TANK FARM MANAGEMENT

By
Muthu Kumar E.
M14006 – EMS Ammonia
AMMONIA TANK FARM:
• Ammonia plants tank farm consists of 30,000 kL Naphtha and 8,000 kL
Furnace Oil storage facility built by M\s Vijay Tanks and by M\s Prasanth
Tanks limited.
• Naphtha tanks are External Floating roof type and Furnace oil tanks being
Fixed roof type.
• They come under the control of PESO ( Petroleum and Explosives Safety
Organisation) and governed by the regulations of OISD (Oil Industry
Safety Directorate).
CLASS A FLASH POINT BELOW 23°C
CLASS B FLASH POINT BETWEEN 23°C AND 65°C
CLASS C FLASH POINT ABOVE 65°C BUT BELOW 93°C
EXCLUDED CLASS FLASH POINT ABOVE 93°C
 MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET
NA PHT HA FUEL OIL

• EC – 649-275-00.4 • CAS no. 68476-33.5

• CAS- 64741-65-7 • UN no. 1223
• UN no. – 1228 • Flash Point - 66°C
• Flash Point- 44°C • Auto ignition Temp. – 263-407°C
• Auto ignition Temp. – 325°C
• Density- 0.65- 0.79 kg/cm2
• Exp. Range – 1.1- 5.9%
TANK DETAILS IN SPIC
 TANKS
FIXED-CUM-FLOATING ROOF TANKS
Fixed-cum-floating roof tanks are fixed roof tanks with internal floating roof. These types of tanks
are used for products, which are to be protected from contamination. These are also used at
locations where snowfall is heavy.
OPEN ROOF TANKS (WITHOUT ROOF)
Open roof tanks are cylindrical vertical tanks with top open to the atmosphere. Roof is not provided
and the material stored is exposed to the atmosphere. Open roof tanks are not used for storing
hydrocarbons.
HORIZONTAL CYLINDRICAL TANKS
Horizontal cylindrical tanks are of two types;
Above Ground Tanks
Above ground tanks are mounted horizontally above ground and are approachable externally.
Under Ground Tanks
Underground tanks are placed in earth, masonry or concrete pit and packed around with sand, earth
or clay leaving no air space between the tank and the pit.
 FLOATING ROOF TANKS
Floating roof tanks are designed to reduce filling and
breathing losses to a minimum and for safety considerations
by eliminating the vapour space above the stored liquid.
There are mainly following types of floating roof tanks:
I) Pan floating roof
ii) Pontoon floating roof
iii) Pontoon with Buoy type floating roof
iv) Double Deck floating roof
NAPHTHA FLOATING ROOF FEATURES
 BLEEDER VENTS
• Automatic bleeder vents shall be furnished for venting the air to or from the
underside of the deck when filling and emptying the tank. This is to prevent
overstress of the roof deck or seal membrane.
• These vent only come to operate when the floating roof landed, and the tank
is drained down or being filled.
• The length of the push rod is designed in a way that as the tank is emptied,
the rod touches the tank floor before the roof support leg landed and the will
open automatically, freely venting the space beneath the deck.
• Similarly, when the tank is filling up, the valve closes after all the air beneath
the deck has been expelled and the roof floats.
WORKING OF BLEEDER VENT
and emptying rates.

