Fire Protection for Outdoor Process Tower 1

[khagberg]

I'll start off by stating I am a Chem E, not a Fire Protection Guy, so be gentle =) We are in the process of due diligence on designing a fire protection system for our process tower at the facility I work in. The tower is 5 levels and each level is grating with various pieces of equipment in it. The process uses solvents which go no higher than the second level of the tower. What NFPA code do I use to govern the protection and water flows that I need. I've been looking through NFPA 36, 30, 13, and 15. If someone could point me in the right direction that would be great. We've gone to so called "expert" and paid $$$ for a report that seems as if it were pencil whipped. Not saying all are like that but that was just my experience in this case.

Thanks

 

[cdafd]

Khag

Are your tanks existing??

If so what kind of protection do they have now ??

 

[DavidCR]

Khagberg.

I understand, insurance inspectors don´t help sometimes. They don´t want to say much if your risk is not isolated from other structures or facilities, and there is existing protection equipment.

1. More info is necessary to give hints. It´s important to see the shape and the surroundings of your tower and what is really contained in the plant. A panoramic photo would help.

2. A good expert view of the risks involved is the key to lead you to a good design, if you are thinking of just adding protection equipment you could do worst.

3. If water spray deluge system seems to be the choice. I mean, if you are really improving the risk condition with an independent deluge spray system.
To have an idea of a typical design you could read some of Viking "208 a" design guide (try this

http://www.vikinggroupinc.com/databook/deluge/designdata/042602.pdf),

you could go on the 0.1gpm/sqft or the 0.25gpm/sqft in general. But this guides would not tell you how to combine a design with other water based fire systems, how to select the nozzle K´s, how to deal with actual pressures high or low pressure, spray overlapping, etc., that are factors that will tell you the gpms and gallons you really need.
The deluge systems should be as simple as possible, so it is complicated to decide if technical vendors are giving good hints, or what type of automatic or manual actuation suites your needs.

4. Sometimes a fixed as per the code system would not work and other special options would be better, such as water/water-foam fixed or portable monitors, but such a design must be endorsed by an expert.

5. You can ask a guy from a company like Williams F&HC for their point of view and recommendations and what equipment they sell for that, to give you ideas.

6. Go to foam only if it is really needed, as others has mentioned, foam use is related to fuel spills, fire spread, curbs, dikes, drain systems, fire control after the main event, etc. In general, process towers are better protected with only water. Sometimes, foam is more reliable if it is applied with manual means like hoses and monitors.

7. A general reference that may help is: API recommended practice #2001 Fire Protection in Refineries and API #2030 Guidelines for Application of Water Spray Systems for Fire Protection in the Petroleum Industry.