HYDROCARBON FIRE PROTECTION

The Special Needs of the Petrochemical and Chemical Process Industries

The Petrochemical and Chemical Process Industries
For over 50 years, Mandoval, which was acquired by Isolatek International, has
led the field in lightweight structural fire protection in the Refinery Petrochemical
and Chemical Process Industries. Newkem® is a technical collaborator and
licensee manufacturer for Isolatek International in the Indian subcontinent.

ISOLATEK Type M-II & TG

has a proven track
record in the supply of
systems on the vast
majority of
Petrochemical and
Chemical Process
Installations worldwide
including USA,
Americas, UK, Europe,
Middle East, Asia Pacific
and India. This
experience together
with our continuous
development of Fire
Protection Systems is
your assurance that
today, we offer the most
effective, efficient and
economical means of
providing reliable fire
protection to load-
bearing steel structures,
storage spheres, vessels
and skirts.

Our vast experience,

along with Isolatek
International’s wide and
varied expertise also
enables us to produce
tailor- made
specifications and
provide full technical
support through every
stage of design and
construction.

ISOLATEK Type M-II applied

on a P A U for Conoco U.K –
F.C.C Project Humber
Refinery

ISOLATEK INTERNATIONAL provides passive fireproofing materials under the CAFCO® and FENDOLITE® trade names throughout the
Americas and under the ISOLATEK® brand worldwide including India.
When designing fire protection systems for the Petrochemical and Chemical Process industries, it is
necessary to consider the parameters that will be imposed:

The Fire Protection System
 Must fulfil its fire protection role by
limiting the temperature of a vessel
or structure below the maximum
permitted temperature over a
specified time period in the stated
fire condition e.g. Cellulosic,
Hydrocarbon
 Should not fail suddenly at the end
of this specified period but continue
to offer a predictable measure of
protection beyond this point.
 Integrity should be such that the
protection remains in place during a
fire/explosion and can withstand
both thermal shock and
impingement of water from fire hoses
and monitors.
TO MEET THESE PARAMETERS ISOLATEK INTERNATIONAL &
NEWKEM DESIGNED A SYSTEM BASED ON ISOLATEK TYPE M-II
WHICH FULLY SATISFIES THESE REQUIREMENTS.
ISOLATEK Type M-II
ISOLATEK Type M-II is a single package factory controlled
premix based on Vermiculite and Portland cement.
Spray applied ISOLATEK Type M-II produces a monolithic
coating able to withstand the thermal shocks experienced
in a high intensity hydrocarbon fuelled fire – whether by total
engulfment or torching fire.
Although low in density, thus significantly reducing dead
load, ISOLATEK Type M-II is highly durable and will not crack
or spall under mechanical impact, an important factor
when offsite fire protection is requires. ISOLATEK Type M-II
does not release toxic or hazardous fumes and presents no
known health hazards either before, during or after
application. Finish may be either spray textures or float
finished.

 Must be non corrosive to the

substrate and must not be affected
by environmental conditions whether
natural or from local leaks, spillages
or pollution.

 Must not itself become a hazard in

a fire whether by spalling, spreading Offsite Application of ISOATEK Type M-II prior to transportation
flame or producing toxic fumes.

 Should be easy to apply in various

environmental conditions without
causing a hazard, undue mess or
interference with adjacent plant.

 Must be suitable for application to

single steel sections and pre-
assembled units prior to
transportation to site as well as to
structures fire proofed after site
erection.

 Should be durable and easily

maintained/repaired. ISOATEK Type M-II Offsite Protected Steel installed at site

 Must be cost effective for the risk

involved.
 Corrosion Protection System

Whilst the ISOLATEK Type M-II System is non corrosive

a substrate priming system is recommended for long
term corrosion resistance, particularly when the
structure is to be fully exposed to the external
elements.
Keycoat

Portland Cement is alkaline (pH 12-12.5) and

application of a product containing Portland
Cement to alkali sensitive paints can result in a
reaction with the paint and inhibit bonding of the
Mesh Retention System product to the painted surface. Application of
keycoat to the painted surface prior to application
Mesh Retention
of the cementious product will solve the problem as
For Long term service durability in exterior it acts as an alkali resistant sealer. It has also been
environments or where vibration of a structure designed as a keycoat to aid bonding of Isolatek
may be anticipated a mesh retention system will cementious products to the substrate and
be incorporated. additionally to provide a measure of corrosion
Mesh retention may be based on one of the protection to the underlying steel
following options:
Stainless steel capacitor discharge stud welded
pins with stainless steel bridge clips or stainless
steel helical pins and plastic coated galvanised
hexagonal mesh.
Mild steel capacitor discharge stud welded pins
with galvanised or sherardised non return washers
with galvanised hexagonal mesh.

Top Coating

Under Certain circumstances a top coating

system may be considered desirable i.e.
protection from long term chemical spills, the
ingress of hydrocarbons or frequent washdown.

Topcoat is specially designed for such situations.

