GSPC LNG

GLL Document No. Rev. Date No. of Sheets

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GSPC LNG LIMITED

LNG REGASIFICATION TERMINAL

at
MUNDRA, GUJARAT, INDIA

FIRE, SPILL & GAS DETECTION SYSTEM PHILOSOPHY

This document is the property of GSPC LNG Limited. It must not be copied, loaned or transferred nor must the information i t contains be disclosed to any Third Party
without the written consent of GSPC LNG Limited.
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Mundra LNG terminal

Fire, Spill and Gas Detection Philosophy

Table of content

1.  Introduction ................................................................................................................ 3 

2.  Abbreviations ............................................................................................................. 3 
3.  Codes and Standards ................................................................................................ 3 
4.  Purpose and performances of the detection .............................................................. 3 
5.  Fire Zones .................................................................................................................. 5 
5.1.1.  Buildings ........................................................................................................................5 

6.  Detector selection ...................................................................................................... 5 

6.1.  General .......................................................................................................................................5 
6.2.  Flammable Gas Detectors ............................................................................................................6 
6.2.1.  General..........................................................................................................................6 
6.2.2.  Selection of Point Gas Detectors ..................................................................................6 
6.2.3.  Selection of Open Path detectors .................................................................................6 
6.3.  Fire Detectors................................................................................................................................7 
6.3.1.  General..........................................................................................................................7 
6.3.2.  Optical Fire Detectors....................................................................................................7 
6.3.3.  Smoke Detectors...........................................................................................................8 
6.3.4.  Heat Detectors ..............................................................................................................8 
6.4.  LNG Spill Detectors ......................................................................................................................8 
6.4.1.  Spill Point detectors.......................................................................................................8 
6.4.2.  Linear Spill Detectors ....................................................................................................9 
6.5.  Application table for Fire and Gas Detectors ................................................................................9 

7.  Layout of Detectors .................................................................................................. 12 

7.1.  Purpose of the Fire, Spill and Gas Detection..............................................................................12 
7.1.1.  Purpose of the Gas Detection System ........................................................................12 
7.1.2.  Purpose of the Spill detection......................................................................................12 
7.1.3.  Purpose of the Fire Detection System ........................................................................12 
7.2.  Layout of detectors .....................................................................................................................12 
7.2.1.  Gas Detectors..............................................................................................................12 

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7.2.2.  Fire Detectors ..............................................................................................................13 

8.  Recommendation for Installation of Detectors and Associated Equipment .............. 13 

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1. Introduction
The purpose of this document is to provide the philosophy to be fulfilled by the
CONTRACTOR during the execution of the contract for the design of the fire, spill and
gas detection of the Mundra LNG Terminal.
It is the CONTRACTOR responsibility to perform the detail engineering in compliance
with this philosophy and with the safety philosophy and the recommendations resulting
from the QRA to achieve the required functionalities and performances.
This document is to be used together with the other project documents and data as
attached to the FEED report. The philosophy is complemented by the “Fire, Spill and
Gas Detection System specification”.
The terms and definitions used in this specification are in accordance with the terms
and definitions defined for the project.

2. Abbreviations
Abbreviations used in this document are defined in the general specification “Terms,
definitions and Abbreviations”.
The terminology shall conform to ANSI/ISA S 51.1 "Process Instrumentation
Terminology".

3. Codes and Standards

It is CONTRACTOR responsibility to fully comply with the local regulations.
The CONTRACTOR is therefore requested to carefully review the documents with
regard to the regulations.
In case of discrepancies the CONTRACTOR shall apply the most stringent requirement
but will maintain consistency and homogeneity in its supply or works.
In case of doubt the CONTRACTOR shall refer to the ENGINEER.
Current editions of the codes and standards, including all mandatory addenda in effect
at the time of the contract award, shall apply unless otherwise indicated.
For this philosophy the following documents are to be applied:

• ISO 7240 : Fire detection and alarm systems

• NFPA 72: National fire Alarm Code
• SEC (Safety & environment Committee): Guidelines for Application of Gas
Detection

4. Purpose and performances of the detection

1) The FSGDS shall:

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• rapidly and reliably detect a fire condition, LNG spillage or a leakage of

flammable gas,

• initiate:

z alarms via the Process Control System (PCS) described in the document
"Process Control System",

z emergency shut-down actions via the Safety Control System (ESD

described in the document “Safety Control System specification”,

• perform directly monitoring of active protection systems and some automatic

fire protection actions.

