Volkan Gudelek, ERGIL, Turkey discusses the safety. and environmental challenges for large crude oil storage tank refineries and how to tackle them. The recent explosion tragedies in the world brings into deep focus the importance of engineering and building standards for the storage tanks and industrial plants. Despite the most international stringent regulations and standardizations, the outcome in such extreme situations can be catastrophic. However, this does not reduce the significance of adopting proper standards when engineering and designing storage tanks and its equipment. In this regard, ERGIL Storagetech has taken the needful action in terms of appropriate standards of designing, building and supplying storage tanks and tank equipment to protect and save tank operators, its assets, and environment. As indicated in Fig.1.- In September, 2017, A rarely seen lightning strike hit aboveground storage tank refinery and Pressure Vacuum Relief Valve with Flame Arrester may prevented a catastrophic accident by blocking the fire passage through the line by its flame arrester device. Using this combined technology prevents the ignition sources that may occur outside of the tank from interacting with the released gas during the breathing of the tank, also blocks the transmission of deflagration flame and the passage of heat into the tank. says Mr. Mahmut Tunaz, Design Engineer at ERGIL Turkey Fig.1. September, 2017 An Äager Brand Storagetech tank equipment may saved the entire storage tank refinery of Grupsoil in Colombia. 1
Multiple causes for safety and environmental challenges Some conditions such as corrosion, age deterioration, natural disasters; lightning strike, and in some locations, seismic motions are the reasons of the most oil storage tank damages and these causes may lead to a small or large tank failures or accidents along with tragic consequences as it was mentioned earlier. Oil storage tanks can deteriorate in the course of time due to rust, fatigue or cracks. Regard to these challenges, many tanks are subjected to extreme environmental conditions because they are located near the seashore and a saltwater which lead to high level humidity condition, and the loads of continuous charging and discharging add to the wear Figure 2. As Energy Demands shift globally, production services must employ these changing standards along with international stringent regulations. Damage can lead to leakage of a hazardous material, disatrous fires and environmental damage. Thus, it can harm the environment along with the ecosystem. Many examples can be given based on this issue. But, the question is that how to tackle these safety and environmental risks? It may not be possible to abolisht the safety risk %100 but it is possible to minimize it down to nearly ZERO. In this case, the combined device will take a significant role to protect your storage tanks and save your assets along with the environment. Figure 3. Some recent incidents prove that specially configurated tank equipment (Pressure / Vacuum Relief Valve with Flame Arrester is shown above) minimizes the risk down to almost zero in storage tank refineries. 2
How to Tackle Safety and Environmental Challenges of Storage Tank Operators? In September, 2017, an aboveground storage tank located in a storage tank refinery, Colombia, hit by a rarely seen lightning strike and later supervisor found out that the device indicated in fig.4., combination of Pressure Vacuum Valve with Flame Arrestor prevented a large accident by blocking the fire passage through the line by its flame arrestor device. The solutions and methods to protect and save assets Figure 4. Proper tank equipment choice and regular maintenance (ERGIL Storagetech Pressure / Vacuum Relief Valve with Flame Arrestor is shown above) is vital for safe and efficient tank operators. Module-1 Pressure / Vaccum Valve (Endof-line, weight loaded, deflagration proof) Module-3 Module-2 Flame Arrestor (In-line, deflagration) and environment of tank operators are many. However, tank operators would make sure they choose the ones that bring into safe protection and efficency to minimizing the risk down to ZERO by addressing universal standards. An Äager Brand Storagetech s technogically advanced and environment friendly device, combination of pressure / vacuum relief valve with flame arrester (Module-3) can be considered as a result of dedication and extensive experience of ERGIL Team, provides safe protection, efficiency and emmision control for storage tanks, How come this little device can protect storage tanks and maintains vital advantages to its users? This context will require technically detailed explanation in terms of using specifically Pressure / Vacuum Relief Valve with Flame Arrester and more advantegeous model of Pressure Vacuum Vent with integrated Flame Arrester in the following section. Pressure Vacuum Relief Valve wtih Flame Arrestor 3
Technologically Advanced Solution for Safe Protection of Storage Tanks and Environment Regardless to exceptional cases, it is scientifically proven that along with storage tank equipment especially Flame Arresters & Storage Tank Valves allow tank operators to minimize the risk to bottom level in storage tank refineries where contains full of hazardous, flammable, and explosive chemical, petrochemical Combination of Pressure / Vacuum Relief Valve and Flame Arrester types can be categorized into different type. However, Pressure-Vacuum Relief Valve with Integrated Endof-line Flame Arrester is considered as the most effective combination which provides a total security of mind to operators of storage tanks. This combination ensures ultimate protection against damage through over-pressurization, implosion due to vacuum conditions, and prevents any external flame entering the tank with its flame arrester winding system as indicated in Module-4 PVV Seat & Pallet Module-4 PVV Seat Module-5 Standard PVRV + FA Pressure-Vacuum Relief Valve with Integrated Flame Arrester Flame Arrester Element Technically, in the closed position the pressure relief pallet and diaphragm assembly are held tightly against a seal to prevent the loss of vapor to the atmosphere. The opening set-point is selectable from a range between 1 and 28.1 W.C. (2.5 and 70 mbar), and the valve will reseal when the tank returns to a safe pressure. 4
Figure 5 An Äager Brand ERGIL Storagetech Completed Pressure Relief Valve with Flame Arresters Multiple Advantages of Combined Technology: PVRV + FA An Äager Brand Storagetech Pressure / Vacuum Relief Valve with Integrated Flame Arrester is ATEX AND ISO APPROVED Storage Tank Valve & Flame Arrester performance is ensured for all relief and explosion circumstances that may occur according to the design case pressure drop is determined on international certifications flow test rig according to API 2000 7 th Edition requirements for the combined device (Flame Arrester and Pressure Vacuum Valve). Optimized weather hood for severe weather conditions. Installation of electrical heating is available for standard design. This combined technology is extremely maintenance friendly and provides no loss of vapor or explosion mitigation effect for routine inspection of the Flame Arrester. 10% overpressure advanced technology reduces vapor emission to a minimum level and it also has very low leak rates to reduce explosion risk and compliance with environmental requirements. CONCLUSION As technically explained above, having this technologic devices with flame arrester (Module 6-7-8) is the vital point in terms of preventing any catastrophic tank failure or accident in many tank refineries where contains full of hazardous, flammable chemical and petrocemical materials. Clearly saying, this special combined technology will achieve to aims with one combination which means the device will meet tank operators safety and environmental requirements in case of extremely multifunctional, safe and solid design under international standards such as ISO, API, CE Mark and ATEX against the extreme conditions when receive maintenance periodically. As a result, using the combined devices and making sure of periodic maintenance has been favored by most of tank operators and seemingly will always be in their globally changing needs. Module-6 Pilot Operated PVV + FA Module-7 Module-8 PVRV + integrated FA Standard PVRV + FA 5
Volkan Güdelek Volkan Güdelek is graduated degree in In Ergil Grup he deals with whole sales & International Relations. Since 2016 he is in the marketing activities as well as support to the Marketing Department of Ergil Grup with his Commercial Business. experience of reporting, writing, graphic designing and communication at AUAP. Sources: [1] Source: http://ergil.com [2] Source: http://hydrocarbonprocessing.com/magazine/2016 [3] Source: integraph.pdf 4] Source: https://www.eia.gov/beta/international/ analysis 6