EXPLOSIVE HAZARD OF SPHERICAL TANKS OF OIL AND GAS REFINING ENTERPRISES

Gas and oil refining enterprises receive a large amount of hydrocarbon gases, which can be used as fuel or after processing as a raw material for a number of oil refining and petrochemical processes. The fires on such objects are characterized by high speed of development, destruction of technological equipment and building structures, intensive flowing out of combustible liquids and liquefied gases, significant thermal radiation, gas pollution of the adjoining territory; Even local fires or explosions under adverse circumstances due to chain development can lead to catastrophic scales. Therefore, the problem of reliable fire protection of the oil and gas refining industry enterprises, individual units and installations is relevant. The goal of the work is investigation of the danger of accidents in spherical tanks at oil and gas refining industry enterprises. The physical and chemical properties of the liquefied gases, the conditions of the technological process, the experience of accidents on similar objects were analyzed. The results showed that during the technological process with liquefied gas the emissions of substances causing the formation of a potential explosive zones, explosions of gas and gas clouds, physical explosions of vapour, fireballs, spill fires and the spread of clouds of toxic substances were possible. In order to ensure the process, spherical tanks for liquefied gas are equipped with devices for monitoring the level, pressure, temperature; alarms of emergency level; systems of manual release of pressure; systems of safety valves with a discharge on a torch or a candle; equalizing lines between tanks and overpasses with electric locks. The breakdown hazard of spherical tanks of oil and gas refining enterprises was studied. The zone of destructive action of explosion pressure in a spherical tank with liquefied gas was calculated.