2) The FSGDS shall be based on well-proven techniques and components.

3) All field equipment shall be suitable for outdoors service (IP 65 minimum) and shall
withstand the environmental conditions.

4) If a communication bus is provided for data transfer between the FSGDS and the
Process Control System (PCS) used for control and supervision of the LNG
Terminal, this link shall be used to transfer information like alarms, valves positions
and so on, to be displayed in the PCS, but not for shutdown related signals which
shall be hardwired.

5) In hazardous areas, intrinsically safe instrumentation shall be provided.

If not possible, other protection concepts (flameproof equipment, increased safety,

purging, etc) shall be used where applicable.

All electrical instruments to be installed in hazardous locations shall be certified for

use in such classified zone by agreed authorities.

Contacts used in intrinsically safe circuits shall be gold plated.

6) The system shall be immune from the effects of any RF interference that may occur
at the plant location.

7) The detection system shall be designed in such a way that it can be functionally
tested without interrupting the normal plant activities.

8) The system design shall give a high degree of reliability and flexibility.

The system shall be easy to expand and modify at any stage.

The safety design of the system shall include not fail-safe design, self-monitoring of
loops, wire-break detection, etc. It shall meet the latest LNG INDUSTRY applicable
safety standards.

The probability of interruption of plant operation by false alarms or by component

failures shall be minimised.

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Protective action shall generally be confirmed by operator action.

The Fire, Spill and Gas Detection System shall receive information from miscellaneous
sensors from which it can determine the status and take the necessary actions. A fire
and gas causes and effects matrix shall be prepared during detailed engineer and shall
be submitted for approval to the ENGINEER.

5. Fire Zones
From a fire and gas point of view, the plant shall be divided into zones containing
certain types of equipment and that can be considered as separate geographically one
from another, from a fire and gas point of view.
The plant fire zones are (to be confirmed during detail engineering on basis of QRA):

• The jetty head

• The sea water intake and trestle
• The BOG compressors
• The absorber and HP pumps
• The ORV
• The metering station
• The truck loading
• The gas turbine
• The utilities
• Each building
5.1.1. Buildings

The term building includes all buildings of the plant, administrative building as well
workshop, laboratory, electrical substation, instrument rooms, etc. These buildings are
generally located outside the hazardous area and shall thus not be equipped with gas
detection system. However, air inlet for HVAC of buildings shall be provided with gas
detector which shall stop HVAC in case of gas presence in the air introduced in the
building.
Buildings shall be also provided with fire alarm system based on smoke detectors,
which shall be interconnected for alarming and reporting with the PCS.
Buildings shall have their dedicated means of annunciating inside problem and outside
problem that can have influence inside.

6. Detector selection
6.1. General
Fire, Spill and Gas Detection System is part of the Safety System, and as such it shall
include Instrument Protection Functions. This means that for these particular functions,
a SIL level shall be required. Nevertheless as these functions generally do not take
actual actions (actions are taken through the operator), the degree of fault tolerance, and
the probability of failure on demand of the set of detectors shall be calculated. In

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general, the associated control system shall have a Safety Integrity Level SIL 3.
Detectors shall be SIL 2.
Detectors shall be in conformity with regulations of the country in which they have to
be installed. In case of lack of such regulation, International Standards shall be
applicable (ISO 7240).
Number and location of detectors shall be determined during detail engineering in
accordance between the CONTRACTOR and the ENGINEER.