ROOF ON SUPPORT LEGS ROOF FLOATING ROOF ON SUPPORT LEGS

ROLLING LADDER AND GAUGER PLATFORM
• Rolling ladder is the mean of access on to the floating roof. The upper
end of the ladder is attached to the gauger platform.
• The lower end is provided with an axle with a wheel on side of ladder
which runs on a steel track mounted on a runway structure supported
off the roof. This is so that as the roof moves up and down, the ladder
can slide along and take up vary angle as required.
• This is why the floating roof is always sized up in such a way that the
tank diameter shall at least be equal to its height to enable the use of
the rolling ladder for access to the roof.
• Gauger platform is a small access area overhangs the shell to allow the
guide pole, and some other instrument to pass through providing
access.
FIRE FIGHTING • The floating roof tanks shall be equipped
SYSTEM AND with the fire fighting system, the foam
system, which the system is designed to
FOAM DAM deliver a flame smothering expanded
foam mixture into the tank rim space to
extinguish the fire.
• A foam dam which consists of a short
vertical plate is to welded to the top
pontoon plate at a short distance from
the seal, with the height higher than the
upper tip of the seal, to allow the whole
seal area to flooded with the foam and
extinguishes the fire effectively.
 ROOF SEAL SYSTEM

• There will be a 200 mm of gap between the inside of tank shell and the
outer rim of the floating roof pontoon.
• The main purpose of the roof seals are
 To close up the gap between pontoon & shell wall, hence preventing
the escape of vapor from the tank product to the atmosphere
 To minimize the amount of rain and pollutant entering the product.
 The seals are also to allow irregularities of the tank and roof
construction and to account any radial or lateral movement of the roof
due to the wind and seismic. Therefore the seal must be flexible enough
to take in all these purposes.
Normally there will be two types of seals installed in the floating roof
tank. They are
• Primary seal
• Secondary seal.
There are several different types of primary seal available in the market
today, and the appropriate seal has to be selected for suit the tank
service.
PRIMARY SEAL
The functions of the primary seal are to minimize vapour loss,
centralize the floating roof and exclude rain from the rim gap. Primary
seal could be in metallic (Mechanical Shoe Seal) or non metallic
(Resilient Filled Seal) type.
MECHANICAL (METALLIC) SHOE SEAL
PANTOGRAPH HANGER
It consists of a galvanized steel or
stainless steel sealing ring with the
bottom located below the liquid
surface.
A vapour tight fire-resistant
continuous seal to close the rim
space, and stainless steel shunts
for lighting protection.
 The sealing ring was supported by
the weighted pantograph system
which the steel weights activate
the tank lever system, pressing the
sealing ring against the tank shell,
ensuring the sealing ring is held in
constant contact with the tank
shell.
SCISSOR HANGER
The design principles are basically
similar to the Pantograph Hanger
It is the pusher bar to push the
shoe plate instead of the counter
weight.
Scissor Hanger is more much
simple design and economic
compared to the Pantograph
Hanger, also the easier installing
and assembly without any hot
welding work.
PANTOGRAPH HANGER SCISSOR HANGER
 RESILIENT FILLED SEAL
• The resilient filled seal can be of the foam filled or liquid filled. In the foam filled
seal, the mechanical force is obtained by taking a compressible foam material and
inserting it between the floating roof rim and the tank shell.
• Resistance to the scuffing action of the roughened tank shell plates is achieved by
wrapping the resilient foam in an envelope of reinforced plastic sheet or rubber
sheet.
• The foam and envelope may be mounted in a number of variants, where the lower
part of the seal touches the stored liquid, the seal is said to be liquid mounted, and
if it is mounted above the liquid, it is vapour mounted.
• In the liquid filled seal, a looped envelope of reinforced rubber sheet is supported in
the rim gap and the envelope is filled with a neutral liquid such kerosene. By virtue
of its depth and density the liquid spreads the envelope and exerts a force against
the tank shell.
• The envelope is normally ribbed and a tube may be fitted to contain the kerosene.
LIQUID SEAL FOAM SEAL
 SECONDARY SEAL
• Secondary seal is mounted on top of the primary seal, it reduced vapour loss which
in turn cost saving, enhanced safety by protection against rim fires, environmental
protection with less odour and compliance with the air standards.
• It significantly reduces the amount of rainwater entering the tank contents by
running down the shell.
ROOF SEAL MATERIAL
• The basic requirement of the seal material is the chemical resistance, which is
related to the stored product, the ultraviolet resistance in which the seal expose to
direct sunlight and the material has to be flame retardant.
• The primary seals should always be hydro-carbon resistance since they are in direct
contact with the product and product vapour and the top coat of the secondary
seals shall be ultraviolet resistant and flame retardant.
• The tip structure of the secondary seals which slides along the tank shell would
preferably be made of two kinds of material, which is hydrocarbon resistance
material at the bottom section and Ultraviolet resistance at the top section.
SECONDARY SEAL SYSTEM
SEAL MATERIALS USED
Material Resistance Against
Flame
Hydrocarbons UV light Retardant?

