Health, Safety and Environment

CGE653
Assignment 2
Problem 1: Risk analysis of an oil vaporiser
Process description

The oil vapouriser shown in Figure 1 consists of a furnace containing a heating coil and
burners, which are fired by natural gas. The oil enters the heating coil as a liquid and leaves the coil as
a superheated vapour upon heating through the furnace. The natural gas entering the burners
combines with external air and burns in a hot flame. The combustion gases leave through the stack.
The oil flow is controlled by a set of flow control devices which includes: a flow control valve,
FCV, a flow element, FE (that measures the oil flow), a flow controller, FC, and a low flow alarm, FAL
(which alarms if the oil flow reduces below a set point).
The natural gas flow passes through a self-actuating pressure-reducing valve, PRV, to the main
burner control valve, TCV, and a pilot valve, PV. The main burner control valve is actuated by the
temperature controller, TC (which receives the signal from the temperature element, TE (which
measures the oil vapour discharge temperature).
The high/high pressure switch, PSHH on the natural gas line is interlocked, via I-4 to close the
main burner control valve, TCV, if the gas pressure is too high. There is also a high temperature switch,
TSH, on the vapourised oil outlet to close the main burner control valve, TCV, if the oil is superheated
above a maximum temperature.

Figure 1 Oil vaporiser

Your task

1. Conduct a hazard analysis using a fault tree diagram for a top event of “no vapor produced from
the vaporiser”. Include the description and justifications of the constructed diagram.
2. Determine the minimal cut sets for the fault tree. Provide a conclusion paragraph of your minimal
cut sets results. Perform literature search to look for failure rate data for non-process
components failure rate data or assume a logical value based on your search.
3. Conduct risk assessment using HIRARC in an Excel spreadsheet. Format the spreadsheet to
highlight the risks according to DOE’s HIRARC colour code risk matrix for easy identification.
Provide a short discussion on the risk assessment conducted. You may propose to improve the
safety of the oil vaporises if it is needed.

Report format

1. Font type: Calibri; Size: 11

2. Line spacing: 1.5
3. 8 < number of pages < 15
4. Provide captions for all tables and figures. Make sure these citations are referred to in the written
paragraphs.
5. Provide references
6. Correct spelling and grammar
7. Convert the file to pdf before submission