6.2. Flammable Gas Detectors

6.2.1. General

Gas leaks into LNG plant does not generally escalate into fire, due to the design of the
plant which reduce the probability of occurrence of electrical or other source of ignition
in the location where gas leak can occur.
Nevertheless, such a situation shall be detected rapidly and the action to avoid
escalation shall be taken promptly.
Generally, the “smart” technology detectors shall be used allowing for calibration
without opening the sensor head in the field, and to automatically remove the sensor
out of the sequence when calibration.
The type and location of detectors is of high importance. It shall be justified in every
case and the final choice shall be approved by both parties, CONTRACTOR and
ENGINEER under the advice of the detector VENDOR.
6.2.2. Selection of Point Gas Detectors

For their numerous advantages, Point Flammable Gas Detectors shall be wherever
usable of the infrared absorption type. These detectors are usable with most of the
hydrocarbon gases but cannot be used for hydrogen for example. The capability of
operating in the type of gas to be detected in the particular project shall be checked
with the FSGDS VENDOR.
6.2.3. Selection of Open Path detectors

Open path gas detectors are based on the properties of hydrocarbon to absorb certain
wavelengths of the IR spectrum and not the others. Thus the ratio between absorbable
at the receptor side and the same ratio at the emitting side is changed in relation with
the thickness and the concentration of a layer of gas crossed by the IR beam.
The installation of such open path detectors shall be carefully studied to cover the
required perimeter, and the height of installation of the sensors shall be chosen
according the land configuration and the type of gas. In all cases, these detectors shall
be installed and mounted in such a way that they shall not be submitted to vibrations or
movements.
This type of detector is suitable for detecting gas accumulations and/or clouds.
The alarm settings for the flammable gas linear detectors shall 2.5 LEL.m for corrective
actions.

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6.3. Fire Detectors

6.3.1. General

Three types of Fire detector shall be considered:

• Optical Fire detectors,

• Smoke detectors,

• Heat detectors.
6.3.2. Optical Fire Detectors

The following types of optical detector can be used:

• Infrared Fire detectors,

• UV Fire detectors,

• UV/IR Fire detectors,

• Triple IR Fire detectors,

• CCTV Flame detectors.

6.3.2.1. Infrared Fire Detectors

These detectors shall be used where flammable products are mainly hydrocarbon, and
where fast detection must be guaranteed. These detectors are based on the flame-flicker
principle. They shall be installed away from sunshine.
6.3.2.2. UV Fire Detectors

UV Fire Detectors are extremely fast in detecting fire, but they are very sensitive to
dust and oil droplets or heavy smoke. They are also sensitive to arc welding light.
6.3.2.3. UV/IR Fire Detectors

UV/IR Fire detectors combine the advantages and disadvantages of both preceding
types. This type of detector checks for the presence of both UV and IR radiation. This
allows reducing the sensitivity and thus number of false alarms, etc. Furthermore, the
distance covered with this type of detector is rather short.
6.3.2.4. Triple IR Fire Detectors

Triple IR Detectors are using three IR frequencies; one at the CO2 formation peak, one
before this peak and one after this peak. The relation between the intensities of IR
radiation at these frequencies is well known in case of fire. The sensor thus checks that
the relation between the measured IR radiation intensities corresponds to the one obtain
in case of fire.
The distance covered with this type of detector is several time the distance covered by
UV/IR type. Furthermore, this distance depends largely on the type of fire to be
detected. The estimation of that distance is very important to allow determining the
number of sensors required and their locations.

