Hydrocarbon fires pool fire

Mudan, K. S. 1984. Thermal radiation hazards from hydrocarbon pool fires. Prog. Energy Combust. Sci. 10 59-80. 

Mathematical estimates are available that can calculate the flame and heat effects (i.e., size, rate and duration) for pool, jet and flash hydrocarbon fires. These estimates are based on the "assumed" parameter of the material release rate. To some extent, the ambient wind speed also has a varying influence. 

API conducted open pool hydrocarbon fire exposure tests (mostly naphtha and gasoline fires), on process vessels during the 1940 s and 50 s. 

Standard Test Method for Fire Test of Through Penetration Fire Stops, 1994. Standard Test Methods for Determining Effects of Large Hydrocarbon Pool Fires on Structural Members and Assemblies, 1993. 

Storage tanks can be treated as a confined pool fire. For confined pools that have a significant level of material, Table 5-2 shows the burning rate in inches per hour for a variety of materials. When first ignited, the fire spreads rapidly across the full extent of the hydrocarbon pool and proceeds to consume the liquid at a characteristic burning rate (Spouge, 1999). 

ASTM E 1529 Standard Test Methods for Determining Effects of Large Eiydrocarbon Pool Fires on Structural Members and Assemblies and Underwriters Laboratories Inc. 1709 Standard for Rapid Rise Fire Tests of Protection Materials for Structural Steel are two tests which are used to evaluate the performance of structures, equipment, and protective materials to hydrocarbon fires (see Figure 5-17). 

If the concrete member is designed to have 4-hour fire resistance in a cel-lulosic fire test, as recommended in design guidance by the Institute of Structural Engineers and the Concrete Society, then 3-hour fire resistance would be expected in hydrocarbon pool fires, provided that spalled material remained in place (Spouge, 1999). 

KAMELEON FIRE E-3D— This model is a program specifically designed to deal with hydrocarbon fires in the form of both liquid pool fires and gas jet fires. 

The UL 2085 tank construction is intended to limit the heat transferred to the primary tank when the AST is exposed to a 2-h hydrocarbon pool fire of 1093°C (2000°F). The tank must be insulated to withstand the test without leakage and with an average maximum temperature rise on the primary tank not exceeding 2TC (260 F). Temperatures on the inside surface of the primary tank cannot exceed 204°C (400°F). 

SwRI 97-04, Standard for Fire Resistant Tanks, includes tests to evaluate the performance of ASTs under fire and hose stream. This standard is similar to UL 2080 in that the construction is exposed to a 2-h hydrocarbon pool fire of 1093°C (2000°F). However, SwRI 97-04 is concerned only with the integrity of the tank after the 2-h test and not concerned with the temperature inside the tank due to the heat transfer. As a result, UL 142 tanks have been tested to the SwRI standard and passed. Secondary containment with insulation is not necessarily an integral component of the system. 

Thermal radiation hazards result from liquid hydrocarbon pool fires, flash fires, turbulent jet fires, and fireballs (BLEVE). A release may be ignited immediately or some time later, and the ignition source may be at the point of release or at a distance downwind, as shown in Figure 2.2. Gas venting... 

The review of fire models focuses on the hydrocarbon jet fires, but some pool fire data are also mentioned. 

The fuel for a pool fire should comprise a distillate of petroleum with a distillation end point of 330°C maximum and an open cup flash point of 46°C minimum, and with a gross heating value of between 46 and 49 MJ/kg. This covers most hydrocarbons derived from petroleum with a density of less than 820 kg/m, e.g. kerosene and JP4 type fuels. A small amount of more volatile fuel may be used to ignite the pool as this will have an insignificant effect on the total heat input. 

A large pool fire is defined as that resulting from hundreds (or thousands) of gallons of liquid hydrocarbon fuel burning over a large area (several hundred to thousand square meters) with relatively unrestricted airflow and release of chemical compounds. A range of temperatures, velocities, heat fluxes, and chemical conditions exist and vary dramatically with time and spatial location. 

Figure 11.1 Eight firefighters practice extinguishing hydrocarbon pool fires with water spray. If water shrinks cotton what wiU it do to firefighters ...

The HSL s Process Safety Section undertook four field experiments on the thermal response of partially filled 4.5-ton water capacity horizontal propane tanks to a jet fire. The jet fire consisted of an ignited, horizontal flashing hquid propane jet at a flow rate of about 1.5 kg/s from a nozzle equivalent to a 12.7 mm diameter hole. The nozzle was placed 4.5 m from the front surface and 1 m below the axial center of the tanks at about the still-air lift-off position of the flame. Vessel exposures were abouf 200 kW/m more fhan twice that for a fully engulfing hydrocarbon pool fire. 

A spill of liquid hydrocarbon may catch fire and yield a pool fire. 

Two approaches are available for estimating the surface emitted power the point source and solid plume radiation models. The point source is based on the total combustion energy release rate while the solid plume radiation model uses measured thermal fluxes from pool fires of various materials (compiled in TNO, 1979). Both these methods include smoke absorption of radiated energy (that process converts radiation into convection). Typical measured surface emitted fluxes from pool fires arc given by Raj (1977), Mudan (1984), and Considine (1984). LPG and LNG fires radiate up to 250 kW/m (79,000 Btu/hr-ft ). Upper values for other hydrocarbon pool fires lie in the range 110-170 kW/m (35,000-54,000 Btu/hr- ), but smoke obscuration often reduces this to 20-60 kW/m ( 6300-19,000 Btu/hr-ft ). 

Considine, M. (1984). SRD R297 Thermal Radiation Hazard Ranges From Large Hydrocarbon Pool Fires. Culcheth, UK. UK Atomic Energy Authority. 

Mudan, K. S. (1984). Thermal Radiation Hazards From Hydrocarbon Pool Fires. P w Energy Combust Set, Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 59-80. 

Palazzi, E. Fabiano, B. 2012. Analytical modelling of hydrocarbon pool fires Conservative evaluation of flame temperature and thermal power. Process Safety Environmental Protection. 90 121-128. 

Large, open hydrocarbon pool fires have been observed to have heat fluxes in excess of 2.9 cal/cm s [120 kW/m ], jet fires in excess of 5.3 cal/cm s [220 kW/ m2], and vapor cloud fires in excess of 3.3 cal/cm2s [140 kW/m2] for durations >... 

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