Fire Explosion Risk

Journal of Failure Analysis and Prevention, 2019

The oil and gas industry is a theater of major accidents such as fire, explosion and dispersion of toxic substances. The physicochemical properties of exploited materials in this industry and its operating techniques can contribute to the escalation of these hazards. The aim of this study is to assess and model the fire and explosion hazards of liquefaction natural gas in Algeria as long as this later plays an important role in gas industry and global energy markets in the next several years. The first step used in this study is the hazard identification using HAZID tool. This step is completed by DOW's F&EI as a second step to predict and quantify mathematically the fire and explosion damages in the Scrub Column and the MCHE the most critical systems in the LNG unit. In order to better understand the hazards severity of these risks, PHAST software is used to model and simulate the accident scenarios. The results will reveal that the two principal equipments of liquefaction unit (Scrub Column-MCHE) present an important risk as per HAZID and they present a severe risk as per DOW's F&EI. The modelization of fire and explosion scenarios using PHAST software gives us a real image about these hazards which presented by Fireball, Flash Fire, Early and Late explosion. The combination of HAZID, DOW's F&EI and PHAST simulator leads to better risk assessment, and helps in creating preventive measures, and taking serious decisions to reduce and limit fire and explosion risks in order to save human life as a first goal, environment and installations as a second goal and to avoid the financial and economic loss of Algeria.

Chemical engineering transactions, 2018

Fire and explosion risk evaluation in the industrial context is a fundamental tool for work owners and safety manager to individuate critical scenario and issues related to fire and explosion in industrial facilities and sites. The primary objective of the risk evaluation is the definition of possible accident scenarios, their likelihood and consequences concerning damages to people and facilities, as to define an adequate fire strategy and preventive-protection measures. In this work, three real accidents were tested with three real fire and explosion risk evaluation methods, among the most adopted worldwide: FE The Mond Index, by Imperial Chemical Industries; Safety Weighted Hazard Index (SW&HI), by Khan, Husain, Abbasi (2001).All these methodologies could be classified among semi-quantitative index methods, and their outputs are quantitative values (indexes) which indicate to analysts the most hazardous units or processes and help to define priorities on protection system impleme...

Journal of Risk Analysis and Crisis Response, 2013

In the field of risks analysis, the domino effect has been documented in technical literature since 1947. The accidents caused by the domino effect are the most destructive accidents related to industrial plants. Fire and explosion are among the most frequent primary accidents for a domino effect due to the units under pressure and the storage of flammable and dangerous substances. Heat radiation and overpressure are one of major factors leading to domino effect on industrial sites and storage areas. In this paper we present a method for risk assessment of domino effects caused by heat radiation and overpressure on industrial sites. This methodology is based on the probabilistic models and the physical equations. It allows quantifying the effect of the escalation vectors (physical effects) in industrial plants, the three areas defined in this study may be useful in the choice of safe distances between industrial equipments. The results have proven the importance of domino effect assessment in the framework of risk analysis.

Chemical engineering transactions, 2016

A look on loss statistics of reportable incidents reveals that fire is the most important cause of major losses in the chemical industry. Therefore it pays off to think about how advanced fire precautions may help to minimize the risk of such damages. This is the topic of the ProcessNet working group “Fire Protection in the Chemical Industry”. Experts from different chemical companies, consultant agencies, insurers and universities, who may contribute to the subject of fire precautions, cooperate and exchange experiences. It aims to establish a still more efficient risk fire management at chemical plants. Important working areas are: knowledge transfer between process safety and fire protection, evaluation and assessing the application of new technologies and learning from experiences. One risk management methodology for the prevention of fire incidents describing protection measures in dependency of combustible components and of financial and social interests is described.

Journal of Failure Analysis and Prevention, 2019

The dependency of the society on the hydrocarbon as an energy source has increased tremendously, leading to the rapid development of this process industry. A fire accident that occurred on the 6th of July 2016 at a petrochemical complex plant in the southern part of Iran, Mahshahr petrochemical zone, has called for a more robust and all-inclusive efforts toward ameliorating and forestalling future occurrence. The on-site investigations concluded that the fire was triggered by the leakages through the ruptured blind flange gasket in the pipeline. Thus, certain inquiries on the development of robust process safety technologies gave useful insight into those capable enough to identify and handle various uncertainties in the short and long time basis, to forestall catastrophic accidents. Therefore, it is worthy and pertinent to ascertain whether process safety technology is developing correspondingly at the same pace with the process industry. Are the correct things done in the right way? If yes, then why do these catastrophic accidents keep happening? If no, how can these uncertainties in the process be properly and adequately handled, contained and managed? Failure to provide adequate and incontrovertible answers to these questions toward taking uncompromising safety actions is an invitation to more accidents in the near future. In this study, explanation on how to identify and cope with various uncertainties in process safety science is provided through learning from a real case study of a fire accident that occurred in the aforementioned petrochemical plant.