Vition ® (FPM)/ nylon (PA) Very Good Very Good Yes

Teflon ® (PTFE)/ glass Very Good Very Good Yes
Neoprene (CR)/ calcium silicate Reasonable Good No

Polyurethane (EU)/ nylon (PA) or

polyester (TPE-E) Good Good No

(PA) or polyester (TPE-E) or glass Good Reasonable No

Nitrile (NBR)/ Nylon (PA) or

polyester (TPE-E) Reasonable Poor No
ROOF DRAIN SYSTEM
• The roof drain system is to be installed in the floating roof tank to
effectively drain the rain water from the floating roof without causing
rain water to enter & contaminate the store product.
• The rainfall accumulated on the surface of the floating roof is drained
to center sump which set into the lower point of the roof deck. The
sump is then drained through a closed pipe work which operated with
the tank.
• There is a non-return valve fitted to the outlet of the sump, which is
to prevent the roof from being flooded with product in the event of a
failure in the drain system..
• As the floating roof moves along with the product height, the basic
requirement of the roof drain system has to be flexible to
accommodate the roof movement.
FLEXIBLE DRAIN SYSTEM
 The flexible drain system consist only single continuous pipe which expands and
contracts with the rise and fall of the floating roof. Full length of the pipe is
flexible and uniform without any joint.
ARTICULATED PIPING SYSTEM
 This drain system uses solid steel pipe with series of articulated knuckle joints
such as flexible swing joint/ swivel joint. It also requires chain, shackles and
pad eyes.
 The rigid pipes in the system caused the heavy weight to the system and may
stress and distort the deck plate in the floating roof. There is also possibility
of causing horizontal forces on to the roof which leads to wearing of the roof
seal.
 There is a short 90° bend in the system and this short bend radius would able
accumulate foreign material and blocked the drain.
 Although this drain system is cheaper as compared to the Flexible Pipe
System, but the installation of this system is considerably complicated and
requires longer time which in turn causes a higher labour cost.
ROOF SUPPORT LEG
 Roof support legs are provided in the floating roof tank to support the roof when
landed.The supports legs are adjustment in height to provide both a low operating
position and a high cleaning position.
 The supports legs are to be designed to carry only the weight of the roof but not the
weight of any accumulated rain water on the deck.

MEDIUM VELOCITY WATER CURTAIN

 Medium velocity water curtains are installed for the Naphtha tanks. In case of fire,
the water sprayer applies water in finely divided droplets giving protection to the
tanks. Water spray is 10 litres/min/ m2.

RIM VENT
 One number of Rim Vent is provided for each tank to release the vapour naphtha
formed between the pantoon & Neoprene seal.

