Big Tanks Big Problems

8/10/2019 Big Tanks Big Problems

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Big Tanks

Big Problems

Storage TankEmergencies


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Historical Tank Emergencies Jan. 21, 1924 Pittsburg, PA Roof collapse on

wooden tank roof collapsed killing 9 firefighters Jan. 2, 1993 Jacksonville, FL Internal floating roof

gasoline tank is overfilled and burns for extended periodwhile multiple different attack strategies are tried June 10, 1995 Addington, OK Crude oil tank boilover

kills 2 firefighters July 19, 1996 Sarnia, Canada - 140 raffinate tank

extinguished in record time after 6 hour burn time June 11, 2001 Norco, LA 270 fully involved gasoline

tank extinguished June 13, 2010 Greensboro, NC Lightning strike

ignites storage tank which is extinguished 5 hours

later


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Types of Tank Construction


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Most Common TankTypes Encountered

Cone Roof Tanks

External Floating Roof Tanks Internal Floating Roof Tanks

Low Pressure Horizontal Tanks

Pressure Tanks Sphere

Bullet


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Cone Roof Tanks Construction

Welded

Weak seam at roofline

Conservation valve

Flame arrestor Vapor space above

liquid level area


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Internal Floating Roof Tank Construction

Shell with wind girder

Floating roof

External roof

Roof drains

Seal(s)

Vent

Roof legs

Ladder systems


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Most Common Tank Emergencies Tank / piping leaks without fire

Dike area fires

Without piping / equipment involvement With piping / equipment involvement

Fixed roof vent fires

Sinking of floating roof without ignition

Floating roof seal fires

Full surface fires Without obstructions

With obstructions


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Causes Of Tank Emergencies Tank Overfill

Piping / TransferSystem Leak

Lightning Strikes

Sunken Roof

Mechanical

Excessive Water

Maintenance /

Operations Activities

Heating Coil Failures

Tank Vent Failures Tank Failure

Seam Leakage

Tank BottomDeterioration

Tank Support Failure


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Tank EmergencyDecision Making Offensive

Establish Cooling Lines / Protect Exposures

Assemble Resources

Extinguish

Defensive

Protect Exposed Equipment Contain Fire in Tank

Non-Intervention Let Fire Burn

Is It Acceptable?


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Tank Firefighting Progress1975 2010

Foam Nozzle Flow Rates 500 1000 gpm 500 14,000 gpm

Supply Hose Size 2 3, 4 5, 6, 7.25, 8, 10 12

Pump Size 1,000 1,500 gpm 1,500 6,000 gpm

Foam Types 3%, 6%, 3% x 6% 3%, 6%, 1% x 3%, 3% x3%, 3% x 6%

Tank Sizes Up to 200 diameter Up to 350 diameter


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Tank Emergency Size Up Personnel

Accountability

Problem Definition

Fire

Leak

Tank Status Product/Chemistry

Amount

Piping/Valve Status

Intake/Discharge

Roof Drain

Pump Status

Dike Status

Product in dike Dike valving

Weather Conditions


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Tank Emergency Size Up

Fire Involvement

Tank Full Partial

Vent

Seal

Piping/Manifold Dike

Multiple Tanks

Exposures Other Tanks

Pressure Vessels Pipe Racks

Community

Response Equipment

Availability of fixedsystem Integrity of system


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Secure The Tank Understand status of facility, tank, and

support systems

Gain control of product flow

Protect piping/valves/pumps to tank to aidin product movement/subsurface injection

Shutdown mixers

Shutdown heaters

Consider roof drain and dike drain status


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General Response Tactics Protect exposures

Tank wall cooling should only becompleted if 100% coverage of the wallcan be cooled

Liquid levels in tanks aid the coolingprocess.

Transfer product out of involved tank.


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General Response Tactics Use wind to your advantage.

Do not overextend water on exposures. Do not attack till adequate foam and water

supplies are on-site.

Extinguish dike fire before the tank fire. Large streams (foot prints) are required to

overcome the thermal updraft.


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General Response Tactics Operate outside the dike area.

Monitor the level of water in the dike. Establish water supply and foam supply

groups/divisions.

Monitor the level of water in the tank. Consider atmosphere in roof/seal area.


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Post Emergency Concerns Keep the fire out

Secure the area (maintain hot zone status) Secure the assets

Restock foam and equipment

Note: Suppressing vapors and securing thetank after extinguishment may requirelarge amounts of foam.


