Tank farms are used for the storage of extremely flammable and explosive substances; Consequently, preventive hearth safety is of main significance. When rehabilitation of such a tank farm is planned, contractors often suggest intensive – and thus pricey – measures. A fire-protection answer developed by TÜV SÜD demonstrates that an equal degree of safety can be reached with a much more cost-effective resolution. A central function in injury limitation is played by early fire detection using thermographic cameras.
Numerous tank farms all through Germany retailer petrol, diesel, kerosene or liquefied petroleum gasoline (LPG). In contact with air, these extremely flammable substances can type explosive mixtures. Given this, tank farms require special measures in the field of preventive fire protection. If rehabilitation of fire-protection systems turns into necessary at an older tank farm, far-reaching measures must be taken, not only by means of precaution but in addition to exclude attainable legal responsibility risks. And yet not every measure that is technologically feasible can be necessary in case of a rehabilitation, as may be seen from the instance of a tank farm in Bavaria, Germany.
The tank farm is situated at a basin of a river port in Bavaria. The a half of the tank farm in need of rehabilitation covers 24 tanks with a storage quantity of between 600 and a pair of,000 cubic metres. The tank farm is used for intermediate storage of extremely flammable fluids with flame points of < 21 levels Celsius, as outlined in the German hazardous substances laws. In fire inspections and on-site inspections after incidents, the inspectors had recognized major non-conformities within the fire-extinguishing system. To exchange the outdated and non-conforming system, an engineering agency submitted an extensive listing of measures. These measures fully happy all regulatory necessities however represented a really cost-intensive answer, requiring a full rehabilitation utilizing conventional extinguishing methods. For the tank-farm operating firm, the prices of implementing these measures would have added up to 1.7 million euros.
In hearth protection, the challenge lies in connecting well-founded technological data and authorized know-how. In practice this means harmonising affordable engineering companies and legal applications to obtain a cohesive, economically feasible and simply applied fire-protection idea.
Alternative resolution developed by TÜV SÜD
At the working company’s request, TÜV SÜD’s third-party specialists validated the person measures and the cost-effectiveness of the rehabilitation plan submitted by the engineering agency. Owing to the big number of deficiencies recognized within the tank farm, the experts first prepared an inventory of priorities with the measures necessary to fulfil the safety requirements and achieve the protection objectives. They arrived on the conclusion that not all of the proposed measures actually wanted to be applied. Starting from this discovering, they then drew up an alternative fire-protection concept that may finally cut back the projected prices by one third.
TÜV SÜD’s rehabilitation plan included the fire-protection infrastructure already in place at the tank farm, corresponding to a non-automatic foam extinguishing system with a complete foaming-agent supply of 10,500 litres distributed throughout two tanks, two submerged pumps in the port basin with a pump capability of 180 m3 per hour to ensure water supply for fire fighting 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 energy provider. The feed-in of emergency energy was effected by the local skilled fireplace department.
The engineering firm, by contrast, had planned to replace the entire fire-extinguishing system. They wanted to put in three mobile extinguishing-agent distribution methods in container type for distant managed sprinkling and foaming of the tanks. This solution would have required the installation of latest electrical, operational and management systems in addition to new pipe routes connecting the extinguishing-agent distribution systems with the fire-fighting techniques in 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.
เกจวัดแรงอัดกระบอกสูบ combating scenario with intact power provide and free access to the tank farm.
Implementation of three packages of measures
The different rehabilitation idea developed by TÜV SÜD, which also met the requirements of the Bavarian Building Code (BayBo [1]), offered for three important packages of measures to attain the protection and safety objectives.
First, set up of a completely computerized infrared measuring system made by DIAS Infrared to ensure early fire detection. The system’s seven thermographic cameras are installed on pan-tilt units. They detect changes in temperature at the surfaces of the tanks made of various materials and positioned in the area monitored by the cameras, earlier than these modifications in temperature could cause a fireplace. As the cameras can transfer, the areas to be monitored can be divided into sectors. The cameras then method these sectors cyclically in sequence. To defend the cameras towards exterior influences, they’re housed in ventilated and heated weatherproof enclosures (Fig. 1). Monitoring focuses totally on the protection gadgets 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 native professional fireplace division are notified immediately as quickly because the temperature exceeds a certain limit. The measure package also consists of distant triggering of the extinguishing-agent provide from the management centre and automation of the safety devices.
Incipient hearth preventing situation with power loss where entry to the tank farm is blocked by a cargo practice.
In addition, it covers rehabilitation of the sprinkler and foam-extinguisher system. In this context, TÜV SÜD’s answer offered for substitute of the leaking and corroded pipe sections with new pipes and for set up of three fastened foam-extinguishing systems within the type of foam screens to struggle incipient fires directly. In addition, a cell foam monitor was deliberate as a backup.
A third focus area considerations safeguarding the ability supply required for early fire detection and fire combating. According to the regional energy provider, power outages may have a period of a minimal of 30 minutes. Given this, the tank-farm needed an unbiased power supply system that was able to make sure power supply for a minimum of 2 hours. The experts relied on battery buffering and a diesel operated emergency energy unit to unravel this drawback.
Fire safety should guarantee achievement of the protection objectives
Protection goals and equal safety degree reached
The fire-protection answer offered by TÜV SÜD was agreed with each the tank farm’s operating company, the municipal authority and the professional fireplace division. The three measure packages additionally complied with the required protection objectives and the safety levels. And in the end, 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 a part of damage limitation. Since the rehabilitation concept was implemented, the tank-farm’s working firm – working with the professional hearth division – has been in a position to effectively counteract all possible situations of incipient hearth successfully 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 information, go to www.tuev-sued.de/is or www.dias-infrared.de
Classification underneath the Bavarian Building Code (Bayerische Bauordnung, BayBo)
Tank farms are installations of a special type and use (special structures). Their operation includes the dealing with and storing of highly explosive or flammable substances. Protection measures and security precautions thus not solely fall within the working company’s accountability but are also a matter of public interest. Given this, the BayBO stipulates requirements together with material requirements which, as “General clauses of fireplace protection”, assist to assist the protection goals defined in Article 12. However, in accordance with article three (1) deviations from the technical constructing rules are attainable if another resolution is found that’s equivalent when it comes to fulfilling the overall requirements in paragraph 1. In different phrases, the requirements laid down within the Building Code are deemed complied with if the generally recognised rules of architecture and expertise are fulfilled.
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