Case Study: Safety Assessment of Plant Layout between Ethylene Storage Tanks and Process Equipment According to Capacity and Weather Conditions

Abstract

In a chemical plant, even if an explosion occurs in a storage tank that handles flammable materials, the minimum separation distance is applied in a way to prevent chain explosion. This is because when an explosion occurs in a storage tank, thermal radiation affects nearby process equipment and causes a chain explosion. The separation distance between storage tanks and process equipment in a chemical plant depends on the global engineering guidelines PIP (Process Industry Practice) PNE00003 and GAPS (Global Asset Protection Services) GAP.2.5.2. However, there is a limitation in the global engineering guidelines that provide only a consistent separation distance according to the item types without considering the storage capacity and climatic conditions around the storage tank. This study analyzed the distance of thermal radiation (up to 37.5 kW/m2) according to the capacity of ethylene storage tank and climatic conditions by utilizing the Phast (DNV GL), which is widely used as a tool for quantitative risk analysis. The accident scenario was applied using the U.S. EPA (Environment Protection Agency)’s worst leakage accident scenario, considering climate variables, air temperature, wind speed, and atmospheric stability. In the simulation, atmospheric stability did not affect the radius of thermal radiation. Moreover, the thermal radiation tended to increase with increase in wind speed in the ambient condition and winter, but not in summer. Because both PIP PNE00003 and GAP.2.5.2 yield consistent separation distances without considering storage capacity and weather conditions, quantitative risk analysis of the results of thermal radiation is necessary to ensure safety.

A Digital Twin-Assisted Collaborative Capability Optimization Model for Smart Manufacturing System Based on Elman-IVIF-TOPSIS

“…Based on literature [31][32][33][34] related to equipment risk and combined with the questionnaire survey analysis, statistics; we obtained five indicators. These indicators are: equipment depreciation (C1), cutting risk (C2), chemical radiation (C3), noise hazard (C4), radiation hazard (C5).…”

Discharge and atmospheric dispersion modelling in case of hazardous material releases

“…Phast provides a clear illustration of the consequences that may result from hazards in process industries (oil and gas, petrochemicals, chemicals, etc.). It is capable of modelling discharges, dispersion, radiation and explosions [7][8][9][10][11].…”