OISDWORKSHOP THEME:SAFETYCONCERNS&CHALLENGESINMARKETING

FIGHTINGSTORAGE TANKFIRES

By S.K. KAUSHIK Chief Manager(HSE) Indian Oil Corporation Limited, CO

Date : 15TH FEBRUARY 2013

Causes of tank Fires

Common Fire Scenarios

Overfill

Ground fires/Dyke fires

Vent fires Rimseal fires Obstructed full Liquid Surface fires Un-obstructed full Liquid Surface fires

Common Fire Scenarios

Overfill Ground fires/Dyke fires Common in tank farm fires. Jaipur terminal fire & Buncefield fires are examples on this type of fires. Result from Piping/valve or tank leak If leak occurs without ignition - Isolate all ignition sources. - Cover the spill with foam blanket. If ignition does occur treat the fire as a large pool fire & cool the nearby tank, if required.

Common Fire Scenarios

Vent fires Typically associated with fixed roof tanks such as cone & internal floating roof tanks. Main cause is lightning strike that ignite fugitive vapours. However electric arcing , static discharge and human activities around the tank can also cause ignition. These are generally less severe type of fires. Can be extinguished by Dry Chemical fire extinguisher or by reducing pressure in the tank.

Common Fire Scenarios

Rim-seal fires Most common in floating roof tanks. 0.16% of all tanks with rim-seal experience a rim-seal fire every year. Lightening is the primary cause of Ignition. It is estimated that 95% of rimseal fires are result of lightning strike. Risk of rim-seal fires can be reduced by ensuring tight fitting primary & secondary seals. Fire extinguishment can be achieved by rim-seal fire protection system, semi fixed/ fixed foam pourers or hand lines.

Common Fire Scenarios

Obstructed surface fire Surface fires where portion of the burning surface is blocked by the roof or pan. This happens when roof sinks. Roof sinking can occur due to variety of reasons such as : - Rain build up on the roof where there is inadequate drainage either from plugging or rain amount exceed the design. - Pontoon gets filled with tank liquid due to leak. - Improper application of fire fighting material during rim-seal fire.

Roofsunkinsidethetank

Common Fire Scenarios

Un-Obstructed full surface fire Full surface of the fuel in tank is on fire.

Happens generally in fixed roof tanks when roof gets lifted off the tank. May happen in floating roof tanks also incase of roof sinking.

Common Fire Scenarios

Un-Obstructed full surface fire Largest successfully extinguished full surface fire occurred on 8th June 2001 in Noroco, Louisiana where 82m. Dia. tank was struck by lightning. The tank was extinguished in 65 minutes of suppression activity. Fire extinguished after 13 hrs of occurrence.

Fire can be handled by using foam pourers & high capacity foam monitors.

Handling Storage Tank Fires

Pre-Incident Response Planning Tank Fires are complex events. Well planned & tested pre-incident planning is needed. If plan is not achieving desired result during a fire, change the strategy & tactics to achieve safety & success.

Handling Storage Tank Fires

Pre-Incident Response Planning

Pre-Incident Response Planning involves following points : 1.Construction : Collect construction details of tanks & tank-farm, piping in the area. Inter-distances of the tanks to find out requirement of cooling. It is now accepted theory that you should not cool the tank unless you can cool it evenly all around. Uneven cooling may result into failure of tank shell.

Handling Storage Tank Fires

Pre-Incident Response Planning 2. Occupancy : - Witn-in Tank farm and other facilities nearby. - Capacity Size & Number of tanks etc. 3. Apparatus & Staffing : - Is your fire dept equipped to perform fire fighting on storage tanks. - How much foam do you carry. - What size & type of monitors available(portable/fixed) - How many persons respond from your dept. Are they adequate to deploy the resources required.

Handling Storage Tank Fires

Pre-Incident Response Planning 4. Life Hazard : - Should be given topmost priority . - Consider employees as well as surrounding community. - Employees on duty including contract persons. - What are usual work area & how accounting shall be done. 5.Terrain: - Area around tank-farm & its suitability for deployment fire fighting equipment. - Size & width of the approach roads to the facility & within the facility for large fire fighting appliances. - Containment & control of water run-off. Water run off may also contain flammables.

