Any Recommendations on Water Spray of a Vessel

[jdhariwal]

Good Morning All,

I was wondering if there was any guidance on when exactley to protect a vessel with water spray protection?

I have read through API 2030 and it says you can, but alternatively protect via fire proofing.

Is there another industry standard I may be missing?

It seems very judgemental to me, based on client standards?

Any advice would be appreciated

Regards

Jess

[safetyuser]

Good Morning All,

I was wondering if there was any guidance on when exactley to protect a vessel with water spray protection?
I have read through API 2030 and it says you can, but alternatively protect via fire proofing.
Is there another industry standard I may be missing?
It seems very judgemental to me, based on client standards?

Dear Jess

you are very right when you say "depends on the Client" practice and preference, but I guess you're posing the wrong question.

The choice is strictly connected to the actual fire risk you have in the unit i.e. "what is the flammable in the vessel?" "how much inventory in the vessel?"
"is there a chance to prompt isolate the leakage?" "is there hazard for the fire to escalate?" "is there risk for structural collapse of the supporting structure?"
etc. etc. etc. THIS IS FIRE RISK ANALYSIS.

Secondarily: water spray intention has a different scope from fireproofing i.e. the former is to extinguish or cool an impinged vessel, the latter to prevent structural collapse....

Unless you fire risk analysis requires to fireproof the whole shell of the vessel (unusual option) then the fireproofing coating is normally applied only on legs, skirts, structural beams to prevent the fire from spreading further in an unmanageable way.

You could have a look on some principles in the IP 19 "Model code of safe practice - Fire precautions at petroleum refineries and bulk storage installations"

[jdhariwal]

Hi Safetyuser,

Many thanks for the reply, I will have a read through IP19.

Are there any other texts that you recommend, so I can gain a better understanding of fire analysis?

Maybe if I could find a flow diagram or something?

Your help has been greatly appreciated

Kind Regards

Jess

[safetyuser]

Are there any other texts that you recommend, so I can gain a better understanding of fire analysis?

Jess, there are dozens of guidelines, manuals and standards on the matter

anyway my favourites for start-up are these for the fire risk analysis:
1- Scandpower A/S,SINTEF "Handbook for Fire Calculations and Fire Risk Assessment in the Process Industry"
2- CCPS "Guidelines for Fire Protection in Chemical,Petrochemical, and Hydrocarbon Processing Facilities"

somewhere here in the forum were available

hope this helps

[jdhariwal]

Thanks Safetyuser,

I am going through the CCPS book, and will try to search out the Scandpower Handbook.

I appreciate your advice on this matter

Many Thanks

Jess