ISOLATEK Type TG
Formulated as a single pack, water based, ready
to use, acrylic polymer emulsion of high water
ISOLATEK Type TG
vapour permeability Topcoat will tolerate
application on to damp as well as dry substrates. When application of the fire protection system is
required on a ‘live’ plant there are occasions when
it is considered that application by spray may prove
to be too high a risk in terms of spark ignition.

In circumstances such as these Isolatek International

would advocate the use of ISOLATEK Type TG.

As a lightweight vermiculite/Portland cement

product ISOLATEK Type TG shares the benefits of
ISOLATEK Type M-II. Whilst the priming, top coating
and mesh retention elements of the system are
common with that of the ISOLATEK Type M-II System,
ISOLATEK Type TG is specifically formulated for hand
Topcoat applied over ISOLATEK Type M-II on 3 L.P.G vessels.
trowel application.
 Our long term association with the refinery petrochemical and chemical process
industries has enabled Newkem and Isolatek International to design and develop systems
engineered to provide long term passive fire protection to storage vessels and spheres.

ISOLATEK Type M-II will limit the unwetted surface

of vessels to below their critical temperature for
the required period (usually two hours) for any of
the following fire types:

i. Intense torching fires which can produce

heat fluxes of up to 250kw/m2 and flame
temperatures of 1600˚C.
ii. Enveloping fires with heat fluxes between
120-150kw/m2 and flame temperatures of
ISOLATEK Type MII applied on ethyl chloride storage spheres. 1000˚C- 1200˚C.
iii. Radiant Heat from adjacent fires with
varying heat fluxes and temperatures

The ISOLATEK Type M-II system applied to vessels

incorporates a self supporting mesh retention
system which does not rely on mechanical fixing
to vessel surfaces.

ISOLATEK Type M-II offers unparalleled,

Two Hour flame impingement test at Health and Safety reliable low maintenance fire protection for
Executive, Buxton, England
Insulated and Un-insulated Vessels spheres
and bullets.

ISOLATEK Type M-II applied to a storage vessel containing 40% LPG undergoing a two hour fire engulfment test at the Health and
Safety Executive, Buxton, England. The Vessel surface remained below its critical temperature throughout the test period.
 Fire Resistance

Structures protected with ISOLATEK Type M-II have undergone fire resistance tests in approved
independent laboratories in the U.K. (in accordance with BS 476: Part 20:1987 Appendix D), the U.S.A
(in accordance with UL 1709(Design No XR704)) and other parts of the world as well as by major
oil/petrochemical companies.

Additionally torch fire and fire engulfment tests have been carried out at H.S.E Research Laboratory
Services Division, Buxton, Great Britain and BAM, Germany (in accordance with TRB 801 for protection
of storage spheres/vessels).

The fire resistance test result relates specifically to the exact construction tested and test conditions
imposed. To test all possible construction and test variations would clearly be prohibitive as regards to
cost and time. It is therefore necessary to make a sensible evaluating of test results to assess their
applicability to untested configurations.

Thicknesses to meet specific fire ratings are provided by Isolatek International. These computerised
thicknesses are based on the concept that the thickness required varies as a function of the exposed
surface area to cross sectional area of the steel section. This method ensures balanced fire protection
is achieved with maximum economy

The Newkem® Group is an innovative solution based organization offering the most modern, tested and
approved world standard products in the fields of passive fire protection, steel frame construction, acoustical
and thermal insulation since its inception in 1953. Newkem is in a technical collaboration and a licensee
manufacturer for Isolatek International, USA in the Indian Subcontinent.

For any questions or inquires please consult Newkem’s Technical Team

Email: info@newkem.com, Phone: +91-22-24144261
Newkem® Products Corporation, Harganga Mahal, Khodadad Circle, Dadar TT, Mumbai 400014, India

ISOLATEK INTERNATIONAL provides passive fireproofing materials under the CAFCO ® and FENDOLITE®
trade names throughout the Americas and under the ISOLATEK® brand worldwide including India.

Worldwide: Licensee Applicator (India):

In the United States: Isolatek International, Stanhope, New Jersey Tel: 1.973.347.1200
In México & Central America: Cafco México S.A. de C.V., México D.F. Tel: 52.55.5254.6683
In Andean Countries: Cafco Andina S.A., Santiago, Chile Tel: 562.719.0394
In Canada: Cafco Industries, Toronto (Ontario) Tel: 1.416.679.2830
In India: Newkem Products Corporation, Mumbai Tel: +91-22-24144261
In Asia: Tel: 60.3.5121.3886

The performance data herein reflect our expectations based on tests conducted in accordance with recognized standard methods under
controlled conditions. The applicator, general contractor, property owner and/or user MUST read, understand and follow the directions,
specifications and/or recommendations set forth in Isolatek International's/Newkem’s publications concerning use and application of these
products, and should not rely merely on the information contained in this product data sheet. Isolatek International/Newkem is not responsible for
property damage, bodily injuries, consequential damages, or losses of any kind that arise from or are related to the applicator's, general
contractor's, or property owner's failure to follow the recommendations set forth in Isolatek International's/Newkem publications. The sale of these
products shall be subject to the Terms and Conditions of Sale set forth in the Company's invoices.