석유 화학플랜트에서 다량 부산되는 가연성 고체인 EVA(ethyl vinyl acetate) 분진의 열적특성 및 산화제와의 혼촉 위험성을 조사하였다. 시차주사열량계(DSC, Differential Scanning calorimeter) 및 열중량 분석기(TGA, Thermogavimetric Analysis)를 이용하여 온도에 따른 발열개시온도 및 중량감소를 조사하였고, EVA 분진의 위험성을 살펴보고자 몇 가지 대표적인 산화제와 혼합하여 무게비에 따른 압력용기 내에서의 혼촉 위험성을 조사하였다. DSC 분석 결과 EVA 분진의 열분해에 따른 발열 peak가 220~$250^{circ}$ 부근에서 나타나고 있으며, TGA 분석결과 EVA 분진의 분해온도는 250~$500^{circ}$ 범위이다. 압력 용기 시험에 의한 산화제와 EVA 분진의 혼촉 위험성은 오리피스 직경이 감소할수록 증가하며, 승온속도가 증가할수록 증가한다. 또한 승온속도가 느린 경우에는 시료의 분해온도와 산화제의 분해온도가 비슷한 경우 혼촉 위험성이 크게 나타났으며, 승온속도가 빠른 경우에는 시료 및 산화제의 분해온도보다는 분자 내에 산소의 함유량이 높은 산화제가 혼촉 위험성이 크게 나타났다.
Thermal properties of EVA dust and its risks of coexisting with oxidizer were investigated by a pressure vessel. The decomposition of EVA dust with temperature using DSC and the weight loss with temperature using TGA were also investigated to find the thermal hazard of EVA dust. Using the pressure vessel which can estimate ignition and explosion of EVA dust coexisting with oxidizer by bursting of a rupture disc, many experiments have been conducted by varying the orifice diameter, heating rate, the weight ratio of the sample coexisting with oxidizer, and the species of oxidizer. According to the results of the thermal analysis of EVA dust, a little change of the decomposition initiation temperature with the heating rate could be found and the decomposition temperature zone of EVA dust was 250 to 50$0^{circ}C$. The risk of EVA dust coexisting with oxidizer was increased as the orifice diameter was decreased. On the other hand, it was increased as the heating rate and the weight ratio of the sample coexisting with oxidizer were increased. In addition, the risk of EVA dust coexisting with oxidizer was affected by the decomposition temperature of the sample and oxidizer, respectively, at slow heating rate, but it was affected by the oxygen weight percent of oxidizer at fast heating rate.