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Special Considerations Constant air monitoring

Extremely manpower extensive Strong ICS system required

Obtain process operations support

Obtain technical assistance Conduct safety briefings


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Sunken Roof or Spill to Dike Area

Control all ignition sources

Maintain integrity of tank / dike Apply foam for vapor suppression

Remove product from tank / dike

Conduct constant air monitoring Develop firefighting plan


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Cone Roof Tank Fires Cool exposed metal.

Beware of tank lids/tank integrity. Transfer product.

Extinguish dike/ground fires.

Apply foam Over the top application Fixed systems

Sub-surface injection


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Open Floating Roof - Seal Fire Extinguish fire with portable foam streams

or fixed systems

Provide tank side cooling to prevent re-ignition

Points to consider: Chemical content in floating roof area Possible damage to seal area

Access to seal area may be difficult


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Open Floating Roof Tank Fire Establish exposure protection streams

Attempt to pump out product. Apply foam via portable equipment.

Sunken or cocked roof will severely

hamper extinguishing operations. Beware of tank dike problems.


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Internal Floating Roof Tank Fire

Apply cooling streams.

Attempt to pump off product. Foam may be applied via fixed equipment

or through eye brow vents.

Very difficult fires to extinguish. Special fabricated equipment may be

required.


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Leaking Tank Shell/Piping Control ignition sources.

Apply foam to spill areas. Attempt to displace product with water if

material has low specific gravity.

Pump out product in tank. Recover leaked product.


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Pressurized Tank Fires Do not extinguish pressure fed fires unless

they can be isolated Establish large cooling streams

De-pressure tank

Watch for signs of BLEVES


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Calculations for 150 GasolineFloating Roof Tank

Surface area = 3.14 x 75 x 75 = 17,662 squarefeet

Foam rate = 17,662 x .2 = 3532 gpm

Required Solution = 3532 x 65 = 229,580

gallons of foam solution Concentrate Required = 229,580 x .03 = 6,887

gallons of 3% foam concentrate

These calculations are for tank extinguishment

only.


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NFPA Foam Requirements .10 gpm/sq. ft. for fixed system

applications for hydrcarbons

.30 gpm/sq. ft. for fixed system applicationfor seal protection

.10 gpm/sq. ft. for subsurface application

.10 gpm to .16 gpm/sq. ft. for portableapplication for hydrocarbon spills


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NFPA Foam Requirements .16 gpm/sq. ft. for portable application for

hydrocarbon storage tanks

.20 gpm/sq. ft. minimum required rate forportable application for polar solvent storagetanks

Note: Williams Fire Control recommendations

Up to 150 diameter 0.16 150 to 200 diameter 0.18

201 to 250 diameter 0.20

251 to 300 diameter 0.22

Greater than 301 diameter 0.24 or greater


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NFPA Foam Rate Durations Flammable liquid spill - 15 minutes

Storage tank with product with flash pointof 100 - 200 degrees - 50 minutes

Storage tank with product with flash point

of < 100 degrees - 65 minutes Storage tank with crude oil product - 65

minutes


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Special Considerations


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Special Considerations Special Hazards

Boilover

Slopover Frothover

Facility Impact Value of Tank and

Contents Environmental Impact

Adverse PublicRelations

Environmental reportingrequirements

Storage tankemergencies are HAZMAT emergencies

Water runoff - OPA

90/Facility ResponsePlan

Foam Cost - $12 - $30per gallon


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Items To Consider Storage tank

emergencies will be

government regulated Major risk factors for tank

emergencies

Production loss

Asset loss Public Image

Fixed equipment must bebacked up by portableequipment

Extinguishment of largefloating roof tanks and

ethanol tanks largelyunproven

Pre-planning, training,and exercising of plans isessential to success

Pre-fire planning isessential for all tankfacilities

On-site visits need to beroutinely conducted


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Items To Consider Lack of knowledge in key

areas will hinder

response to tankemergencies Foam chemistry

Foam application

High volume water supplies

Tank design Storage tank fixed fire

suppression systems Foam chambers

Subsurface foam systems

Seal area systems

Tank emergencies aremuch different than

structure fires Initial operations aredefensive in nature

Extended operations maytake place beforeextinguishment is started

Specialized equipment willbe required for success


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Instructor Contact InformationChief Rick Haase

ConocoPhillips Wood River RefineryP.O. Box 76

Roxana, IL 62084

Phone: 618-255-2624E-mail: [email protected]

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