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This type of sensor gives good results in every case and shall thus be the preferred one
in all case.
6.3.2.5. CCTV Flame Detectors

CCTV Camera together with suitable software can recognize fire for a wide range of
products. CCTV Flame Detectors have not been yet field proven. Thus the application
of that technology shall be limited to VENDOR who can proof experience and
satisfactory results with that technology and shall be in any case approved by
ENGINEER.
6.3.3. Smoke Detectors
6.3.3.1. General

Smoke detectors are generally used in confined spaces or inside buildings. Two types
of smoke detectors are used:

• Optical smoke detectors

• Ionization-type smoke detectors

These two types are generally considered as complementary, but sometimes Ionization
type is rejected because it contains radio-active source.
6.3.3.2. Optical Smoke Detectors

This detector is based on the effect of smoke particles on light. This type of detector is
more sensitive to smoke with large size particles like cable fires and hydrocarbon fires.
This type of detection can also be used in open path smoke detectors with a range of 30
m.
6.3.3.3. Ionization-Type Smoke Detectors

Ionization-type detectors are considered when optical Smoke detectors are not suitable.
They are typically detecting smaller particles than optical Smoke detectors.
6.3.4. Heat Detectors

Heat detector shall be used where fire can occur and rapidly develop much heat. This
type of detector remains any way slow to detect a fire.
In some specific circumstances, thermo sensitive cable could be used to detect heat
release over a certain linear distance.

6.4. LNG Spill Detectors

6.4.1. Spill Point detectors

Spill channels and impounding basins where cryogenic liquid spills are collected shall
be equipped with spill point detectors at the outlet of the spill channel e.g. at the re-
condenser and at the send-out pumps. Some impoundings shall also be fitted with three
of such detectors in such ways that action can be taken in case of confirmed LNG
spillage (stop impounding water draining, start foam generators, etc.).

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6.4.2. Linear Spill Detectors

Two types of LNG spillage linear detectors can be used:

• Cold Sensor strip, which can be used to detect spillage over a certain
linear distance and needs an interface to a gas detection alarm system;

• Fibre optic serves as the sensor. This allows checking temperature

profile over long distance very accurately. This system could be
installed to monitor the spillage inside zone starting for example from
the arms, the Jetty, the impounding, the transfer pipeline, the valves
along the pipelines, the impounding in the process area, around the tank
etc. covering all the plant for spillage.

6.5. Application table for Fire and Gas Detectors

The table below shows preliminary requirements for type of detectors to be installed in
the plant. The CONTRACTOR shall complete this table according the results of QRA
and on basis of the detector location design to ensure the optimum hazard detection in
the plant. The CONTRACTOR shall require the ENGINEER approval upon the final
list of detectors.

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fiber
cold optic gas
UV thermal point cold H2 path
Areas detector detector detector detector detector gas detector detector
off-
shore
as as
jetty head 6 2 6 option 13 option
Trestle
seawater intake 2
Electrochlorination 2
FW pump diesel engine 2 1
flare platform
nbr per
jetty monitoring building NFPA72 1/ air inlet
nbr per
sea water intake substation NFPA72 1/ air inlet
on-
shore
shore line ESD valves
tank A/shore line impounding 2 2
as as
tank A bottom 2 4 option 6 option
as as
tank A roof platform 4 4 option 8 option
tank A PSV 1/PSV 1/PSV
tank B impounding 2 2
as as
tank B bottom 2 4 option 6 option
as as
tank B roof platform 4 4 option 8 option
tank B PSV 1/PSV 1/PSV
flare KO drum 2 2
drain drum 2 2
compressor desuperheater and suction
drum 2 2 4
BOG compressors and blowers shelter 2 4

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fiber
cold optic gas
UV thermal point cold H2 path
Areas detector detector detector detector detector gas detector detector
BOG compressors and blowers rack 2 4
Absorber 1 4 4
as as
HP pumps rack and shelter 2 12 option 16 option
as as
Vaporizers 5 option 5 option
as as
vaporisers rack 2 5 option 5 option
HP pump: vaporisers impounding 2 2
metering station 2 7
nitrogen generation 2 1:Compressor
air compressors 2 1:Compressor
water storage and pumps
gas turbine 2 3
emergency diesel generator
nbr per
process substation NFPA72 1/air inlet
nbr per
metering building NFPA72 1/air inlet
nbr per
incoming substation NFPA72 1/air inlet
nbr per
control building NFPA72 1/air inlet
nbr per
warehouse and workshop NFPA72 1/air inlet
nbr per
administration building NFPA72 1/air inlet
future
truck loading bays 2 1/bay 2/bay
truck loading impounding 2 2

