F E A T URE

Passive Fireproofing for Downstream Installation –

Material Selection and Extent of Fireproofing
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

By: Engr. Jiunn S. Tan, MIEM, P Eng.

A hydrocarbon fire inflicts initial

damage by directly heating beyond
the limits of and destroying facilities,
the full bearing height. This includes
vessels installed in elevated structures,
above pipe racks or attached to towers
and the legs of heat exchangers to
the full load-bearing height.
- Do not install vessels with large
equipment and buildings. It becomes or other vessels liquid hold-up above pipe racks.
detrimental when more damage occurs • Fireproof all major load bearing If such vessels must be installed
when the fire spreads due to the collapse structures or buildings which support above pipe racks, fireproof them to
or rupture of vessels caused by metal or vessels such as receivers, accumulators, the full load-bearing height of the
steel failing under initial fire exposure. The reboilers, reactors and heat exchangers vessel supports and all levels of the
fireproofing of structural steel exposed to to the full load-bearing height when pipe rack supports.
hydrocarbon fires has been used for many exposed to flammable or combustible • Fireproof the legs of air-cooled
years with varying degrees of success from material spills: exchangers in flammable liquid
conventional concrete and lightweight - Fireproof both the vertical and service that are installed at grade level.
concrete. Underwriters laboratories horizontal members of the first Protection is not needed for air-cooled
developed the UL-1709 test procedure level of a pipe-rack located within heat exchangers in anything other than
based on hydrocarbon fire exposure 8m of heaters, pumps, towers and flammable liquid service, installed at
where the temperature of the fire exposure major vessels handling flammable grade level and located 15m from the
rises to 1093˚C (2000˚F) within the first or combustible materials. process equipment and from a gas or
5 minutes compared to commercial fire - Do not locate pumps and compressors spill hazard.
based on ASTM E-119 which takes four handling flammable or combustible • Fireproof supports for compressors,
hours to develop the same temperature materials under equipment or pipe turbines and turbo expanders to the
(see figure below). rack. Fireproof pipe rack levels above full load-bearing height.
pumps and compressors handling • Fireproof exposed, important grouped
Fire Scenario Envelope these materials. power, control and instrumentation
The fire scenario envelope is the key - If air-cooled heat exchangers are cables; tubing or conduit; and fire
and primary basis in establishing the installed above pipe racks, fireproof sensitive thermal insulation on critical
fire resistance rating of fireproofing pipe rack levels above the first level equipment. The fireproofing for this
materials used as well as determining
the appropriate dimensions to use for
planning fire protection. As a rule of thumb
for hydrocarbon fuels, a frequently used
frame of reference for the fire-scenario
envelope is one that extends 6m to 12m
horizontally, and 6m to 12m vertically,
from the source of the liquid pool.

Extent of Fireproofing
In general, structures and supports which
needs a fireproofing area are as follows:
• Fireproof supports for all horizontal,
vertical and spherical storage tanks
• Fireproof supports for all fired heaters
elevated above grade
• Fireproof tower skirts, anchoring rings
and bolts on the outside
• Fireproof supports for vessels, such
as receivers, accumulators, reboilers,
reactors, heat exchangers and other
vessels with liquid holdup capacity to

(To be continued at page 30)

28 Jurutera, May 2008

F E A T URE

Table 1: Cost comparison of fireproofing material using concrete and lightweight concrete
Type of Fireproofing Fire Rating Thickness Application Type Supply and Install, Budgetary
Normal Concrete, Equipment Skirt (steel) 2 hours 50 mm Cased formed concrete US$18/m2
Steel Pipe-rack using gunite concrete 2 hours 50 mm Spray US$25/m2
Steel pipe rack using light weight concrete, for 2 hours 34 mm Trowel US$130/m2
example, FENDOLITE TG by Cafco

application normally only needs 30 thermal shock and high-pressure References

minutes of protection rating to allow hose streams
sufficient time for the shutdown of the • Major disadvantages [1] API Publication 2218-1999
process unit. − Porosity, additional cost to introduce Fireproofing Practices in Petroleum
and Petrochemical Processing Plants
• Evaluate the processes and equipment, sealer top coat and shielding
and arrange the valves and controls to protection requirement [2] GE Gap Guidelines, GAP 2.5.1-2000-
fall in a safe position. − More susceptible to mechanical Fireproofing for Hydrocarbon Fire
Exposures
damage, more expensive, need
Material Selection- licensed applicator [3] International Workshop on Fire
Performance of High Strength
Advantages and
Concrete, NIST Publication SP 919-
Disadvantages Conclusion 1997
Concrete structures are most commonly Conventional concrete material as a means of
[4] Operations Management, Nigel
used as passive fireproofing material fireproofing in Asia Pacific projects is widely
Slack, Stuart Chambers, Christine
due to cheaper cost (refer to Table 1) used due to its cheaper cost as noted before. Harland, Alan Harrison and Robert
compared to the proprietary lightweight New study and research as noted in the Johnston, Pitman Publishing, 1995.
cementitious/vermiculite concrete (like NIST Special Publication and report by HSE,
[5] Managing Quality, Edited by Barrie
Cafco 800, Fendolite TG or Pyrocrete 240). Ove Arup & Partners in the UK indicates
G. Dale, Prentice Hall, 1994.
The advantages and disadvantages for that ‘high strength concrete’ when exposed
both are listed for comparison. to a hydrocarbon fire
is vulnerable to the
(A) Dense Concrete loss of compressive
(specific weight = 2300kg/m3) strength and spalling
• Major advantages effect. However,
− Durability; can withstand thermal in North America
shock and direct hose streams, can and Europe, since
withstand direct flame impingement the base material
up to 1110˚C of the structures
− Ability for most contractors to are predominantly
satisfactorily apply, extensive steel, lightweight
proven performance; can provide concrete as means
four or more hours of protection of fireproofing is the
− Cheaper in cost preferred choice.
• Major disadvantages It is, therefore,
− Relatively heavy in weight, need important during
reinforcement, installation cost and the proposal stage,
time, possible spalling effect due to and depending upon
hydrocarbon fire the geographical
location of the plant
(B) Light Weight Cementitious Vermicullite being built, a careful
Concrete (specific weight = 700kg/m3) estimated pricing
• Major advantages with regards to the
− Have better fire-protection type of fireproofing
properties compared to dense selection is being
concrete (for equivalent coating considered since
thickness) and much better there is a big
in weight basis, capable of variation in price for
withstanding flame impingement the different types of
up to 1100˚C, can withstand materials chosen. n

30 Jurutera, May 2008