(165a) Application of Visual Flame Detection and Hazard Mapping to Large Atmospheric Storage Tanks

Fires involving large atmospheric storage tanks can be dangerous and expensive. The size of the tanks and the fires make them difficult to extinguish and sometimes difficult even to control once the fire has spread to engulf the entirety of the tank, the bund or just the rim-seal. High-profile events in the United States and Europe have increased the visibility of these incidents, demonstrated the potential severity of the consequences and set off a wave of proposed revisions to codes and standards.

While design standards should be reviewed and improved, it is also important to remember detection and suppression systems intended to mitigate the consequences of these events when and if fires occur. Traditionally, operators have used linear heat detection systems to monitor the rim seal at the top of the tank. The authors believe that the industry should begin to more widely employ optical flame detection systems to monitor large atmospheric storage tanks, using detector layouts designed and validated using 2D or 3D hazard mapping software.