EMERGENCY DRAIN PLUGS

 Helps to the remove the water from top of the Roof & drains it into tank.
TANK FARM LAYOUT
 OISD STD. 118 FOR TANK FARM LAYOUT
• Petroleum storage tanks shall be located in dyked enclosures with roads
all around the enclosure. Aggregate capacity of tanks located in one
dyked enclosure shall not exceed following values:
60,000 cum. for a group of fixed roof tanks.
120,000 cum. for a group of floating roof tanks.
• If a group of tanks contains both fixed and floating roof tanks, then it shall
be treated as a group of fixed roof tanks for the purpose of above limits.
• Dyked enclosure shall be able to contain the complete contents of the
largest tank in the dyke in case of any emergency. Enclosure capacity
shall be calculated after deducting the volume of tanks (other than the
largest tank) and the tank pads within the dyke upto the height of the
enclosure.
• A free board of 200 mm above the calculated liquid level shall be
considered for fixing the height of the dyke.
• The tank height shall not exceed one and half times the diameter of
the tank or 20 m whichever is less. For the installations covered
under Oil Mines Regulation, the maximum height of the tank, dyke
requirements etc. shall be as per Oil Mines Regulations, 1984.
• Piping from / to any tank located in a dyked enclosure should not
pass through any other dyked enclosure. Piping connected to tanks
should run directly to outside of dyke to the extent possible to
minimise piping within the enclosures.
• The minimum distance between a tank shell and the inside toe of the
dyke wall shall not be less than half the height of the tank.
• There shall be access on all four sides of each dyke area and roads
should be linked to minimize the effect if one road is cut off during
the fire.
• The height of tank enclosure dyke (including free board) shall be at least 1.0 m and shall not
be more than 2.0 m above average inside grade level. The dyke wall made up of earth,
concrete or solid masonry shall be designed to withstand the hydrostatic load. Earthen dyke
wall shall have not less than 0.6-meter wide flat section on top for stability of the dyke wall.
• For excluded petroleum, the capacity of the dyked enclosure should be based on spill
containment and not for containment on tank rupture. The minimum height of dyke wall in
case of excluded petroleum shall be 600 mm.
• Separation distances between the nearest tanks located in separate dykes shall not be less
than the diameter of the larger of the two tanks or 30 meters, whichever is more.
• Process equipment should not be located inside the dyke. Pump stations and piping manifold
should be located outside dyke areas by the side of roads.
• Tanks located overhead shall meet safety distances and shall also have dyked enclosure of
RCC construction and provided with efficient drainage system for the dyke enclosure.
Grouping;
• Grouping of petroleum products for storage shall be based on the product classification. Class-
A and / or Class-B petroleum may be stored in the same-dyked enclosure. Class-C petroleum
should preferably be stored in separate enclosure. However, where Class-C petroleum is
stored in a common dyke along with Class-A and/or Class-B petroleum, all safety stipulations
applicable for Class-A and/ or Class-B respectively shall apply.
• Excluded petroleum shall be stored in a separate dyked enclosure and shall not be stored along
with Class-A, Class-B or Class-C petroleum.
• Tanks shall be arranged in maximum two rows so that each tank is approachable from the road
surrounding the enclosure. This stipulation need not be applied to tanks storing excluded
petroleum class.
• Tanks having 50,000 cum capacity and above shall be laid in single row.
• In a dyked enclosure where more than one tank is located, firewalls of minimum height 600mm shall be
provided to prevent spills from one tank endangering any other tank in the same enclosure.
• A group of small tanks each not exceeding 9 meters in diameter and in all not exceeding 5,000 cum in
capacity shall be treated as one tank for the provision of firewall.
• For excluded petroleum product storage, firewall of height not less than 300 mm shall be provided by
limiting the number of tanks to 10 or the capacity of group of tanks to 5,000 cum whichever is lower.

SEPARATION DISTANCES BETWEEN STORAGE TANKS WITHIN A DYKE

Item Between floating Roof Between fixed Roof Tanks Between Class C Petroleum
Tanks Class A & B Storage tanks
Class A & B
1 All tanks with Diameter upto (D+d) / 4 (D+d) / 4 (D+d) / 6
50 meters Min 10 m Min 10 m Min 6 m
2 Tanks with Diameter (D+d) / 4 (D+d) / 3 (D+d) / 4
exceeding 50 meters.
FIRE PROTECTION FACILTIES AS PER OISD STD
116 & 117
Protection using Semi-Fixed Foam System:

For floating roof tank, foam shall be

poured at the foam dam to blanket the roof’s rim seal. Features of foam system for floating roof tank
protection shall be as follows:
System shall be designed to create foam blanket on the burning surface in a reasonably short period.
Foam shall be applied to the burning hazard continuously at a rate high enough to overcome the
destructive effects of radiant heat.
Foam makers/foam pourers shall be located not more than 24 M apart on the shell perimeter based on
600 mm foam dam height. The height of foam dam shall be at least 51 mm above the top of metallic
secondary seal. A minimum of two foam pourers shall be provided.
Features of the foam system for fixed roof protection shall be as follows:
The vapour seal chamber shall be provided with an effective and durable seal, fragile under low pressure,
to prevent entrance of vapour into the foam conveying piping system.
Where two or more vapour seal chambers are required these shall be equally spaced at the periphery of
the tank and each discharge outlet shall be sized to deliver foam at approximately the same rate.
Tanks should be provided with foam discharge outlets/ vapour seal chambers as indicated below:
Tank Diameter in M. Minimum number of foam discharge outlet
upto 20 2
>20 upto 25 3
>25 upto 30 4
>30 upto 35 5
>35 upto 40 6
>40 upto 45 8
>45 upto 50 10
The estimation of number of foam discharge outlet is based on pourer capacity of 1000 Ipm at a pressure
of 7 kg/cm2g upstream of eductor.
HEADER PRESSURE
The fire water system shall be designed for a minimum residual pressure of 7.0 kg/cm2g at the hydraulically remotest
point of application at the designed flow rate at that point.
The fire water network shall be kept pressurised at minimum 7.0 kg/cm2g at all the time.
FIREWATER STORAGE
• Water for the hydrant service shall be stored in any easily accessible surface or underground lined reservoir or
above ground tanks of steel, concrete or masonry. The fire water storage should be located as far away as possible
(not less than 60 M) from hazardous areas to avoid any damage in case of fire/explosion.
• The effective capacity of the reservoir above the level of suction point shall be minimum 4 hours aggregate working
capacity of main pumps (excluding standby pumps). Where rate of make up water supply is 50% or more, this
storage capacity can be reduced to 3 hours aggregate working capacity of main pumps.
• Storage reservoir shall be in two equal interconnected compartments to facilitate cleaning and repairs. In case of
aboveground steel tanks there shall be minimum two tanks each having 50 % of required capacity.
• In addition to fire water storage envisaged as above, emergency water supply in the event of depletion of water
storage shall be considered. Such water supplies can be connected from cooling water supply header and/or
treated effluent discharge headers.
• Fire water supply shall be from fresh water source such as river, tube well or lake. Where fresh water source is not
easily available, fire water supply can be sea water or other acceptable source like treated effluent water.
Fire water mains shall not pass through buildings or dyke areas.
Hydrants / monitors shall not be located inside the dyke area.
HYDRANTS & MONITORS - DETAILS
Hydrants
• Hydrants shall be located keeping in view the fire hazards at different sections of the premises to be protected and
to give most effective service. At least one hydrant post shall be provided for every 30 M of external wall
measurement or perimeter of unit battery limit in case of hazardous areas.
• Hydrants protecting utilities and non plant buildings can be spaced at 45 M intervals. The horizontal range and
coverage of hydrants with hose connections shall not be considered more than 45 M.
• The hydrants shall be located at a minimum distance of 15 M from the periphery of storage tank or hazardous
equipment under protection
• Hydrants / Monitors shall be located along road side berms for easy accessibility as far as possible.
• Double headed hydrants with two separate landing valves on 4" stand post shall be used. All hydrant outlets shall be
situated at a workable height of about 1.2 metre above ground level.
• Fire hydrants around the tank should be provided with 4” size pumper connection.
• Hydrants / Monitors shall be located with branch connections and not directly over main header for easy
accessibility.
Monitors
Monitors shall be located at strategic locations for protection of cluster of columns, heaters, gassifiers, etc., and where it
is not possible to approach the higher levels. A minimum of 2 monitors shall be provided for the protection of each such
area.. The monitors should not be installed less than 15 M from hazardous equipment.
FIXED WATER SPRAY SYSTEM
• It is a fixed pipe system connected to a reliable source of water supply and equipped with water spray nozzles for
specific water discharge and distribution over the surface of area to be protected. The piping system is connected to
the hydrant system water supply through an automatically or manually actuated valve which initiates the flow of
water.
• Fire Hose: Reinforced Rubber Lined Hose as per IS 636 (Type A)/Nonpercolating Synthetic Hose (Type B).
APPLICATION AREA WATER APPLICATION RATE
Atmospheric storage 3 Ipm/m2 of tank shell area
tanks
tanks located within (R+30) M from centre 3 Ipm/m2 of tank shell area
of tank-on- fire within the same dyke area.
for exposure protection
tanks located outside (R+30) metre from 1 Ipm/m2 of tank shell area for exposure protection
centre of tank-on-fire within the same dyke area.
Pressure Storage 10.2 Ipm/m2 of
Vessels shell area
Process Unit Area
Pumps (Volatile product) 20.4Ipm/m2 service located under Pipe rack
Columns, other 10.2 Ipm/m2
Extremely hazardous area
 OISD STD 180 LIGHTNING PROTECTION STANDARD

