GEXCON
Geirmund VislieExecutive Vice President
22.05.2017
Vision
GexCon – the leading global partner in
dispersion, fire, explosion safety and risk
management
Global Footprint
BergenNorwayMain office
PerthAustralia
JakartaIndonesia
PuneIndia
OrmskirkUnited Kingdom
DubaiUnited Arab Emirates
MilanItaly
BethesdaHoustonUnited States of America
ShanghaiChina
www.gexcon.com
OrganizationBoard of Directors
Arvid NøttvedtElisabeth JuulTrygve Skjold
Sturle H. PedersenCEO
Gexcon
Global Management Team (GMT)CFOCTO
EVP ConsultingEVP Software
EVP LaboratoriesEVP Academy
Kees van WIngerdenExecutive Vice President
Geirmund VislieExecutive Vice President
Kjell SvellingenExecutive Vice President
Brian WilkinsExecutive Vice Preesident
Gexcon Consulting
FLACS Consulting group
• Strong CFD competence and industrial understanding• Long and extensive track record – in business since mid 1990s
• Services:• Standardised safety and design studies• Technically advanced and tailored CFD analyses • Consulting services and guidance on blast engineering
• High volume of FLACS jobs means :• Large team with extensive technical capability• Specialised scripts and routines• Cost efficiency through team experience and technology
• Extensive experience and proximity to FLACS development team allow us to take on technically challenging projects
Excellent representation of geometry and terrain
Ventilaton and dispersion analysis
Ventilation analyses
• FLACS : spatially detailed information on ventilation• Air flow ventilation rates in building and enclosures • Optimisation of inlet and outlets with respect to process hazards• Identification of stagnant areas
• Example of ventilation rates in solvent factory: 29 ventilationpoints assure satisfactory ventilation in all areas with elevatedcapasity near critical locations.
Ventilation analysis• Effect of wind field on adjacent platforms
• Identifies “hot spots” for gas accumulation
Ventilation – velocity vectors
Ventilation – Flammable and toxic clouds
Wind
<10 ppm
15 ppm
20 ppm
50 ppm
>100 ppm
LFL UFL
H2S concentration levels: • 65 kg/s mass leak rate toward East• 4 m/s external wind, at 10m above sea level
Ventilation – Sensitivity on FPSO wind angle
Simulation of LNG Release at Jetty Facility
Heavy gas dispersion
Explosion
Explosion on FPSO
Same explosion – rendered view video
3D Flame & Explosion overpressure on surfaces
Fire
Fire modelling
• Jet fires in the open
• Jet fires in cross-wind (flares)
• Impinging jets
• Jet releases with delayed ignition (dispersion and fire)
• Jet fires in confined and congested areas
• Compartment fires (over and under-ventilated)
• Pool fires
• Transient conditions – time dependent consequence model
• Design support for PFP optimization
• Verification of fire partitions
• Laboratory experiments to verify integrity
Flare radiation modelling
• Identify areas where heat shielding is needed
• Optimise height of flare stack
• Comparison studies for different flare tips
Process Safety
Services briefly include
• Hazard identification
• Regulatory compliance
• Risk reduction, prevention andmitigation
• Project management
• Training
• Audits and evaluation
Hazard identification studies
• HAZID / HAZOP• LOPA / SIL• Ignition hazard analysis
Regulatory compliance
Pragmatic solutions from engineers withmany years experience working on site
• Hazardous area classification documentation• Risk assessment (explosion, fire, asphyxiation)• Explosion protection documentation (EPD)• Ignition source identification
Accident Investigation
Accident investigations
Vast experience in explosionaccident investigations
«Famous explosions» whereGexcon was requested to support the accident investigation include:• Piper Alpha• TWA-800• Buncefield
and more recently• West, Texas• BW Offshore – Cidade de São
Mateus
Piper Alpha, offshore platform, 1988
• Explosion in compressormodule which causedescalation
• Platform was completelydestroyed
• 167 people lost their lives• Gexcon’s contribution
showed initial explosioncaused about 0.3 bar pressure
• Extensively described in Cullen report
Buncefield, 2005
• Series of explosions and followed by large fire on large fuel storage site
• Destroyed large parts of the depot and caused widespread damage to homes and businesses surrounding the site
• Nobody was killed, but 43 people suffered minor injuries
• Gexcon demonstrated that explosion was probably accelerated by vegetation induced turbulence.
Gexcon Laboratories
Gexcon LaboratoriesWhat do we do?:• Responsible for all testing and experimental research
performed at Gexcon• Perform both standardised and specialised/tailor-made testing
and experimental work• Laboratory/small-scale testing is performed at Fantoft, Bergen• Medium- & large-scale testing work is performed at Gexcons
outdoor test site at Sotra• Currently 12 staff in the department and a growing activity• Significant test site extension performed during 2013-2016• ISO-9001:2008 certified Q3, 2013 and recertified Q3, 2016
Laboratory testing – explosion properties:
• Measurement of explosion properties for dust & gas such as:
• Minimum ignition energy of dust cloud (video to right)• Explosion pressure development• Ignition temperatures (dust cloud, dust layer)• Self ignition properties (SIT/AIT)• Inerting (LOC)• Effect of fuel concentration (LEL/UEL)• Etc.
Laboratory testing – CFD validation testing – Propane in 1.4 m channel
Gexcons outdoor test site in Sund, Sotra, near Bergen
Established 1981-1982
• Increase of test pad from 500 m2 to 7000 m2
• Large-scale explosion testing for tailor-made client & JIP research programmes
• Extension of services regarding ATEX approval (testing of explosion protection systems & equipment)
• Large scale release & dispersion tests and cryogenic testing (LNG/LIN)
• Fire testing: HC-jet and HC-pool fire resistance testing and testing of active fire protection systems (in progress)
Current test-site extension, upgrade and initiatives
Gexcon Laboratories – enlarged and upgraded Sotra test site
Examples of recent projects and testing work at Gexcon
• Ethylene explosions and mitigation methods• Explosion mitigation using flame inhibitors• LNG release and dispersion tests• LNG pool fire testing• Testing technology to mitigate gas attacks on ATMs• Hydrogen explosions in containers – The HySEA project• Explosion testing of passive fire protection
50 m3 tube tests with ethylene, explosion mitigation testing
50 m3 tube tests with ethylene, explosion mitigation testing – HS-Video
50 m3 module – Explosion mitigation with flame inhibitors – HS-Video
LNG pool generation and gas dispersion testing
LNG pool fire testing
ATM rupture testing – verification of new technology against gas attacks
Hydrogen explosions in containers – testing for HySEA project
Equipment testing – Explosion testing of passive fire protection
Further investments – Sotra Phase 2 – FIRE
In preparation:
• Significant investments in the Sotra test site with new facilities for HC-Jet & pool fire testing in cooperation with PFP manufacturers
• New testing facilities • Investments envisaged : 30-35 mNOK• Intended timeline : 2017-2019
Jet fire loading
• Collaboration with major partners within field of PFP• Development of facilities to allow testing of jet fire resistance of
equipment• Should be able to generate higher loads than ISO standard
22899-1 (350-400 kW/m2 vs standard 250 kW/m2) • Aiming at excluding influence of weather conditions• Erection of test hall is desirable and will be considered• Support (partial) from Innovation Norway has been granted
Thank you for yourattention