Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31306/s.61.4.1
Study of fire safety of petroleum storage tanks in Croatia
Aleksandar Regent
orcid.org/0000-0002-3561-7823
; Sveučilište Jurja Dobrile, Pula, Hrvatska
Abstract
Section Fighting Fires and Cooling of Aboveground Tanks of the Croatian Ordinance on Flammable Liquids (OFL) is not in concert with the European and American standards and recommendations pertaining to this field of fire protection. OFL was published in 1999, but even at the time of its publication it was not in concert with the existing recommendations and good technical practice in the world. In the meantime, based on the requirements in OFL many designs have been made and firefighting systems built for tanks containing crude oil and liquid hydrocarbons both in Croatia and in the neighbouring countries established after disintegration of SFR Yugoslavia. Value and expected efficacy of these systems in case of fire is questionable. In the paper, main differences between OFL and European & Croatian standard Fixed Firefighting Systems - Foam Systems - Part 2: Design, Construction and Maintenance (EN 13565-2) have been shown. Some differences to the equivalent American standard NFPA 11:2016 Standard for Low-, Medium-, and High-Expansion Foam are also pointed out. Starting from 1922, NFPA 11 has undergone more than 20 revisions and has been frequently used as the basis for writing such standards all over the world. With respect to firefighting and cooling of aboveground tanks, relevant and world accepted standards API and relevant European publications and recommendations have also been consulted. Section Fighting Fires and Cooling of Aboveground Tanks of the Croatian OFL is wrong in conception, as it contains requirements for foam systems which are not precise enough or are even wrong, and overestimates water cooling requirements. Withdrawal and replacement by EN 13565-2:2009 and CEN/TS 14816:2008 Fixed Firefighting Systems -Water Spray Systems. Design and Installation. is proposed. Knowing that the existing systems in many cases do not warrant acceptable level of protection in case of fire, revision of all systems for foam firefighting and cooling of aboveground tanks for flammable liquids designed and constructed according to OFL is suggested. It is recommended that the volume of bunds is checked too, because their volume is mainly sufficient for the volume of the tank content only, but is not big enough for storing of rain water, cooling water and firefighting foam.
Keywords
ordinance (regulations); flammable liquids; tanks; fire protection; firefighting foam
Hrčak ID:
230923
URI
Publication date:
23.12.2019.
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