strip. Lost my breath for a second and my eyes started to sting.

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 9:31 am
by GuingesRock
http://halmapr.com/news/crowcon/2013/07 ... -industry/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

CO2 Gas Hazards in the Brewing Industry

July 2013


The hazards associated with CO2 in the brewing industry are well known, yet people still die needlessly every year in tragic and completely avoidable accidents in breweries. Just last year in Germany, which has a good safety record, two workers died in separate incidents at the same brewery.


In the first incident, the owner was found dead with his head and torso in a beer mixing tank. It is thought that, after bottling and subsequent cleaning, the owner had leaned in to check the container and was overcome by CO2. 10 months later in the same brewery a worker was found dead in a pressure tank used to recirculate wheat beer. He had probably forgotten to fit a yeast plug and had leaned into the tank – which was already pressurised with CO2 – to fit one. He was found up to his hips in the container and had been poisoned – probably in seconds – due to the high concentration of CO2.

Both these accidents demonstrate the extremely hazardous nature of CO2 and how quickly one can be overcome by its deadly properties.

Properties and effects of CO2
CO2 is extremely hazardous and can kill in two ways: either by displacing O2, leading to rapid asphyxiation, or as a toxin in its own right. Exposure to as little 0.5% volume CO2 represents a toxic health hazard, while concentrations greater than 10% volume can lead to death. Because CO2 is completely odourless and colourless there is no physical indication of danger until it is usually too late.

CO2 is a by-product of the fermentation process and, because the gas is heavier than air, it collects at the bottom of containers and confined spaces such as tanks and cellars and can even spill out of fermenting tanks and sink to the brewery floor, where it forms deadly, invisible pockets. In fact, CO2 is a hazard throughout the brewing process, right through to packaging and bottling.

Safety precautions
Fermentation tanks, beer mixing tanks, silos and other confined spaces in the brewing industry are easily accessible – it is rare for them to be fitted with safety interlocks. For this very reason rigorous safety systems should be in place and always adhered to. Employers must assess the risks these areas pose to their employees and endeavour to prevent them. In most cases, both the assessment and the safe working system will require testing of the atmosphere with gas detection equipment.

As a rule, entry should not be routine and should only be carried out if absolutely necessary. However, if entry is necessary – for example for an inspection or to ensure cleaning has been carried out correctly – suitable safety procedures must be followed.

Firstly, CO2 from the space must be completely removed. This can be done by discharging all the fermentation and pressure gasses directly into the open air using a ring main system. If this is not possible due to the layout, the CO2 must be manually extracted and safely diverted.

Prior to entering a tank or other confined space, a ‘release measurement’ of CO2 must be taken using a suitable CO2 monitor. This is the only reliable method to check whether the CO2 concentration is actually at a safe level. The measurement must be taken by a qualified person, usually by lowering the monitor into the chamber and leaving it there for several minutes. It goes without saying that any monitoring device must be durable, reliable and regularly calibrated and tested.

Protecting the worker entering a confined space
Anyone entering a tank or other confined space must also be equipped with a suitable gas detector. If a certain CO2 concentration is exceeded the device will go into alarm mode with both audio and visual alarms.

Generally, at a CO2 volume of 0.5 % by volume, a pre-warning is set off; at 1 to 2 % by volume the main alarm is activated. With most devices other alarm thresholds can be selected with the aim of avoiding the alarm sounding too frequently and simultaneously ensuring the safety of the person working in the container.

CO2 gas detector types
Both portable and fixed CO2 detectors can be used for CO2 monitoring in breweries. Fixed systems typically comprise one or more detector “heads” connected to a separate control panel. If a detector reads a dangerous CO2 level, extractor fans are automatically triggered and sirens or visual beacons can also be activated to warn workers to vacate the area. This sort of installation is suited to larger spaces like cellars and plant rooms.

However, much confined space work in the brewing industry takes place in more restricted areas like fermentation tanks where fixed detectors cannot be installed. This means compact portable units are required. Ease of use, with one button operation, should be the norm when it comes to portable detectors. This means minimal training is required while increased safety is ensured. Combining one or more sensors with powerful audible and visual signals to warn when pre-set gas levels are reached, compact portable detectors are easily carried in a confined space, ensuring that pockets of high CO2 concentration are not missed.

Certain features should be expected in every portable CO2 detector. Clearly, life-saving tools for demanding environments must be as tough as possible, with reliable electronics housed in impact-resistant casings. While the need to leave gas sensors exposed to the atmosphere means that no instrument can be fully sealed, a high degree of protection against dust and water ingress is essential. Toughness notwithstanding, a well-designed detector will also be light and compact enough to wear for an entire shift.

Finally, because of the difficulties of working in a cramped space, perhaps under poor lighting, instruments should be easy to use. No matter how advanced a detector’s internal architecture or data management options, personnel in the field should be faced with nothing more daunting than a clear display, simple, one-button operation and loud/bright alarms.

Conclusion
Not taking the risk of CO2 seriously has led to many unavoidable deaths. If all the safety procedures described above are observed, the risks of dealing with this colourless, odourless and tasteless gas can be significantly reduced.

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 9:20 pm
by GuingesRock
I reorganized my keezer today. Room for one more keg in there. I'm going to stick to 5lb tanks now. Bit more expensive to fill, but less of a loss (and less health hazard) if there's a mishap/CO2 leak. I have another upright fridge that takes 4 kegs. I'm taking the 10lb tank back to NG and trading it for a 5lb one to go in the other fridge.

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 9:58 pm
by jtmwhyte
GuingesRock wrote:I reorganized my keezer today. Room for one more keg in there. I'm going to stick to 5lb tanks now. Bit more expensive to fill, but less of a loss (and less health hazard) if there's a mishap/CO2 leak. I have another upright fridge that takes 4 kegs. I'm taking the 10lb tank back to NG and trading it for a 5lb one to go in the other fridge.
Why not sell the 10?

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Thu May 22, 2014 6:28 am
by GuingesRock
If you buy a tank at NG, you take it back when it's empty and pick up a full one. I could also sell it but would lose money. I might get 2 x 5 pounders when I take it back, then I'll have a spare.

Re: Brewing Disasters and Things Gone Wrong.

Posted: Thu May 22, 2014 8:28 am
by Jimmy
I like the 2 x 5lb setup. I leave one in my fridge all the time, the other I use for all other duties (cleaning kegs, pressurizing for storage, etc).