(85c) Flammable Liquid Atmospheric Storage Tank Pressure Relief: Quantifying a Hidden Hazard

Storing flammable liquid chemicals in atmospheric storage tanks is a common practice at many facilities. Vapor releases from these tanks regularly occur under normal operation due to thermal outbreathing and routine maintenance. Safeguards including pressure safety valves and spark resistant equipment reduce the risk associated with these releases, but outside of broad regulatory requirements, little attention is typically paid to such release scenarios to understand the magnitude of these potentially flammable releases. A comprehensive study on the dispersion dynamics of multiple flammable chemicals from pressure relief valves and manholes of atmospheric storage tanks is performed using Phast to determine the potential hazards these releases play at a facility for various pump in rates.