As a key facility for storing large quantities of flammable and explosive liquids, the safety of large oil tanks is of paramount importance. In the event of a fire or fire, it will not only cause huge property damage, but also may threaten people's lives. Therefore, the reasonable setting of automatic fire extinguishing system is a crucial safety measure for large oil tanks.
When choosing an automatic fire extinguishing system for large oil tanks, the following four principles should be followed:
1.ValidityThe fire extinguishing system must be able to quickly and effectively extinguish the source of the fire at the initial stage of the fire and prevent the fire from spreading.
2.SecurityThe system itself should be safe and reliable, and will not cause secondary damage to the oil tank and the surrounding environment.
3.ApplicabilityAccording to the storage material, structural characteristics and use environment of the oil tank, choose the most suitable fire extinguishing method.
4.EconomicalOn the premise of meeting the safety requirements, the economy and easy maintenance of the system should be fully considered.
At present, there are four main types of automatic fire extinguishing systems for large oil tanks:
1.Foam fire extinguishing system: The system isolates the oil surface from the air by spraying a foam extinguishing agent, lowering the temperature of the combustible material and destroying the combustion chain. The foam extinguishing system is suitable for the storage of Class A and B liquids in fixed top tanks and floating top tanks.
2.Gas fire extinguishing system: Common gas fire extinguishing methods include carbon dioxide fire extinguishing and inert gas fire extinguishing. These gases are non-conductive, non-combustible, and leave no traces, and can quickly dilute oxygen or chemicals in the air, thereby inhibiting combustion. Gas fire extinguishing systems are suitable for the protection of critical equipment inside small oil tanks or oil tanks.
3.Dry chemical fire extinguishing systemDry powder fire extinguishing agent has the characteristics of fast fire extinguishing speed, high efficiency, non-conductive and non-corrosive. However, dry powder can leave a large amount of residue in the tank after extinguishing the fire, which may affect the quality of the oil and the structure of the tank.
4.Water spray fire extinguishing systemThe system uses the principle of water atomization to refine the water flow into tiny water droplets, increasing the fire extinguishing area and efficiency. Water spray fire extinguishing systems are effective in extinguishing initial fires on tank surfaces, but may be of limited effectiveness in extinguishing fires inside large tanks.
When setting up the automatic fire extinguishing system for large oil tanks, the following four aspects should be focused:
1.How the system starts: The fire extinguishing system should be set to two ways: automatic start and manual start. Automatic start mode: automatically triggers the fire extinguishing procedure after sensing the fire signal through the fire detector; The manual start mode allows the operator to manually activate the fire extinguishing system after the fire is confirmed.
2.Selection of fire detectors: Fire detectors are a key component of automatic fire extinguishing systems, and their accuracy and reliability directly affect the effectiveness of fire extinguishing. For large oil tanks, highly sensitive flame detectors and temperature detectors should be selected to ensure that fire extinguishing procedures can be detected and initiated in time at the initial stage of fire.
3.Selection and configuration of fire extinguishing agent: The choice of extinguishing agent should be determined according to the nature of the substance stored in the tank, the fire risk and the environmental protection requirements. At the same time, the configuration of the fire extinguishing agent should meet the requirements of quickly and evenly covering the entire oil surface to ensure the fire extinguishing effect.
4.Maintenance and maintenance of fire extinguishing systems: Automatic fire extinguishing systems need to be inspected, maintained and serviced regularly to ensure that they are in good working order. This includes checking the sensitivity of fire detectors, the amount of fire extinguishing agent stored, the tightness of pipes, etc.
Take a large petrochemical company as an example, which has multiple large oil tanks for storing ** and refined oil. In order to ensure the safe operation of the oil tank, the company adopts the foam fire extinguishing system as the main automatic fire extinguishing method. The system includes components such as a foam storage tank, foam pump, foam proportional mixer, foam generator, and piping system.
In actual operation, the system can be quickly activated at the initial stage of a fire, spraying a large amount of foam extinguishing agent to effectively extinguish the fire source and prevent the fire from spreading. The company is also equipped with a gas fire extinguishing system as a backup fire extinguishing method to protect the critical equipment inside the tank.
For large oil tanks, it is important to choose the right automatic fire extinguishing system. When choosing a fire extinguishing system, factors such as the actual situation of the tank, fire risk and economy should be fully considered. The routine maintenance and upkeep of the fire extinguishing system should also be strengthened to ensure that it can play its due role at critical moments.
To sum up, the automatic fire extinguishing system setting of large oil tanks is a complex and important job. Only through scientific selection, reasonable configuration and effective maintenance can we ensure that the fire extinguishing system can play the greatest role in the event of a fire and protect the safety of people's lives and property.