1400 Drainage

Abstract
Detailed information on drainage system design is included in the Civil and Struc-
tural Manual, Section 500. This section discusses design considerations for
drainage systems related to fire protection. A well designed drainage system:
• Contains spills, preferably in a closed system.
• Carries oil spills, rainwater, and fire water to a safe location where the spill can
be retained and recovered.
• Minimizes the spread and area of exposure from spills and fires in process
plants, tank fields, marketing terminals, chemical plants, production platforms,
etc.
This section covers drainage for process facilities. For other types of facilities, see
Sections 3100 to 4100. For drainage around tanks and in tank fields, see the Tank
Manual.

Contents Page

1410 Process Unit Drain Systems 1400-3

1411 Surface Drainage
1412 Oily Water Drainage System
1413 Sanitary Sewer System
1420 Drainage System Design 1400-3
1421 Plant Area Division by Functional Category
1422 Segregation of Waste Streams
1423 Drainage Area Layout and Capacity
1424 Surface Drainage
1425 Acid, Caustic, Corrosive, and Toxic Wastes
1426 Oily Storm Water and Process Waste Water
1427 Vents
1430 Drainage Areas, Offplot 1400-8

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1431 General Fire Protection Considerations

1432 Offplot Manhole Venting Requirements
1433 Infrequently Used Sealed Catch Basin Hazard
1434 Sealing Requirements
1435 Process Drain Maintenance
1440 Pipeway Drainage 1400-9
1450 References 1400-10

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1410 Process Unit Drain Systems

A process unit drain system may consist of several parts.
• Surface drains for storm water
• Oily water drain system
• Sanitary sewer system
• Special chemical system
Large plants may have independent systems for these functions. In small plants, one
system may be designed to serve all functions except the sanitary sewer (see
Section 1413).

1411 Surface Drainage

The surface drainage system is designed to carry away rainwater, fire water or large
oil spills resulting from equipment failure or misoperation. A typical drainage plan
is given in Figure 1400-1.

1412 Oily Water Drainage System

This drainage system is designed for atmospheric draining from raised hubs at
water draws, sampling points, pumps, etc., where oil is often present.

1413 Sanitary Sewer System

This system is designed to carry waste from cafeterias, offices, living quarters, etc.
The sanitary sewer must be kept separate to prevent entry of gases from oily water
process drains into the buildings. Also, sewer water is treated in a different manner
than process water.

1420 Drainage System Design

This section discusses general rules about layout and design of onplot drainage.
Working with an updated plot plan, the designer should proceed as described in the
following steps.

1421 Plant Area Division by Functional Category

Divide the plant area into categories by function, such as equipment areas, pipe-
ways, and walkways so that drainage from one area does not pass through another
area on the way to the catch basin. Note special areas such as acid, caustic, hot oil
furnace, or heat exchanger areas. (See Figure 1400-1.)

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Fig. 1400-1 Typical Drainage Plan

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1422 Segregation of Waste Streams

Determine to the extent to which waste streams should be segregated for environ-
mental, disposal, cross-contamination or reactivity reasons. You can request input
on segregation from operations or the local environment group.

1423 Drainage Area Layout and Capacity

Divide regions within each category (Section 1421) into approximately 50-foot
squares to equalize slopes. For very large, high-capacity process plants, the size of
these areas may be increased to 75-foot squares.
Size catch basins for fire water or rainfall, whichever is greater. The minimum catch
basin capacity is 500 gpm for the 50-foot-square area. The maximum is 1125 gpm
for the 75-foot-square area. These numbers are based on fire water flow or rainfall
of 0.20 gpm per square foot of drainage area. For any one plant, provide a
minimum drainage capacity of 3000 gpm.
Drainage capacity must be adequate to carry away approximately 75% of the
maximum fire water application rate. The balance will evaporate or fall outside the
drainage area. Typically, drainage capacity greater than 5000 gpm is not justified. If
fire water systems can exceed 125% of the drainage system capacity, either the
prefire plans should limit the water application rate or the drainage system should
be increased.
Larger drainage requirements may be justified in more hazardous areas or in plants
where the fire-fighting equipment includes fixed, high-capacity monitor streams or
fixed water-spray systems. Considerations other than fire flow (e.g., washdown or
rainfall) may require larger drainage systems.
Accumulations of rainwater or fire water within operating units may interfere with
operations and can dangerously hamper firefighters' mobility during a fire. Means
should exist to safely dispose of such rainwater and to prevent flooding from
outside sources. Fire water flow and rainfall should not be combined in sizing the
drainage system; the greater flow will establish the system design criteria.
Fire water requirements are determined by the size of the largest practical fire that
could occur and the fire control techniques and equipment likely to be used.
Although individual drainage areas vary in size and shape, they should have the
following characteristics:
• Drainage inlets are centrally located as far away from equipment and overhead
pipeways as possible. A minimum spacing of 10 feet from major equipment is
desirable.
• Outer edges or ridge lines of each drainage area are at a constant elevation.
• The preferred differential elevation from any ridge line to drainage hub is 6
inches for a 50-foot-square area and 9 inches for a 75-foot-square area.

