Tank farms are used for the storage of extremely flammable and explosive substances; Consequently, preventive hearth protection is of main importance. When rehabilitation of such a tank farm is planned, contractors often advocate extensive – and thus expensive – measures. A fire-protection resolution developed by TÜV SÜD demonstrates that an equivalent degree of safety may additionally be reached with a far more cost-effective answer. A central role in harm limitation is performed by early hearth detection utilizing thermographic cameras.
Numerous tank farms throughout Germany store petrol, diesel, kerosene or liquefied petroleum fuel (LPG). In contact with air, these extremely flammable substances can form explosive mixtures. Given this, tank farms require special measures in the field of preventive hearth protection. If rehabilitation of fire-protection systems becomes essential at an older tank farm, far-reaching measures must be taken, not only by means of precaution but in addition to exclude attainable liability dangers. And yet not every measure that’s technologically possible can also be essential in case of a rehabilitation, as could be seen from the example of a tank farm in Bavaria, Germany.
The tank farm is positioned at a basin of a river port in Bavaria. The part of the tank farm in want of rehabilitation covers 24 tanks with a storage quantity of between 600 and 2,000 cubic metres. The tank farm is used for intermediate storage of extremely flammable fluids with flame factors of < 21 levels Celsius, as outlined in the German hazardous substances laws. In hearth inspections and on-site inspections after incidents, the inspectors had identified major non-conformities in the fire-extinguishing system. To exchange the outdated and non-conforming system, an engineering firm submitted an intensive list of measures. These measures absolutely happy all regulatory necessities but represented a really cost-intensive solution, requiring a full rehabilitation utilizing conventional extinguishing systems. For the tank-farm operating firm, the costs of implementing these measures would have added as much as 1.7 million euros.
In hearth safety, the problem lies in connecting well-founded technological data and authorized know-how. In apply เกจแรงดันสูง means harmonising reasonable engineering providers and legal functions to acquire a cohesive, economically feasible and easily applied fire-protection idea.
Alternative answer developed by TÜV SÜD
At the working company’s request, TÜV SÜD’s third-party consultants validated the person measures and the cost-effectiveness of the rehabilitation plan submitted by the engineering firm. Owing to the large variety of deficiencies identified in the tank farm, the consultants first prepared a list of priorities with the measures essential to fulfil the protection necessities and obtain the safety aims. They arrived on the conclusion that not all the proposed measures really wanted to be applied. Starting from this finding, they then drew up an alternative fire-protection concept that would ultimately scale back the projected costs by one third.
TÜV SÜD’s rehabilitation plan included the fire-protection infrastructure already in place at the tank farm, similar to a non-automatic foam extinguishing system with a total foaming-agent supply of 10,500 litres distributed throughout two tanks, two submerged pumps within the port basin with a pump capability of 180 m3 per hour to ensure water provide for fireplace preventing and sprinkling the shells and the roofs of the tanks, manual triggering of the shut-off valves and a transformer station powered by the regional power supplier. The feed-in of emergency power was effected by the native professional fire department.
The engineering agency, by contrast, had planned to switch the complete fire-extinguishing system. They wanted to install three mobile extinguishing-agent distribution methods in container type for remote controlled sprinkling and foaming of the tanks. This resolution would have required the set up of latest electrical, operational and management techniques in addition to new pipe routes connecting the extinguishing-agent distribution techniques with the fire-fighting systems in the tank fields. The prices for the three extinguishing-agent distribution methods in container type alone would have added up to round 1.2 million euros.
Incipient hearth fighting scenario with intact energy provide and free entry to the tank farm.
Implementation of three packages of measures
The various rehabilitation idea developed by TÜV SÜD, which also met the necessities of the Bavarian Building Code (BayBo [1]), provided for three essential packages of measures to realize the safety and security objectives.
First, set up of a fully computerized infrared measuring system made by DIAS Infrared to ensure early hearth detection. The system’s seven thermographic cameras are installed on pan-tilt models. They detect changes in temperature on the surfaces of the tanks made of different materials and located in the space monitored by the cameras, earlier than these modifications in temperature could cause a fireplace. As the cameras can transfer, the areas to be monitored may be divided into sectors. The cameras then method these sectors cyclically in sequence. To shield the cameras towards external influences, they’re housed in ventilated and heated weatherproof enclosures (Fig. 1). Monitoring focuses totally on the safety units of the tanks, pumps and motors and on the filling techniques on the tank-farm premises. The control room on the tank farm and the local professional hearth division are notified immediately as quickly because the temperature exceeds a sure limit. The measure package deal also consists of distant triggering of the extinguishing-agent supply from the management centre and automation of the security devices.
Incipient hearth fighting scenario with power loss the place access to the tank farm is blocked by a cargo prepare.
In addition, it covers rehabilitation of the sprinkler and foam-extinguisher system. In this context, TÜV SÜD’s solution supplied for replacement of the leaking and corroded pipe sections with new pipes and for installation of three fastened foam-extinguishing techniques within the type of foam screens to struggle incipient fires instantly. In addition, a mobile foam monitor was planned as a backup.
A third focus space considerations safeguarding the ability provide required for early fireplace detection and fire combating. According to the regional power provider, power outages might have a duration of no less than 30 minutes. Given this, the tank-farm wanted an independent power supply system that was ready to ensure power supply for no much less than 2 hours. The consultants relied on battery buffering and a diesel operated emergency power unit to unravel this problem.
Fire protection should guarantee achievement of the protection goals
Protection objectives and equal security stage reached
The fire-protection resolution introduced by TÜV SÜD was agreed with each the tank farm’s operating firm, the municipal authority and the professional hearth department. The three measure packages also complied with the required protection goals and the security ranges. And in the end, they proved far less expensive than the answer initially proposed. Since rehabilitation of the tank farm, early fireplace detection at the side of improved fire-protection infrastructure has turn into a central part of damage limitation. Since the rehabilitation concept was applied, the tank-farm’s operating company – working with the professional fireplace department – has been in a position to effectively counteract all possible eventualities of incipient hearth effectively and at an early stage, even in instances of energy loss or when access to the tank farm is blocked (see Figures 2 and 3).
For extra info, go to www.tuev-sued.de/is or www.dias-infrared.de
Classification beneath 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 highly explosive or flammable substances. Protection measures and safety precautions thus not only fall inside the working company’s responsibility but are also a matter of public curiosity. Given this, the BayBO stipulates requirements together with material requirements which, as “General clauses of fireplace protection”, help to help the protection goals defined in Article 12. However, based on article 3 (1) deviations from the technical building laws are potential if an alternative solution is discovered that’s equivalent in terms of fulfilling the general requirements in paragraph 1. In different words, the necessities laid down within the Building Code are deemed complied with if the widely recognised guidelines of architecture and expertise are fulfilled.
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