Lighting Protection for a Fuel Oil Tank 1

[ahung]

Hi in our power plant we have a 5.000.000 litres capacity cilindrical tank for storage fuel oil N°2. We have four Gas Turbines that burn Natural Gas or Distillate Oil. Only when we have an emergency situation with Natural Gas we run the units using Fuel Oil N°2.

My question its about ¿How is the lightning protection system for this tank ? Recently we have a Safety Audit and one of the discussion point its ¿What happen if a lightning fall down on the any metal surface of the tank?

I apprecciate any advice about ¿What we need to do for protect the Fuel Oil tank from lightning or any kind of athmosferic discharges?


Regards

Alberto J. Hung C
Caracas Venezuela

 

[imok2]

2–18. Petroleum oil lubricants (POL) facilities
a. Storage tanks. Generally, protection for storage
tanks will depend on their inherent contact with
earth. Where steel storage tanks are constructed on
foundations of concrete or masonry, grounding will
be provided in accordance with grounding schedule
show-n in table 2–1, regardless of tank height. Where
steel tanks are constructed in direct contact all
around the perimeter with not less than 18 inches of
earth, grounding will not be required. See AFM
85-16 for additional requirements pertaining to Air
Force facilities.
Table 2-1. Fuel Storage Tank Grounding Schedule
Tank Circumference—Feet
200 And Less
201 Through 300
301 Through 400
401 Through 500
501 Through 600
601 Through 800
801 And More
Ground Connect fot the number of ground rods required for the tank circumference go to this web site:

http://www.usace.army.mil/inet/usace-docs/armytm/tm5-811-3/c-2.pdf