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• Slopes should range from 3/16 inch per foot to 1/4 inch per foot for paved
areas. Absolute minimum and maximum slopes are 1/8 inch per foot and 1/2
inch per foot. Around pumps and other areas where leaks are anticipated, 1/4
inch per foot is preferred.
• Drainage patterns should minimize ponding of runoff near equipment and
prevent drainage from unpaved areas from entering drain hubs in paved areas.
• All areas under process equipment should be paved to assure that liquids drain
away from equipment and do not pool.

1424 Surface Drainage

Design surface drainage to quickly remove spilled hydrocarbons from under pipe-
ways, air coolers, and other oil-handling equipment. This minimizes exposure of
piping and equipment to flames should a fire occur.
Within practical limits, the high point of grade should pass through buildings, large
equipment, and centerlines of roads and pipeways so that drainage flows away from
such equipment.
It is a good practice to isolate plant units by installing peripheral roads that are 6
inches higher than the high-point grade of adjacent units. This prevents spills, fire
water, and rainwater from flowing from one unit across the road to adjacent plants,
should the drainage system become overloaded.
It is also good practice to provide a gradual drainage slope away from facilities.
Leaks, spills, floods, and water from firefighting can appear where least expected.
Be prepared for such contingencies.

Drainage Trenches
Do not install open drainage trenches in areas where liquid hydrocarbon spills can
occur. Hydrocarbon liquid can enter the trench and spread from one area of a plant
to another. Burning liquid can also spread through the plant in trenches, increasing
the magnitude of a fire.

1425 Acid, Caustic, Corrosive, and Toxic Wastes

These wastes should be handled in segregated systems until treated or rendered
harmless.

1426 Oily Storm Water and Process Waste Water

Lay out oily storm water and process waste water networks of underground drain
pipe, catch basins, drain hubs, etc., in accordance with the Civil and Structural
Manual, Section 500. Following is a list of considerations related to fire protection.
(See Figure 1400-2, Drainage System Components.)

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Fig. 1400-2 Drainage System Components

• Combine up to 6 units of similar or compatible pump drainage in the same

drainage area if they are within line of sight of each other. (“Line of sight”
means that all other drains are visible from any one drain. Such groups of
drains must be sealed from other groups of pump or process drains by gas-
sealed catch basins or gas-sealed manholes.)
• Seal drain catch basins in the process area for purposes of gas control. Use
seals that are easily cleaned out. See Standard Drawing GC-S78325 (in the
Civil and Structural Manual) for an acceptable design. P-traps are not accept-
able unless they are modified so that they can be cleaned out and the presence
of the water seal can be verified. Catch basins need to be checked periodically
to verify that a liquid seal is in place and that the cleanout plugs are installed.
• Branches and laterals in oily water systems must enter main lines through a
gas-sealed manhole. (See CIV-EF-411 in the Civil and Structural Manual.)
• Branches and laterals in clean or storm water systems may enter main lines
without gas seals if gas-sealed catch basins are used.

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• Onplot main headers of both oily and clean water systems may enter other
main drain lines without gas seals if gas-sealed catch basins or gas-sealed
manholes are used at upstream junctions.
• Main lines leaving a plot limit must be gas-sealed at the first offplot manhole.
Typical onplot drainage layouts and design calculations are given in Section 500 of
the Civil and Structural Manual.
For fire protection purposes, drainage systems that may contain flammable vapors
should be sealed both onplot and offplot. Otherwise, toxic and flammable gases
may be released in an area well away from where the release occurred. Seal oil-
water separators from both the inlet and outlet drainage lines. Unless drainage lines
are sealed, fire and explosions could propagate through the system from offplot
back to the separators.

1427 Vents
Vent manholes (usually with 2-inch pipe) at an elevation 18 inches above the
highest line or equipment within a 10-foot radius. The vent should be at least 12
feet above grade or above any walkway or work platform within the 10-foot radius.
The vent should be at least 50 horizontal feet from furnaces. The vent opening
should point straight up.
Flame arrestors are generally not warranted in sewer system vents, and the system
pressure is not adequate to pass a water seal type. Catch basins in process plants
have only 3 to 4 inches of water seal. The water seal is designed to prevent vapor
releases and thus eliminate the need for flame arrestors.