Fixed roof type tanks:

The contents of metallic tanks with steel roofs of riveted, bolted or welded construction with or without supporting
members, used for the storage of flammable liquids at atmospheric pressure are considered to be inherently self-protecting
against lightning if the following requirements are met:
a)All joints between metallic plates shall be fully riveted, bolted or welded.
b)All pipes entering or connected with the tank shall be metallically connected and properly bonded with the tank at the point of
entrance.
All vapour or gas openings shall be closed or provided with flame protection devices when the stored stock may produce a
flammable air-vapour mixture under storage conditions.
d) The roof shall have a minimum thickness of 4.8mm.
e) The roof shall be welded, fully bolted or riveted to the tank shell.
Tanks shall be grounded to conduct away the current of direct strokes and to avoid the buildup and potential that may cause
sparks to ground. A metal tank shall be grounded by one of the following methods:
a) A tank is connected without insulated joints to a grounded metallic piping system.
A vertical cylindrical tank rests on earth or concrete and is at least 6m in diameter or rests on bituminous pavements and is at
least 15 M in diameter.
By bonding the tank to ground through a minimum of two ground at maximum 30 M intervals along the perimeter of tank. This
also applies to tanks with an insulting membrane beneath the tank.
 FLOATING ROOF TANKS
The following measures are essential in case of floating roof type tanks used for storage of
flammable liquids:
• Metallic straps (Shunts) at intervals of not over 3 meter length on the circumference of the
roof between the floating roof and the metallic shoe that slides on the inside of the shell will
permit the charge to drain off without igniting vapour under the seal.
• Tanks without a vapour space at the seal or with non-conductive seals do not generally
require shunts at the seal. However, if shunts are not provided a tight seal must be
maintained to prevent accumulation of vapours. Where metallic weather shields cover the
seals they shall maintain contact with the shell.
• Where a floating roof tank is equipped with both primary and secondary seals in compliance
with environmental regulations, shunts shall be installed so that they directly contact the tank
shell above the secondary seal
• All conductive parts of internal floating covers or the floating portions of covered floating roof
tanks, ladders should be electrically interconnected and bonded to the tank roof/shell.
RIM SEAL FIRE DETECTION SYSTEMS
 CALIBRATION OF TANKS
• External Strapping
• Bottom physically calibrated A pump may be installed in piping upstream of the
volume standard to increase water flow from the
tank. If used, it should incorporate a switch by
which the pump can be quickly turned on and off
as necessary.

The volume calibrator must be equipped with

valves at both its inlet and outlet. Try to set-up
the pump, hoses, calibrator and piping as close as
Tank practical to the tank to minimize the length of the
run.

Calibrator
Can

Shut-Off
Valve
Tank Shut-Off
Outlet Valve
Drain

Pump
 REALITY CHECK

THANK YOU…