Newsheet 7
Fuel Tank Storage Protection
Other Fire Protection & Heat Detection Newsheets
The specification and selection of an efficient, low maintenance and cost effective protection system for FIRE risks within the OIL, GAS and CHEMICAL Industrial sectors, is made all the more difficult and restrictive with the additional considerations of hazardous area classifications and local corrosive conditions found at both on-shore and off-shore installations.
The protection of major capital investments and the large risk to the environment from a fire at one of these sites, further compounds the consultant or design engineers task of ensuring correct recommendation of a detection system capable geof meeting ALL of the operating and response criteria.
One such application from this Industrial sector, is the protection of FLOATING ROOF TANKS. Many systems have been tried and tested by the major operators, with false alarms / restricted operating lifetimes / high installation and maintenance costs being the " downfall " of many proposed systems. The ONE detection concept that has repeatedly proven itself to the major oil + chemical Companies, and is now Internationally specified by operators, consultants, and fire engineering Companies alike is - LINEAR HEAT DETECTION.
Linear Heat Detection
As a sensor and cable in one - with an external extrusion of essential corrosion resistant material - linear heat detection is installed at the exact point of risk. For the specified application, this is the area around the secondary / weather seal on the tank roof, where the greatest fire risk is from ignition of gases leaking between the seal and tank wall or through a ruptured secondary seal. The economical and low labour intensive installation of the heat sensor cable ABOVE the secondary seal (rather than beneath the seal - where insufficient levels of oxygen may exist to maintain a flame) , employing risk designed - "L" bracket supports - which may employ the same fixings as those used for installation of the roof seal, offers protection against BOTH identified risks.
The variety of different types of roof constructions, employment (on some storage tanks) of rolling roof ladders and construction on others of roof "foam dams", will ultimately determine the exact location for the heat sensor cable fixing device and system junction boxes.
The basic design principle is simple - to run a single continuous length of fixed temperature (minimum alarm = 20C above roof seal maximum normal ambient temperature - including " black body" temperatures) heat sensitive cable around the roof circumference. To provide a rapid, electrically safe and economic localised detection of ignited gases - without reliance upon the length of sensor cable exposed to the heat / flame, and to allow sectionalised replacement of fire damaged sensor after the fire has been extinguished!
Why Digital Linear Heat Detection?
- A) The simplicity of digital linear detection system alarm temperature specification (the design of which considers " black body " - reflected sunlight on a low roof - temperatures in order to avoid false alarms) with no temperature / length reliance for favourable alarm temperatures.
- B) No practical zone length system design restrictions
- C) Simple sectionalised replacement of fire damaged portion of sensor cable only - without the necessity for complete zone / tank detection system replacement.
- D) No risk of false alarms from ruptured tubing (of mechanical abuse or environmental corrosion origin) from pressurised tubing linear detection systems or any specialist installation training, tooling, operating, calibration requirements.
- E) The most economical supply and installation linear detection system option - with extremely low maintenance costs.
- F) REFINERY SITE PROVEN AND EVIDENCE of its ability to rapidly detect and signal a flash fire situation.
- G) Alarm point location provided by "safe" area installed Proline interface unit.
- H) Use of "retractable " cabling between roof installation of heat sensor cable and top of tank wall field wiring connections, eliminates excessive lengths of cabling on the roof of a full tank.
- I) F.M., U.L. approvals and Hazardous area installation certification.
Many fire engineers have witnessed first hand the effectiveness of DIGITAL linear heat detection systems in actual floating roof tank fire situations, and regularly specify DIGITAL LINEAR HEAT DETECTION for the protection of fuel or chemical storage facilities at their sites. Applications are not restricted to floating roof tanks but extend to fixed roof tanks , fuel pumps, compressors etc.
The mechanically flexible installation and point of risk detection offered by Proline digital linear heat detection reduces expensive installation labour charges over many other competitive detection systems, with its installed product response times also minimising potential major material losses from a fire and its adverse affect on the environment.
Linear Heat Detection has a proven track record for the protection of Fuel Tank Storage, that can be verified by major International end users. For additional information on the most effective system to suit your particular requirements, please contact us.