Petroleum storage tank fire

Three basic methods of fire protection of Storage tanks are

Sub Surface base injection Over the top application( Surface Application) Foam chamber Foam maker Foam Monitor Foam Tower Dike protection

Sub Surface Base injection

This method is is used on hydrocarbon fuel stored in cone roof Tanks This method is unsuitable for protecting floating roof tank( open or covered),Cone roof tanks with internal floater, or floating roof and dike protection Produces foam using high back pressure foam maker located outside the storage tank. Expanded foam is delivered through product line piping or through one dedicated for foam line. Discharge outlet must be one feet( minimum) above any water present at the base of the tank. High back pressure foam maker as pirate foam solution. It will give an expansion ratio of 2:1 and 4:1.it can discharge against a back pressure as high as 40% of operating pressure (Back pressure is the accumulation of head pressure of fuel inside the tank and the friction loss between foam maker and the tank) Minimum operating pressure into HBFM -100psi Foam velocity entering tank should not exceed 10 feet/sec for flammable liquid Foam velocity for combustible liquid should not exceed 20 feet /sec

Discharge time and application rate for Sub Surface application Flashpoint 37.8C to 93.c Fp<37.8.c Crude 30 mins 55 mins 55mins .10gpm/ftsq( 4.1 lpm/msq) Do Do

Maximum application rate - .20gpm/ftsq( 8.1 lpm/msq) Foam preference Afff & Fluoroprotien

Discharge Outlets
Type -2 discharge outlets Fixed Devices that delivers foam into burning fuel partially submerges the foam and produce limited agitation on the surface .e.g Foam chambers and foam makers Type-3 discharge outlets Fixed or portable device that delivers foam in such manner that it falls on the surface of the liquid causing agitation e.g hose stream nozzles, monitors

CONE ROOF TANK

Requires the use of foam chambers for surface application which prevents the flammable vapors to enter the supply pipe line( Frangible rupture disc) Floating roof foam makers dont contain vapor seal so it cannot be used in cone roof Surface area when protecting single storage tank -3.14r2 Surface area of multiple tanks Calculate the surface area of the most severe hazard which is the storage tank that will require the most foam concentrate protection. when all the tanks contain the same fuel consider the largest tank to be most severe. When tanks contain different fuels determine the surface area discharge time ,application rate for each tanks and then select the one which require the most foam concentrate

Minimum Discharge time and foam application rate for type-2 foam discharge device Flashpoint 37.8C to 93.c Fp<37.8.c Crude 30 mins 55 mins 55mins .10gpm/ftsq( 4.1 lpm/msq) Do Do

Supplementary hose line ( Depend on tank Dia) Upto 65feet 65feet to 120 feet Over 120feet 1 2 3

Each hose line must be capable of minimum flow rate of 50 gpm foam solution

Floating Roof Tank

Can be protected with floating roof foam maker or foam chambers. As flammable vapors are minimized so vapor seal is not required. The piping from foam maker is above is above the floating roof of the tank and open to atmosphere. Top of seal protection requires a discharge time of 20 mins and an application rate of .30gpm/ftsq. Below seal protection requires discharge time of 10 mins and application rate of 0.50gpm/ftsq Supplementary hose lines and discharge times required for small spill fires or dike protectionFixed or portable hose lines with a minimum flow rate of 50gpm/nozzle 35 feet 35-65 feet 65 -95 feet 95 to 120 feet >120 feet Dike protection The dike area rather than individual storage tanks may be considered for hazard to be protected and a fixed foam system using monitor, floating roof foam maker is required Number of monitors minimum two Floating roof foam makers 30 feet spacing discharge 60gpm flow or less >60 gpm flow spacing 60 feet 1 1 2 2 3 10 min 20mins 20 mins 30 mins 30 mins

Spill Fire protection

Hydrocarbon spill fires requires a minimum nominal foam application density of 0.1gpm/sq feet. Therefore a 50gpm hand line has the capability to control and suppress 500sq ft of flame surface area. Largest potential spill must be considered to determine the number type and location of the dischaege device as well as quantity of foam required. Protection option Fixed system such as monitors oor portable equipment such as hand hose lines Discharge time 15 mins for fixed systems

15 mins with portable equipment

Foam monitors & hand line

Monitors are not to be considered as primary means of protection for fixed roof tanks over 60 feet dia Foam hand lines are not to be considered as primary means for protecting tanks over 30 feet dia or hose over 20 feet in height Application Density & duration Fp 37.8.c to 93.3.c < 37.8.c Crude Polar Solvents 0.16 gpm/ft2( 6.5lpm/m2) do do Recommended by manufacturers 50 mins 65mins 65 mins 65mins

Flammable liquid having boiling points less than 100.f and products which has been burning for sometime may develop heat layer which might require application rate as high as 0.2 to .25gpm/ftsq. Full surface fire -0.25 gpm( 10.4 lpm /ft2) application rate may be required. Burning crude oil tank may require application rate of 0.32gpm/ft2( 12.9 lpm/m2) Elevated application rate provides a better chance of Foam reaching the burning surface Fall out from delivery system Losses due to thermal updraft Breakdown of foam as it trvels through the flames to reach the burning fuel and the destruction of the foam due to hot fuel and any hot metal surface.

Cooling water requirement

Cooling water requirement of involved tank shell is estimated by tank size/dia100 feet dia 120 feet dia 160 feet dia 220feet dia 750gpm ( 3metre cube/min) 1000gpm( 4m3/min) 1250 gpm( 5m3/min) 1500gpm ( 6m3/min)

Cooling water required to protect each adjacent tank not shielded from the tank on fire is 500gpm(2m3/min) Cooling water rate of0.05 gpm( 2m3/min) is sufficient to absorb 90% of the radiant heat. Hoses 5inch dia hoses is preferred One 5inch hose line for every 100gpm( 3.8m3/min) flow requirement.At this flow rate friction loss is 8.0 psi for every 100 feet

FOAM DAMS
Foam dam height should not be less than 12 inches Foam dams are to be at least 1 feet but no more than 2feet from the edge of the floating roof Number of fixed discharge points on an open top floating roof tank is determined by the circumference of the tank Spacing is based on height of the foam dams 40 feet of tank circumference when using 12 inch foam dam 80 feet of tank circumference when using 24 inch high foam dam