automatic positive safety valve - firestop - for tank farms

YOUR SATISFACTION FIRST…

Don’t let your tank farm turns…


Into… HELL…


Feederstop Firestop

To stop the flow of volatile or

hazardous fluids from tanks, in a fire

emergency situation, by automatically

sealing each tank inlet and outlet

IN OUT


Product BackgroundIn 1993 we sat down with tank farms owners, at their request, to design and manufacture a device complying with French and European safety regulations concerning industrial sites potentially dangerous for the environment in case of accident (EEC Directive n° 82/501/CEE a.k.a. Seveso Directive).

Based on French tank farms regulations (art 318.21), French industrial safety commission requirements (IM art. 17 dated 9/11/89) ATEX 94/9/CE (EU directive on equipment and protective systems intended for use in

potentially explosive atmospheres)

It appeared the most reliable solution was a non return swing check valve used backward.


Legal mandatory requirements requested the device :

• To keep the inflammable liquid inside the tank to avoid further feeding of the fire in case of piping break down and/or leakage,

• To close down automatically without any human intervention and without depending on external power supply other than the one responsible for the accident. In other words the fire alone should activate the automatic shut down (positively safe),

• To allow remote closing of the device,• To be fire safe, in compliance with BS 6755,• To avoid disturbance of existing process line• To allow injection of foam through conduit• To allow quick emptying of the tank once the fire is

controlled (in case of tank leak for example)• To be strictly dedicated to safety.

Regulation requirements


I- Our dedicated solution: FIRESTOP


We supply Firestops with nominal diameter ranging from 50 to 600 mm (2 to 24 inches). Other sizes on request

Possible material : Cast Iron (A 216 gr WCB) or Stainless Steel (A 351 gr CF 3 M) . Other materials on request

Connections: Flanges (ISO PN 20) From DN 450 (18’’) Firestops are equipped with a reduction

and a hydraulic flow attenuation rotating shock absorber. system

I- Our dedicated solution: FIRESTOP


A – To keep the liquid inside… Stellite/stellite tightness

(Stellite 6, plasma deposit on seat and disc as per NF EN 15614-7)

Even though fluid pressure is usually low in the tanks, we use our successful PN20 (#150) swing check valve design issued from our almost 150 years experience manufacturing valves.


When the on site ambient temperature reaches the set up point of 124° C / 255° F (set up as standard; other temp. on request) the fuses become liquid thus releasing the spring which close the disc automatically.

B – To close down automatically…

3 non ferrous thermo fuses (1) hold the disc in a normally open position . These fuses are mounted at the end of the disc holding shaft in an enclosure also including a loaded spring (2).

(1)

(2)

Top view


Thermo fuses showed

BEFORE & AFTER


the fire test


C – To allow remote operation…

As an option our Firestop can be equipped with an electromagnetic or a pneumatic drive, allowing closing of the device from a remote location.

In case of power failure (emergency stop, onsite accident/fire too far to be detected by the fuses,…) both drives are fail safe and will make the disc to close thus sealing the tank.


For further security , our automatic shut off device is fully enclosed and factory sealed to avoid being tampered with.

The thermo fuses will override the remote operation to automatically close the disc in case of fire detection.

All our Firestop can be equipped with this option at a later stage



C – To allow remote operation…To enhance safety our Firestops are factory equipped with local disc position indicator to provide local information to your on site operator

Open Closed

Disc



The Firestop can also be equipped with limit switches (II 2 GD EEX d II CT6) connected to a junction box (enclosure II 2 GD EEX e II T6) so you can get data from our Firestop to your DCS, to check its disc position or to control other equipments (for example shut down of a pump when the disc is closed ).



Firestop complete with lid position indicator, remote controlled drive, limit switch and junction box


D – To be fire safe…

Firestop complies with BS 6755 fire test (equivalent to API 607 3rd edition or ISO 10497:2004 ), holding leakage at least 30 minutes.


It also complies with the even more stringent French fire department fire tests requiring 3 hours holding time to give firemen more time to fight the blaze.

D – To be fire safe…


D – To be fire safe

API 607 Requirments

Data recorded

30 min test 3 hours test

Disc closing time - 110 sec 110 sec

During flame exposure

Delta P = 1 bar

external leaks < 800 ml/min 0 0

internal leaks < 3200 ml/min 0 0

Correct opening of check valve with water injection

- P = 0,8 bar P= 0,8 bar

- Q= 116 m3/h Q= 120 m3/h

After water injection

Delta P = 1 bar

Internal leaks < 160 ml/min 0 0

External leaks < 320 ml/min 4 ml/min 130 ml/min

Test results BS 6755 part 2 (API 607 3rd edition)


E – To avoid disturbance of existing process line

Due to its swing check valve design (API 6D) there is no diameter reduction in your flow thus no pressure loss.

Therefore Firestop can be installed on your existing tank discharge line without disturbing your pumps operation (if any).

Tank discharge

flow

Its design (full passage) also allows you to use a scrapper, should you need to clean your process line.


F – To allow foam injection through conduit … Its check valve design

also allows you to inject water or foam under 5 bars pressure, through the outline line.

Water / foamflow

Tank


G – To allow quick emptying… We do have a procedure to manually open our Firestop with special tools, supplied at purchase, once the fuses have blown after a fire.

But we strongly recommend to proceed with extreme caution and only once the fire around is totally under control since you « lost » the automatic shut off advantage (fuses having melt the first time).


H – To be dedicated to safety…

To avoid the safety device to be turned off unintentionally during tank unloading, the legislator, in France, does not allow the safety device to be used as process valve .

Therefore depending on yourlocal legislation we suggest you installed our Firestop in line with your process valve.If needed, we will gladly supplyone as well, from our line of gatevalves.


H – To be dedicated to safety…

In line Firestop for safety

and gate valve for process


III - ReferencesAs of today more than 2500 Firestop have been sold, mainly in France and Europe, to tank farm owners such as:


A. Leak free even after 3 hours exposure to fire conditions

B. Totally autonomus shut off once fire heat is detected, without any need of an outside source of power

C.Can be closed from remote location

D.Fire safe during 3 hours

E. No disruption of existing process line

F. Possibility to inject foam in the tank trough the process line.

G.Allows quick emptying

H.Dedicated to safety

IV - Summary


Thank you

For further information, do not hesitate to contact :Francois Guerrero : +33 6 84 72 27 83 or

[email protected]

automatic positive safety valve - firestop - for tank farms

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