Chlorine leak leaves five injured at Apple's North Carolina data center
Five people are receiving medical treatment after being exposed to a chlorine leak at Apple's data center in Maiden, North Carolina on Monday, reports say.
Catawba Fire and Rescue dispatchers sent out multiple first responder units, including a hazmat team, to Apple's facility after receiving reports of a chlorine leak at around 2:30 p.m. EDT, reports The Charlotte Observer.
The cause and extent of the leak is unknown as authorities have yet to release additional information regarding the matter.
It is also unclear if those injured suffered from chlorine inhalation or physical exposure to a non-gaseous form of the chemical. Chlorine has a variety of industrial applications and was perhaps used in Apple's on-site cooling system to inhibit growth of fouling microorganisms.
Today's news comes less than one week after a large blaze was reported at Apple's Mesa, Ariz. facility. The fire was confined to the building's roof where it destroyed a number of solar panels.
Catawba Fire and Rescue dispatchers sent out multiple first responder units, including a hazmat team, to Apple's facility after receiving reports of a chlorine leak at around 2:30 p.m. EDT, reports The Charlotte Observer.
The cause and extent of the leak is unknown as authorities have yet to release additional information regarding the matter.
It is also unclear if those injured suffered from chlorine inhalation or physical exposure to a non-gaseous form of the chemical. Chlorine has a variety of industrial applications and was perhaps used in Apple's on-site cooling system to inhibit growth of fouling microorganisms.
Today's news comes less than one week after a large blaze was reported at Apple's Mesa, Ariz. facility. The fire was confined to the building's roof where it destroyed a number of solar panels.
Comments
Anyone know why they would store Chlorine at a data center?
That's a joke, ok?
The swimming pool?
Hope the folks are ok, it's nasty stuff.
Anyone know why they would store Chlorine at a data center?
Chlorine gas is used in both water and wastewater treatment plants. Perhaps this location has one or both. There are two large tanks behind the facility along with an evaporation pond between the main structure and the electrical substation. I'd imagine they use chlorine gas to treat their own water.
Chlorine is routinely used in cooling towers, yes, just like large swimming pools. A shot of gas now and then keeps the bugs (microorganisms) away. Those servers put out a lot of BTUs.
John
formerly in the water treatment business
I was about to say the same thing but I doubt that the wastewater treatment system they would have would have a chlorine treatment step. It would be a relatively small system and would probably dispose of the effluent via a leachfield and no chlorine would be needed.
Chlorine gas is used in both water and wastewater treatment plants. Perhaps this location has one or both.
This photo shows emergency workers near the cooling systems which presumably uses water.
If they are using traditional water cooling tower system they may chlorinate the water to keep bacteria from growing. Remember Legionnaires Disease, it was caused by water cooling systems having bacteria growing in it.
http://www.oxy.com/OurBusinesses/Chemicals/Products/Documents/SodiumChlorite/The Treatment of Cooling Water with Chlorine Dioxide.pdf
Well, that's a nice and interesting explanation. AI is like Discovery Channel, only Apple related
You can find that information towards the end of the article.
That statement about the industrial uses of chlorine was added later, after the article was first published and other members had speculated on that possibility.
If they are using traditional water cooling tower system they may chlorinate the water to keep bacteria from growing. Remember Legionnaires Disease, it was caused by water cooling systems having bacteria growing in it.
http://www.oxy.com/OurBusinesses/Chemicals/Products/Documents/SodiumChlorite/The Treatment of Cooling Water with Chlorine Dioxide.pdf
Yep, warm water can have some nasty mycobacteria, a whole bunch of people that went to do research up at Spirit Lake after Mt. St. Helen's blew developed variations of disease similar to what Legionella looks like (though a different genus).... the heated ash deposits warmed the water....
and this speculation "physical exposure to a non-gaseous form of the chemical" is where I'd go if they were treating their cooling water, solid SodiumChlorite makes more sense (and is far less hazardous and difficult to handle( than Chlorine gas. And skin contact to industrial quantities would lead to injury:
"
Potential Acute Health Effects:
Very hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of eye contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation. Slightly hazardous in case of skin contact (corrosive). Prolonged exposure may result in skin burns and ulcerations. Over-exposure by inhalation may cause respiratory irritation. Severe over-exposure can result in death. Inflammation of the eye is characterized by redness, watering, and itching. Skin inflammation is characterized by itching, scaling, reddening, or, occasionally, blistering. "
http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9924974
Anyone know why they would store Chlorine at a data center?
Is there a swimming pool?
That statement about the industrial uses of chlorine was added later, after the article was first published and other members had speculated on that possibility.
I thought that was the case! I may not be the chewiest cookie in the jar, but I swore the article made no reference to the purpose of the chemical in its original version. How sneaky of AI to update without adding an "UPDATED" tag!
More reasons to replace all Apple data center workers with robots.
that's what I call a green data center...