1430 Drainage Areas, Offplot

1431 General Fire Protection Considerations

Simplicity should be the main feature of offplot drainage. Pay particular attention to
the following:
• To minimize exposure of piping and pipe supports to flames during a fire,
design surface drainage to quickly remove spilled hydrocarbons from under
pipeways.
• For tank fields, provide a slope of not less than one percent away from the tank
for at least 50 feet or to the dike base, whichever is less. This slope will mini-
mize potential fire loss in the event of a major spill or tank overflow.
• Remote impounding is recommended to further isolate liquid spills.
• Water from the tank water draw normally empties into a catch basin adjacent to
the tank. To limit exposure of tank valves to a potential fire hazard, do not
place the catch basin directly below or adjacent to the valves.

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See NFPA 30 and the Tank Manual for drainage and impounding requirements.

1432 Offplot Manhole Venting Requirements

Vent offplot manholes 12 feet above grade. Locate vents away from roads and igni-
tion sources, and straight up to disperse vapor. Normally, 2-inch diameter vents are
adequate.

1433 Infrequently Used Sealed Catch Basin Hazard

Infrequently used basins may dry out and allow a gas to escape and accumulate in
the area. It may be appropriate to provide a water drip system to keep the seal full,
or to remove the drain and provide another means of drainage.

1434 Sealing Requirements

• Oily water drains need to have seals at catch basins or manholes.
• Chemical waste drains should be sealed to control toxics and odor.
• Miscellaneous wastes require seals if gas or odor is a problem.
• Sanitary sewers should be sealed and vented due to the potential odor problem.
• Surface drains may not require seals when they drain only clean surface water
into a system that could not contain light hydrocarbon vapors. Catch basins for
surface drains do catch sediment and reduce plugging of the underground drain
system.

1435 Process Drain Maintenance

Keep process drains maintained in good repair. Volatile products and liquid conden-
sate in the system can generate pressure, and vapor can escape through any
unsealed or poorly sealed part of the system. This system should be designed for
ease of maintenance. Chemical and miscellaneous wastes may require special drain
pipe materials, which may in turn require additional maintenance techniques. Any
liquid leakage can contaminate the surrounding soil and accumulate on the water
table.

1440 Pipeway Drainage

The industry has experienced several serious pipeway fires. Contributing to the size
of the fires were inadequate or plugged drains, pipelines laying on the ground, and
inadequate fire stops. Pipeway fires can be expensive and can cause significant busi-
ness interruption.

Drainage Slope in Pipeway

The surface under pipeways requires a 1% slope toward the outside of the pipeway
and toward a drain point, so that spills will quickly drain from under the pipes. A
drainage channel 10 feet from the edge of the pipeway is desirable for fire protection.

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Fire Stops
Install a solid transverse barrier as a fire stop at 300- to 500-foot intervals in main
below-grade pipeways. This prevents a spill from a leaking line from spreading to
the entire pipeway. If the spill ignites, the barrier prevents the spread of fire to other
sections of the pipeway. Provide a drain inlet in each section of the pipeway to
carry away the flow of leaks and fire water if a fire should occur.

Daylighting of Piping
Check pipeways frequently and clear any piping that is contacting the soil to
prevent external corrosion and allow good drainage flow.

Stabilizing Shifting Soil

It may be necessary to stabilize soil in some locations to prevent washout and
gullies where oil can accumulate and cause a fire risk.

Sealing of Pipe Sleeves Under Roads and Through Dikes

Roadways or dikes across pipeways often form a needed barrier to limit flow. This
barrier can be effective only if the pipe sleeves under the road are kept sealed
against liquid flow. The Tank Manual, Section 230, and the Piping Manual, Section
300 give information on sealing between pipe sleeves and pipes. Dow Corning Sili-
cone RTV foam has also been used for this purpose.

Provide Pipe Clearance from Drainage Areas

In some cases, it may be necessary for a drain channel to flow under a pipeway. If
so, cover the channel to prevent burning oil in the channel from endangering the
piping.

Drainage Away From Instrument Leads and Power Cables

Instrument leads and power cables are often run along one side of a pipeway. For
the fire safety of this equipment, a 1% slope drainage to the opposite side of the
pipeway is needed.

Connect Surface Drains to Underground Systems

Fire safety is best served when spills are contained in closed systems. Therefore,
when possible, route surface drains into closed systems.

1450 References
1. Seelye, Elwyn E., Data Book for Civil Engineers—Design, Volume One.
2. Handbook of Concrete Culvert Pipe Hydraulics, Portland Cement Association.
3. Design Data, American Concrete Pipe Association.
4. Water Control Federation Manual of Practice No. 9 or ASCE Manual of Engi-
neering Practice No. 37, Design and Construction of Sanitary and Storm
Sewers.

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Chevron References
Civil and Structural Manual, Section 500
Tank Manual

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

NFPA 30 Flammable and Combustible LiquidsCode

Standard Drawings and Engineering Forms

GC-S78325 Standard Cast Iron Catch Basin
CIV-EF-411 Manhole Details

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