Ethanol fire safety-

Transcription

1 Ethanol fire safety- Mitigating the risks associated with storage of water miscible fuels Henry Persson SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden 20 March

2 ETANKFIRE An update of the project Ethanol Tank Fire Fighting An update of the project

3 SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden

4 SP Fire Technology Testing and research areas Leading fire laboratory in Europe 80 Employees 50 % Testing, 50% Research About 50 % of funding from abroad Building materials and constructions Industrial Fire Protection Tunnels Vehicles/transportation Maritime/offshore Sustainability Measurement Technology

5 Billions of Gallons Why do we need the ETANKFIRE project? Ethanol handling is increasing Different properties Fire protection recommendations lacking Limited practical experience from tank fires The importance of safe ethanol 2 production, handling, and storage is increasing as well ,000 (Estimated for 2010) Historic U.S. Fuel Ethanol Production Source: Renewable Fuels Association, January 2011

6 Flammable conditions at normal temperatures

7 Need for reliable risk assessment tools Validated models exist for heat flux calculations for many petroleum products No large scale validations exist for ethanol fuels

8 Increased heat radiation compared to Gasoline?

9 Goal of ETANKFIRE project The ETANKFIRE project will provide a platform of knowledge to ensure proper investment in fire protection of ethanol storage plants Determine the large scale fire behaviour of ethanol fuels Provide input to computer models for risk assessment Develop and validate a methodology for fire fighting of tank fires containing ethanol fuels Possibilities for improvement in fire protection industry Provide knowledge to be implemented in recommendations and standards Provide input to fire fighter training

10 Ethanol tank fires in Port Kembla, Villettesur-Aube, Lillers, Ourinhos Photo: Fire & Rescue NSW

11 The ETANKFIRE project structure Joint Industry Project led by SP * Phase 1 (WP 1,2,5) Phase 2 (WP 3,4) * *WP0 & 6 are applied to both phases.

12 WP5 - Small scale tests 2 m 2 E97 E85 E50

13 Instrumentation-Large scale tests 254 m 2 (Ø 18 m) Burning rate Heat flux 0-40 m Flame height Video and IR-cameras

14 Burning rate and heat flux measurements

15 E97 and E liters in each test

16 Preliminary conclusions from WP5 tests Gasoline flames will have a reduced SEP (Surface Emission Power) as the fire area increases due to increasing soot generation (based on historic test data and various simulation models). The concern that ethanol flames will have an increasing SEP as the fire area increases was confirmed. Small scale fire tests with ethanol fuels are not relevant for prediction of heat flux exposure in large scale situations

17 Plans for the work WP1 and WP2 * *

18 WP1 Literature review and Standard Scale Tests with Foam Goal: To provide information for design of WP2 test programme Literature review of existing test data and update of experience from real fires Reference tests according to standard foam test procedures with various ethanol fuels Tests with increased preburn time (10-30 min) Tests with increased fuel depth

19 WP2 Small Scale Tank Fire Tests Goal: To evaluate various extinguishing techniques Small scale tank, area 1,73-4,5 m 2 Fuel depth should ensure limited dilution effect Tests with various foam application methods Tests with non-conventional techniques

20 Mobile foam application Could a traditional foam attack using monitors be successful? Type of application (swirling technique, etc) Application rate Duration - foam stock requirements Could alternative foam application techniques / foam types provide better performance? Medium expansion foam, CAFS, etc

21 Fixed foam systems How should fixed systems be designed Conventional over-top system Linear foam nozzle application Semi sub-surface

22 Non-conventional techniques Could non-conventional techniques be a solution? Solid foam (foam glass, glass/polymeric spheres, ) Liquid nitrogen

23 Welcome to join ETANKFIRE! SP RPI Research & Testing Group (RT): manages; coordinates; conducts research ETANKFIRE Consortium n Steering Committee (SC): economic framework; fuel, foam, & other media selection; extinguishing tactics; advise RTG on detailed project planning and evaluation of test data. Comprised of 1 person from each Full Partner General Assembly (GA): advise SC on test program; dissemination of project results; proposed guidelines; subject matter expert presentations, etc. Comprised of all Full Partners and Associate Partners 4 Why join ETANKFIRE? Possibility to influence the work Access to all results Good payoff of own investment Present Partners Swedish Petroleum & Biofuel Institute Lantmännen Agroetanol BRANDFORSK Full Partner: 50 keur Assoc. Partner: 20 keur

24 Let s do it together! Join ETANKFIRE Henry Persson, SP Fire Technology henry.persson@sp.se