Process Safety and Environmental Protection - PROCESS SAF ENVIRON PROT, 2005

Sustainability

The present study provides a framework for assessing the environmental risk associated with fire and explosion of gasoline storage tanks in oil depots. The proposed framework includes three main steps: problem formulation, risk analysis, and risk description. The necessary basic details were identified and collected in formulating the problem. The source, pathway, receptor (SPR) model was employed in the risk analysis process. Each part was analyzed using tools that provide appropriate results and maintain the model integrity; additionally, the findings can be used in the whole process. The Dow Fire and Explosion Index (F&EI) was deployed to scrutinize the source, the pollutant dispersion and transmission path characteristics were measured to inspect the pathway, and the vulnerability indicators of the receptor and the degree of impact were determined to scrutinize the receptor. Finally, the risk assessment results were presented in the form of risk description tables. The purpose o...

IRJET, 2022

Considering today's scenario of population housing getting close to Industrial zones and we have witnessed many accidents that have caused injuries/loss of lives and damages to property and assets. This urges to understand the fire scenario and prevention of industrial hazards and thereby reduce/avoid the injuries, loss of lives and damages to the properties in vicinity of chemical industries. Accidents with explosives are not frequent because normally great care is used in handling these materials. Despite the detailed regulations governing explosives, their potential hazard is so great that it would be dangerous to assume that there will never be an accident or a failure to live up to basic safety precautions. There are different types of fire hazards like pool fire, fireball, flash fire, jet fire. Prevention method and controlling method are also discussed.

1997

A survey has been made of the accidents involving ® re contained in the MHIDAS database. Of all the accidents that occurred up to the end of 1993, 41.5% (2283) involved ® re. These ® re accidents occurred in process plants (28%), transport (27%), storage plants (21%) and loading/unloading (7%). The type of accident is studied, as well as its effects on the population (number of deaths or people injured). The accumulated frequencyfatality curve is plotted; the line follows approximately a straight line, with a slope of -0.91. Finally, some conclusions are derived about the severity of ® re accidents and the importance of increasing safety in the future.

2011

The risks of fire and explosion in oil and gas industry need to be managed. The objectives of the present study were to assess the risk of fire and explosion in Iso-max unit of Tehran Oil Refinery using Dow's fire and explosion index and to study the influences of the controlling methods. The latest version of DOW fire and explosion index guideline was applied to calculate the fire and explosion index at process subunits of Iso-max. The important process subunits in Iso-max unit were identified based on important affecting parameters such as process pressure, temperature and material value. In next step, the important parameters affecting the fire and explosion index were identified and estimated. The fire and explosion index was calculated for each subunit. Mean time, the controlling methods for each case was identified and its influences were studied. The results revealed that, 6 subunits out of 8 studied subunits had a sever fire and explosion risk. One subunit had a heavy risk and one had an intermediate risk of fire and explosion. The separating container at high pressure was the most critical subunit of Iso-max, holding an F&E Index of 220. The reactor feeding furnace was the least dangerous subunit with an F&E Index of 122. The study showed that the application of controlling methods could reduce the F&E Index extensively. The risks of fire and explosion in oil and gas industry need to be managed. The objectives of the present study were to assess the risk of fire and explosion in Iso-max unit of Tehran Oil Refinery using Dow's fire and explosion index and to study the influences of the controlling methods. The latest version of DOW fire and explosion index guideline was applied to calculate the fire and explosion index at process subunits of Iso-max. The important process subunits in Iso-max unit were identified based on important affecting parameters such as process pressure, temperature and material value. In next step, the important parameters affecting the fire and explosion index were identified and estimated. The fire and explosion index was calculated for each subunit. Mean time, the controlling methods for each case was identified and its influences were studied. The results revealed that, 6 subunits out of 8 studied subunits had a sever fire and explosion risk. One subunit had a heavy risk and one had an intermediate risk of fire and explosion. The separating container at high pressure was the most critical subunit of Iso-max, holding an F&E Index of 220. The reactor feeding furnace was the least dangerous subunit with an F&E Index of 122. The study showed that the application of controlling methods could reduce the F&E Index extensively.