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recommendations
for reducing risk
A
ccording to a review of 3. Install overhead shield
petroleum storage tank wires above the tank.
fires between 1951 4. Install conductive shunts
and 2003, the number of tank between the roof and
fires reported in the worldwide tank shell (for FRT’s).
media is in the range of 5. Ensure the tank is
15 to 20 fires per year. well grounded.
The extent of the tank fire Methods #1, #2 and #3 are
incidents varies considerably, based on the premise that
ranging from a rim seal fire the protective element will
to multiple, simultaneous full collect the incoming lightning
tank fires. Of the 480 tank strike and divert the energy
fire incidents reported, about to ground. Unfortunately,
one-third are attributed to current flows on Frt from nearby lightning strike there are two undesirable
lightning. Another study, consequences of these
sponsored by 16 oil industry conventional methods:
companies, found that 52 of flows across the roof-to- present at the arc location, 1. Occasionally the protective
55 rim seal fires were caused shell seal during all lightning the vapours may be ignited if element will fail to collect
by lightning, and concluded events, regardless if the strike the arc is sustained for more the strike, and the strike
that ‘lightning is the most terminates either directly than about 5 milliseconds. will terminate directly
common source of ignition.’ on or near the tank. For a The duration of a typical on the tank. (This is a
Until API RP 545 was storage tank without a floating lightning strike is well in worst case scenario.)
published in 2009, the existing roof, there will be lightning- excess of 5 milliseconds. 2. These methods do not
lightning protection standards related current flows across eliminate the root cause of
for the petroleum industry all surfaces of the tank during Conventional protection and ignition, which is current
provided little guidance. The all lightning events, regardless grounding concepts flow across electrical
research performed on behalf if the strike terminates either discontinuities, such as the
of API did provide valuable directly on or near the tank. Conventional lightning roof-shell seal on FRT’s.
insight to understanding the If a lightning-related current protection methods for tanks Regarding method #4, API-
lightning-related ignition encounters an electrical include the following: funded testing proved that
mechanism. The three discontinuity and arcs from 1. Install lightning masts shunts will produce arcs
primary recommendations one conductive surface to around the tank. during lightning events, even
offered in API RP 545 do another, and flammable 2. Install air terminals if the shunts and internal tank
make important first steps to vapours and oxygen are on the tank. wall are clean. Regarding
reducing lightning-related risk method #5, the sheer size
for floating roof tanks (FRT’s). and weight of a tank creates
an excellent connection
The cause to earth, and so adding
grounding electrodes to a
There are two ways in which tank is not effective. Further,
a lightning strike can ignite a whether or not a structure
stored petroleum product: is well grounded does not
1. A direct strike to the determine whether or not it
storage tank containing will be struck by lightning.
the petroleum. (This
is the worst case.) Recommendations
2. A strike terminating near
the storage tank, thus The API RP 545 committee
subjecting the tank to the invested substantial
indirect effects of the strike. resources into directed
According to API-funded research and testing. Two
research, for a FRT there will of the key findings from the
be lightning-related current picture caption to come test programme were that
Example of Rim DAS solution in the field
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May 2012 • TA N K S T O R A G E Lightning protection