Handling Storage Tank Fires

Pre-Incident Response Planning 6. Water Supply : - Ensure adequate supply of water for extinguishment, cooling & vapour suppression. - Ensure consistent water supply. - Additional resources available nearby and means of transport of water like large diameter hoses, pumps etc.

Handling Storage Tank Fires

Pre-Incident Response Planning 7. Training & Deployment: - SOPs for operating fixed/ semi fixed fire protection system. - Indentify the persons who will operate fixed/ semi fixed fire protection system. - Practice it thru mock drill. 8. Weather : - Weather conditions can effect fire fighting operation especially at large tank fires. - Anticipate & Prepare for heavy winds, rains , fog , extreme cold & hot conditions.

Handling Storage Tank Fires

Pre-Incident Response Planning 9. Exposures: - Exposures in downwind to be protected first. - Cooling water should be conserved as it may lead to problem of water shortage, effluent water going out of the facility. - Cooling water on the exposures should be applied as long as it produces steam on the surface. - As a thumb rule cooling water on a exposed tank can be calculated as follows : Atm. tank upto 30m dia : 1800 LPM Atm. tank between 30m - 50m dia. : 3500 LPM. Atm. Tank above 50 m dia. : 7500 LPM.

Handling Storage Tank Fires

Pre-Incident Response Planning 10. Extent of Fire : - Fire protection facilities & preparedness to be designed for worst case scenario of largest tank fire. - Take into account possible scenarios of dyke fires, manifold fires in the vicinity. 11. Time : - Time of day may affect response. - Take into account the slow response during nonoperational/ night hours. - Ensure adequate lighting in night hours. - Traffic congestion may block access of emergency response vehicle during peak hours.

Handling Storage Tank Fires

Pre-Incident Response Planning 12. Height of the tank: - May affect the operation. - Trajectory of foam monitors should reach the tank. - Safe distance for fire fighting operation should be more.

Remember the more information you can gather prior to the incident, the easier is to develop the incident action plan.

Response Considerations

Response Considerations
Type of fire(vent fire/rimseal/ full surace) shall determine resources required & necessary incident action plan. Before attack the fire establish adequate water & foam supply. A common mistake is to try to extinguish the fire with inadequate resource. If fire is not extinguished with resources, it will continue to burn & destroy the foam blanket already in place.

Protect exposures such as tank & associated piping and pumps. Never attempt to enter dyke area unless it is safe to do so. Check for any spill potential which can fill the dyke.

Response Considerations
Rim-seal Fires Rim-seal fires can be extinguished using semi fixed/ fixed foam system, if these are installed & usable. If foam pourers are not usable fire can be extinguished using hose lines & foam monitors. Foam Application rate of 18 LPM/m2 of rim-seal area should be considered. Generally following Capacities of fixed/mobile foam monitors are sufficient for rim-seal fires : 250 GPM for tanks up-to 30 m. dia. 500 GPM for tank from 30 to 60 m. dia 1000 GPM for tanks above 60 m. dia

Response Considerations
Full Surface Tank Fire As per the statistics of full surface tank fires, fixed /semi fixed foam system has been found un-usable. Over the top application using fixed/portable foam monitors have been found successful method to extinguish large full surface fires.

Response Considerations
Full Surface Tank Fire In the event of a fire, cease tank operations to eliminate turbulence in the tank contents. These activities may be initiated later as a part of the fire fighting strategy. Pumping out the product of the tank may worsen the fire if the sides have been distorted and the roof does not lower evenly. If a foam blanket is used as a precautionary measure avoid plunging of the foam streams into the liquid. Static charge can develop and cause ignition of the stored materials. Foam solution should preferably be applied through the foam chambers to avoid the risk of static build-up.

