Tank farms are used for the storage of extremely flammable and explosive substances; Consequently, preventive fireplace safety is of major significance. When rehabilitation of such a tank farm is deliberate, contractors typically recommend intensive – and thus expensive – measures. A fire-protection solution developed by TÜV SÜD demonstrates that an equivalent degree of safety can additionally be reached with a far more cost-effective solution. A central function in damage limitation is performed by early fireplace detection utilizing thermographic cameras.
Numerous tank farms all through Germany retailer petrol, diesel, kerosene or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). In contact with air, these extremely flammable substances can type explosive mixtures. Given เกจวัดแรงดันคือ , tank farms require special measures within the field of preventive fireplace safety. If rehabilitation of fire-protection techniques becomes necessary at an older tank farm, far-reaching measures should be taken, not only by the use of precaution but also to exclude possible legal responsibility risks. And yet not every measure that’s technologically possible can be necessary in case of a rehabilitation, as can be seen from the example of a tank farm in Bavaria, Germany.
The tank farm is located at a basin of a river port in Bavaria. The a part of the tank farm in need 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 points of < 21 levels Celsius, as outlined within the German hazardous substances laws. In fireplace inspections and on-site inspections after incidents, the inspectors had identified main non-conformities in the fire-extinguishing system. To substitute the outdated and non-conforming system, an engineering agency submitted an extensive listing of measures. These measures fully satisfied all regulatory requirements however represented a really cost-intensive answer, requiring a full rehabilitation using conventional extinguishing methods. For the tank-farm operating firm, the costs of implementing these measures would have added up to 1.7 million euros.
In fireplace protection, the challenge lies in connecting well-founded technological information and authorized know-how. In follow this means harmonising cheap engineering services and authorized purposes to acquire a cohesive, economically feasible and easily applied fire-protection idea.
Alternative resolution developed by TÜV SÜD
At the operating 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 massive variety of deficiencies identified in the tank farm, the experts first ready an inventory of priorities with the measures necessary to fulfil the protection requirements and achieve the protection aims. They arrived at the conclusion that not the entire proposed measures actually needed to be carried out. Starting from this discovering, they then drew up an alternate fire-protection idea that might ultimately cut back the projected prices by one third.
TÜV SÜD’s rehabilitation plan included the fire-protection infrastructure already in place on the tank farm, such as a non-automatic foam extinguishing system with a complete foaming-agent provide of 10,500 litres distributed across two tanks, two submerged pumps within the port basin with a pump capability of 180 m3 per hour to make sure water provide for hearth preventing 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 vitality provider. The feed-in of emergency power was effected by the local skilled fire department.
The engineering agency, in contrast, had deliberate to switch the entire fire-extinguishing system. They needed to install three mobile extinguishing-agent distribution techniques in container kind for remote controlled sprinkling and foaming of the tanks. This resolution would have required the set up of new electrical, operational and management methods as nicely as new pipe routes connecting the extinguishing-agent distribution systems with the fire-fighting methods in the tank fields. The costs for the three extinguishing-agent distribution methods in container kind alone would have added as a lot as round 1.2 million euros.
Incipient hearth combating scenario with intact energy provide and free entry to the tank farm.
Implementation of three packages of measures
The alternative rehabilitation concept developed by TÜV SÜD, which additionally met the requirements of the Bavarian Building Code (BayBo [1]), offered for 3 essential packages of measures to achieve the safety and security objectives.
First, set up of a fully computerized infrared measuring system made by DIAS Infrared to ensure early fire detection. The system’s seven thermographic cameras are installed on pan-tilt models. They detect modifications in temperature on the surfaces of the tanks made of various materials and positioned in the space monitored by the cameras, earlier than these adjustments in temperature could cause a hearth. As the cameras can transfer, the areas to be monitored may be divided into sectors. The cameras then strategy these sectors cyclically in sequence. To shield the cameras towards external influences, they are housed in ventilated and heated weatherproof enclosures (Fig. 1). Monitoring focuses totally on the security gadgets of the tanks, pumps and motors and on the filling systems on the tank-farm premises. The control room at the tank farm and the local professional fire division are notified immediately as soon as the temperature exceeds a certain limit. The measure package additionally consists of remote triggering of the extinguishing-agent supply from the control centre and automation of the security gadgets.
Incipient fireplace preventing scenario with power loss where access 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 solution provided for replacement of the leaking and corroded pipe sections with new pipes and for installation of three mounted foam-extinguishing techniques in the type of foam monitors to battle incipient fires immediately. In addition, a cell foam monitor was deliberate as a backup.
A third focus space considerations safeguarding the facility provide required for early hearth detection and fire fighting. According to the regional energy supplier, power outages may have a length of a minimum of half-hour. Given this, the tank-farm needed an independent energy supply system that was able to make sure energy supply for at least 2 hours. The specialists relied on battery buffering and a diesel operated emergency energy unit to unravel this drawback.
Fire safety must guarantee achievement of the safety aims
Protection goals and equal security degree reached
The fire-protection answer offered by TÜV SÜD was agreed with each the tank farm’s operating firm, the municipal authority and the professional fireplace department. The three measure packages also complied with the required protection goals and the safety levels. And finally, they proved far cheaper than the solution initially proposed. Since rehabilitation of the tank farm, early hearth detection in conjunction with improved fire-protection infrastructure has become a central a half of damage limitation. Since the rehabilitation idea was implemented, the tank-farm’s operating firm – working with the skilled fire department – has been capable of successfully counteract all potential eventualities of incipient hearth effectively and at an early stage, even in instances of power loss or when entry to the tank farm is blocked (see Figures 2 and 3).
For more info, 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 particular kind and use (special structures). Their operation entails 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 additionally a matter of public interest. Given this, the BayBO stipulates requirements together with material requirements which, as “General clauses of fireside protection”, assist to help the protection aims outlined in Article 12. However, according to article three (1) deviations from the technical building laws are attainable if an alternative solution is found that is equivalent in phrases of fulfilling the general requirements in paragraph 1. In different words, the requirements laid down within the Building Code are deemed complied with if the generally recognised rules of structure and know-how are fulfilled.
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