Toros Tarim Ceyhan, Gubretas Yarimca and BAGFAS Bandirma deliver Turkey's 6 Mt/y fertilizer output. AN (FGAN), 27 CAN and NPK compound are produced. The 2013 West Texas blast killed 15. NFPA 400 requires AN oxidizer Class 2-3 storage limits, organic separation and fire protection.
AN Chemistry
- Formula: NH4NO3, 80 g/mol
- Decomposition: Starts 170 C
- Explosive: 250 C self-detonate
- FGAN: Fertilizer grade
- TGAN: Technical grade explosive
NFPA 400 Limits
- Oxidizer Class 3: AN alone
- Max pile: 2,700 t
- Separation: 15 m pile-to-pile
- Organic separation: No oil/fuel
- Bag: PE 50 kg
Fire Protection
- Sprinkler: 20.4 L/min/m2 oxidizer
- Open water: Separate and cool
- Dry chemical: Limited
- Foam: Ineffective (wet does not smother)
- Floor: Non-absorbent concrete
Major Incidents
- West TX 2013: 15 dead, 270 t FGAN
- Beirut 2020: 220 dead, 2,750 t
- Oppau 1921: 561 dead 4,500 t
- Toulouse AZF 2001: 31 dead
- Tianjin 2015: 173 dead mixed chemical
Turkey Plants
- Toros Tarim Ceyhan: 700,000 t AN
- Gubretas Yarimca: 1.4 Mt
- BAGFAS Bandirma: 700,000 t
- IGSAS Samsun: NPK compound
- Mersin port: AN import hub
Fertilizer with SprinkCalc
SprinkCalc sizes fertilizer AN pile 2,700 t limit, sprinkler 20.4 L/min/m2, organic separation 15 m and NFPA 400 oxidizer.
Download SprinkCalc on the App Store
Sources & Further Reading
NFPA 400, NFPA 490, OSHA 1910.109, CSB West TX, IFDC Guidelines. NFPA 400 Hazardous Materials Code.