Improvement of preventive fire protection at a tank farm

Tank farms are used for the storage of extremely flammable and explosive substances; Consequently, preventive fire safety is of main significance. When rehabilitation of such a tank farm is deliberate, contractors often suggest intensive – and thus costly – measures. A fire-protection solution developed by TÜV SÜD demonstrates that an equal degree of security can also be reached with a far more cost-effective resolution. A central role in damage limitation is performed by early fire detection utilizing thermographic cameras.
Numerous tank farms all through Germany store petrol, diesel, kerosene or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). In contact with air, these extremely flammable substances can type explosive mixtures. Given this, tank farms require special measures within the subject of preventive fire protection. If rehabilitation of fire-protection methods becomes needed at an older tank farm, far-reaching measures ought to be taken, not only by means of precaution but additionally to exclude potential legal responsibility dangers. And but not each measure that is technologically possible can be necessary in case of a rehabilitation, as can be seen from the instance of a tank farm in Bavaria, Germany.
The tank farm is positioned at a basin of a river port in Bavaria. The a part of the tank farm in want of rehabilitation covers 24 tanks with a storage volume of between 600 and a pair of,000 cubic metres. The tank farm is used for intermediate storage of extremely flammable fluids with flame factors of < 21 degrees Celsius, as outlined within the German hazardous substances laws. In hearth inspections and on-site inspections after incidents, the inspectors had identified major non-conformities within the fire-extinguishing system. To substitute the outdated and non-conforming system, an engineering agency submitted an extensive list of measures. These measures totally glad all regulatory necessities but represented a very cost-intensive solution, requiring a full rehabilitation using traditional extinguishing methods. For the tank-farm operating company, the prices of implementing these measures would have added as much as 1.7 million euros.
In fire safety, the challenge lies in connecting well-founded technological knowledge and authorized know-how. In follow this implies harmonising affordable engineering companies and legal functions to obtain a cohesive, economically possible and simply carried out fire-protection idea.
Alternative resolution developed by TÜV SÜD
At the working company’s request, TÜV SÜD’s third-party specialists validated the individual measures and the cost-effectiveness of the rehabilitation plan submitted by the engineering firm. Owing to the massive number of deficiencies recognized in the tank farm, the specialists first prepared a listing of priorities with the measures essential to fulfil the protection requirements and obtain the protection goals. They arrived on the conclusion that not all of the proposed measures really wanted to be carried out. Starting from this finding, they then drew up another fire-protection concept that would ultimately scale back the projected prices by one third.
TÜV SÜD’s rehabilitation plan included the fire-protection infrastructure already in place at the tank farm, such as a non-automatic foam extinguishing system with a total foaming-agent supply of 10,500 litres distributed throughout two tanks, two submerged pumps in the port basin with a pump capability of one hundred eighty m3 per hour to ensure water supply for fireplace fighting and sprinkling the shells and the roofs of the tanks, guide triggering of the shut-off valves and a transformer station powered by the regional energy provider. The feed-in of emergency power was effected by the native skilled fireplace division.
The engineering firm, by contrast, had planned to replace the entire fire-extinguishing system. They wanted to put in three cell extinguishing-agent distribution techniques in container form for distant managed sprinkling and foaming of the tanks. This answer would have required the installation of new electrical, operational and management methods as well as new pipe routes connecting the extinguishing-agent distribution methods with the fire-fighting systems within the tank fields. The costs for the three extinguishing-agent distribution techniques in container form alone would have added as much as around 1.2 million euros.
Incipient fire preventing situation with intact power supply and free access to the tank farm.
Implementation of three packages of measures
The various rehabilitation concept developed by TÜV SÜD, which additionally met the requirements of the Bavarian Building Code (BayBo [1]), supplied for 3 important packages of measures to achieve the protection and security goals.
First, installation of a completely computerized infrared measuring system made by DIAS Infrared to make sure early fire detection. The system’s seven thermographic cameras are installed on pan-tilt items. They detect modifications in temperature on the surfaces of the tanks made of different materials and situated within the area monitored by the cameras, earlier than these adjustments in temperature could cause a hearth. As the cameras can move, the areas to be monitored may be divided into sectors. The cameras then strategy these sectors cyclically in sequence. To shield the cameras in opposition to external influences, they’re housed in ventilated and heated weatherproof enclosures (Fig. 1). Monitoring focuses totally on the safety devices of the tanks, pumps and motors and on the filling techniques on the tank-farm premises. The management room at the tank farm and the local professional hearth division are notified immediately as quickly because the temperature exceeds a sure restrict. The measure bundle also includes distant triggering of the extinguishing-agent provide from the control centre and automation of the security gadgets.
pressure gauge 0 10 bar ราคา fighting scenario with power loss where access to the tank farm is blocked by a cargo train.
In addition, it covers rehabilitation of the sprinkler and foam-extinguisher system. In this context, TÜV SÜD’s solution offered for substitute of the leaking and corroded pipe sections with new pipes and for set up of three fixed foam-extinguishing methods in the type of foam monitors to fight incipient fires directly. In addition, a cellular foam monitor was deliberate as a backup.
A third focus area issues safeguarding the ability provide required for early fireplace detection and fireplace combating. According to the regional power supplier, energy outages could have a length of a minimum of 30 minutes. Given this, the tank-farm needed an impartial power provide system that was in a position to ensure power provide for a minimum of 2 hours. The experts relied on battery buffering and a diesel operated emergency power unit to resolve this drawback.
Fire protection must guarantee achievement of the protection objectives
Protection goals and equal safety stage reached
The fire-protection resolution presented by TÜV SÜD was agreed with both the tank farm’s operating company, the municipal authority and the skilled hearth department. The three measure packages additionally complied with the required protection goals and the security levels. And ultimately, they proved far cheaper than the solution initially proposed. Since rehabilitation of the tank farm, early hearth detection along side improved fire-protection infrastructure has turn into a central part of injury limitation. Since the rehabilitation idea was applied, the tank-farm’s working firm – working with the professional fire department – has been capable of effectively counteract all possible scenarios of incipient hearth effectively and at an early stage, even in cases of energy loss or when entry to the tank farm is blocked (see Figures 2 and 3).
For more data, go to www.tuev-sued.de/is or www.dias-infrared.de
Classification under the Bavarian Building Code (Bayerische Bauordnung, BayBo)
Tank farms are installations of a special kind and use (special structures). Their operation includes the dealing with and storing of extremely explosive or flammable substances. Protection measures and safety precautions thus not only fall within the working company’s responsibility however are also a matter of public interest. Given this, the BayBO stipulates necessities including materials requirements which, as “General clauses of fireside protection”, help to assist the protection goals outlined in Article 12. However, according to article 3 (1) deviations from the technical building rules are possible if an alternate answer is found that is equivalent by means of fulfilling the general requirements in paragraph 1. In other phrases, the necessities laid down within the Building Code are deemed complied with if the commonly recognised rules of structure and expertise are fulfilled.
Share