Response Considerations
Full Surface Tank Fire While using cooling streams on the tank exterior, apply cooling streams on the Fuel lines within the dike area. Cooling streams on adjacent tanks should be applied as needed only. Cooling stream should periodically be applied to the exposed tank. If stream is given off, the cooling stream application should be continued until steam is no longer apparent.

Response Considerations
Full Surface Tank Fire

Attempt Fire Fighting only when foam, Fire Water Network, Fire Water storage, Fire Water pumps, Foam monitors, foam proportionators & hoses capable to meet the requirement of foam application are in place. Ensure that equipment & foam solution brought in by mutual aid members are compatible to existing at the facility.

Response Considerations
Full Surface Tank Fire In the event of a crude tank fire: Crude oils fire if last for longer periods have the potential for a Boil Over. Boil Over covers approximately 7 times the tank area and extends into the air approximately 10 times the tank diameter.

Response Considerations
Full Surface Tank Fire In the event of a crude tank fire: Consumption rate of crude oil due to burning is approximately 12-18 inches per hour. The heat wave advances from the top of the liquid towards the bottom of the tank at approximately 24-36 inches per hour. Cooling stream may be periodically applied to the side of the tank to help determine the location of the heat wave in the tank. Evacuation of the area should be considered as the heat wave approaches the bottom few feet of the tank.

Response Considerations
Full Surface Tank Fire Minimum foam application rates vary based on : - Fuel flash point - Water immiscibility - Type of foam - Application device 3% foam concentrate is most widely used for fires involving hydrocarbon. However some industries are now-a-days using 1% concentrate also due to ease of handling. On polar solvents 3%/6% AR foam shall be needed.

Response Considerations
Full Surface Tank Fire

Foam application rate will vary depending on the tank diameter(Surface area). For larger tank higher application rate is required. As per NFPA an application rate of 8.1 LPM/m2 of the fuel surface area should be considered for large full surface tank fires. However tests carried out by LASTFIRE Group recommend that 60 % higher application rate may be needed while using portable/mobile foam monitors due to loss of foam by heat & thermal currents.

Response Considerations
Full Surface Tank Fire Generally following application rate are recommended : Tank Diameter upto 50 m. 50 to 65 m 65 to 80 m 80 to 100 m Above 100 m Application rate(lpm/sq.m) 6.5 7.3 8.1 8.9 9.8

Response Considerations
FoamConcentrate&WaterforfullsurfaceTankFire AsperOISD116/117&NFPA11 TypicalCalculationsfora60m.diametertank Liquidsurfacearea= x3.14xD2 = x3.14x60x60=2826m2 ConsiderFoamapplicationrate:8.1LPM/m2 Foamsolutionapplicationrate=8.1x2826=22890.6LPM FoamApplicationtime:65minutes FoamConcentrateRequired:0.03X22890.6X65=44636.7 Ltr. WaterFlow:0.97X22890.6=22203.9LPM=1332.2m3/hr. Waterstorage:1443.2m3 (Addwaterrequiredforexposureprotection)

Response Considerations
Consider additional hazards which may arise due to : - Slopeover - Frothover

Carefully consider the location of incident command post, equipment placement, medical camp in safe zone.

Response Considerations
Teasing the Fire Before attacking the full surface tank fire pass the extinguishing stream over the top of the tank, it will result into increasing the intensity of fire. Continue it till violent reaction of fire settles down. This technique is called teasing the fire. This technique shall prevent more violent reaction of fire when extinguishing media is directly applied on the hot fuel surface.

Response Considerations
Do not position the extinguishing streams around the tank for multiple points of application. Position the foam monitors at one location. This will help to achieve a stable foam blanket ore quickly. Do not be tempted to move the foam streams to other positions. If fire intensity do not reduce for considerable time, increase application rate.

Response Considerations
Large tank Fires can be extremely costly in terms of - Life Safety - Property Damage - Environmental Concerns & - Public Impact. Large tank fires require : - Large Commitment - Implementation of plans - Preparation & Proper use of resources & equipment - Logistics & co-ordination.