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7. Layout of Detectors
7.1. Purpose of the Fire, Spill and Gas Detection
7.1.1. Purpose of the Gas Detection System

The role of the Gas Detection System is to detect sufficiently early gas accumulation to
avoid that a gas cloud reaches a point where it could be ignited or at least early enough
to avoid that the quantity accumulated is such that the explosion could result in
important damage to persons and to equipment.
7.1.2. Purpose of the Spill detection

The purpose of the Spill Detection is to anticipate on the cloud formation by detection
of a LNG leak.
7.1.3. Purpose of the Fire Detection System

The role of the Fire detection system is to detect early enough fires to minimise the risk
of damage to personnel and plant.

7.2. Layout of detectors

The layout of detectors, and mainly of the Gas and Fire detectors, is of first importance
in regard with efficiency of the Fire, Spill and Gas Detection system.
7.2.1. Gas Detectors

To determine the layout of the gas detectors, it necessary to perform the following
steps:

• Determine, in the area to be protected, the eventual sources of gas leak

like flanges, valves, LNG collection impoundings, etc. and their release
profiles depending if the release is under pressure or at atmospheric
pressure, of the quantity of gas that could be released over a period of
time, etc.,

• Imagine possible leakage scenario,

• Simulate with a software model the formation of the gas cloud for
different directions and speeds of wind. This type of software is better
used on a 3D model of the area to be studied,

• Determine, for the different studied cases, the optimum type and
location of the gas detectors,

• Also determine how to group the detectors of a given area into voting
group.
This process is rather complicate and can only be properly done by some companies
using the modelling software on 3D model. It is mandatory that the EPC
CONTRACTOR let perform this study by a specialized company chosen in agreement
with ENGINEER. The results of this study shall be approved before installation of gas
detectors.

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The CONTRACTOR shall comply with the SEC recommendations and with the
referred standards.
7.2.2. Fire Detectors

For Fire detectors, the importance is whether the detector can see the fire or not. The
fire detectors location shall be also done through specialized software based on 3D
model but with purpose of checking that the location of the detectors is such that at
least two detectors in an area will see a fire of a given power (50 kW, to be checked
during detail engineering with regard to QRA) anywhere in the given zone.
Building fire detector layout shall comply with related IS and NFPA 72.

8. Recommendation for Installation of Detectors and

Associated Equipment
Sensor head shall be accessible for maintenance from grade or from platform. If it is
not the case they shall be fitted with permanent calibration and/or test connection from
such locations.
They shall be protected against mechanical damages as well as from weather and
location conditions, such as sand, water spray or rain, high speed wind, etc. They must
be fitted with the necessary accessories to avoid direct rain, direct sun, etc. That can
reduce their lifetimes.
The type and location of sensors shall be chosen according the requirements and
considering the main wind direction, the type of leak, the quantity that can be released,
etc. Some specific location shall be particularly supervised for gas in air inlet:

• HVAC,

• Analyser house,

• Suction of instrument air compressors, or air compressors in general,

• Inlet air to furnace, boiler, gas heater,

• All inlet of air into hazardous area,

Some locations shall be particularly supervised for eventual gas leak:

• Flanges and all systems using bolt and sealing form process closure, like
valves, relief valves, etc.

• Compressors sealing.
Detectors shall not be placed to close to the potential leak source, because gas cloud
may disperse and be diverted by neighbour’s structure.
Location of gas detector shall take into account the specific gravity of the gas, heavier
than air or not. Particular attention shall be taken in case of LNG spillage, for which the
vapour is heavier than air when it is cold but when it is heat-up, it becomes lighter than
air.

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Installation of detectors shall be described by the CONTRACTOR and approved by the

ENGINEER.

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