In a petrochemical plant, a reactor, column, pump or flange fire endangers its neighbours: a 1 m puddle radiates 25 kW/m2, and 30 m away a neighbour vessel hits 250 C and can BLEVE. NFPA 15 defines water-spray fixed-system (deluge) exposure protection.
Water Spray Application
- Vessel exposure: 10.2 L/min/m2 outer skin
- LPG tank: 10.2 L/min/m2 + 0.5 L skirt
- Transformer: 10.2 L/min/m2 coil
- Pump: 20.4 L/min/m2 seal
- Cable tray: 12.2 L/min/m2
Nozzle Types
- Medium velocity: 2.5 bar, 10 m range
- High velocity: 5-7 bar, 20 m
- K-factor: K=115, 195, 360 options
- Spray angle: 30-180 deg
- Material: 316L stainless marine
Detection System
- UV/IR flame: 15 m dia each
- Plastic bulb: 74-105 C bulb or link
- Linear heat: Proximeter cable
- Gas detection: LEL 25 percent pre-deluge
- Manual: Pull station every 15 m
Water Supply and Pumps
- Diesel pump: NFPA 20 listed
- Jockey: 10 bar line pressure
- Tank: 4-hour duration
- Seawater: Marine filter + stainless
- Foam option: AFFF tank 3 percent
Turkish Petrochemical
- Tupras Izmit: 11 Mt/y capacity
- Petkim Aliaga: 2.2 Mt petrochemical
- STAR Aliaga: 10 Mt/y SOCAR
- Tupras Kirikkale: Central Anatolia
- BYKHY Annex-12: Investment series
Petrochemical with SprinkCalc
SprinkCalc sizes petrochemical reactor water-spray 10.2 L/min/m2 flow, medium-velocity nozzle K-factor, diesel pump and NFPA 15 layout.
Download SprinkCalc on the App Store
Sources & Further Reading
NFPA 15, NFPA 20, API 2510, API 521, FM DS 7-88. NFPA 15 Water Spray Fixed Systems.