Want to Mitigate the Lasting Impact of Chemical Hazards?
Want to Mitigate the Lasting Impact of Chemical Hazards?
Chemical Reaction Hazard Testing
Our testing combines reaction calorimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques to identify thermal instability, decomposition risk, and runaway reaction potential.
Uncontrolled exothermic behaviour can escalate fast, creating safety risk, operational disruption, regulatory exposure, and lasting reputational damage. DEKRA’s chemical reaction hazard testing gives you decision-ready data to define safe operating limits, validate safeguards, and improve confidence in safe scale-up and routine operation.
Navigating the reactive side of chemical processing
Reactive risk is rarely limited to the “planned” chemistry. Side reactions, contamination, overheating, loss of cooling, hold times, and process upsets can introduce conditions where thermally unstable substances and mixtures behave unpredictably, including the potential for runaway exothermic reactions. DEKRA helps you translate laboratory evidence into practical controls that work in real plant conditions.
Linking laboratory observations to plant-scale behaviour typically involves a sequence of tests including DSC analysis, gas analysis methods and targeted calorimetry — such as reaction calorimetry and accelerating rate calorimeter (ARC) studies.
Our approach to give you confidence and mitigate risk
Our work is designed to match your decision point, whether that is early screening, scale-up readiness, or relief and protection validation.
Typical process
1. Pre-assessment and scope
Clarify your chemistry, operating conditions, credible deviations, and what you need the data to decide.
2. Hazard identification and screening
Establish whether decomposition, side reactions, or instability could drive escalation, including tools such as CHETAH where appropriate, screening can involve differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) or other thermal screening approaches to detect early exothermic activity.
3. Targeted calorimetry and stability characterisation
Generate decision-quality results using techniques matched to your system and risk profile this step may include calibrated reaction calorimetry (e.g. Mettler RC1) or accelerating rate calorimeter (ARC) testing to quantify thermal and pressure escalation potential.
4. Pressure and relief considerations
Where relevant, focus on pressure generation mechanisms and what they imply for protection measures.
5. Clear reporting and practical recommendations
You receive outputs that support engineering decisions, change management, and safe operating envelope definition.
Screening Evaluation
The CHETAH program (The ASTM program for Chemical Thermodynamic and Energy Release Evaluation) is a unique tool for predicting both thermochemical properties and certain “reactive chemical hazards” associated with a pure chemical, a mixture of chemicals or a chemical reaction. CHETAH is useful for classifying materials for their ability to decompose with violence, for estimating heats of reaction or combustion, and for predicting lower flammable limits.
Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
Carius Tube with End Gas Analysis
Accelerating Rate Calorimeter (ARC)
Reaction Calorimetry (Mettler RC1)
Adiabatic Pressure Dewar Calorimeter
Vent Sizing Package 2 (VSP2™)
At DEKRA UK, our team of experts is at the heart of our commitment to process safety. Comprised of highly skilled scientists with extensive experience in process safety testing, our team works diligently in state-of-the-art labs to ensure the highest standards of safety and reliability. Our experts help you interpret DSC testing results and design robust calorimetric strategies that de-risk scale-up decisions and improve safety outcomes.
Speak to us
Q: What is chemical reaction hazard testing used for?
A: It is used to identify and characterise reactive chemical hazards, including the potential for runaway exothermic reactions, thermal instability, and escalation risks during scale-up and operation.
Q: When should we start testing?
Q: Can DEKRA help with pressure relief decisions?
Q: What methods might be involved?
Q: What is DSC testing and when is it useful?
Q: What do we get at the end?
Q: How can DEKRA Process Safety help?
Get in touch with an expert
Got questions?
Book a free 30-mins exploratory call with Steve