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"Fixed Water Spray Demand Calculations for Fire Protection of Tanks / Vessels"
Class B Fire
A fire in flammable liquids, combustible liquids, petroleum greases, tars, oils, oil-
based paints, solvents, lacquers, alcohols, and flammable gases.
Flammable Liquid
A liquid that has a closed-cup flash point that is below 37.8°C (100°F) and a maximum
vapor pressure of 2068.6 mm Hg (40 psia) at 37.8°C (100°F).
Foam
A stable aggregation of bubbles of lower density than oil or water.
Foam Concentrate
A concentrated liquid foaming agent as received from the manufacturer.
Mechanical Foam
It is produced by mechanically mixing a gas or air to a solution of foam compound
(concentrate) in water. Various types of foam concentrates are used for generating
foam, depending on the requirement and suitability. Each concentrate has its own
advantage and limitations. Mechanical foam can further be classified
as Low, Medium and High Expansion Foam.
Class B fires generally require foam application in addition to firewater for quick and
effective extinguishment of fire. Hydrocarbon storage tanks are also provided with
the provision of sub-surface injection of foam to effectively stop fires by forming a
impervious barrier to prevent fire propagation inside a tank which is a very
big source of the fuel for fire propagation. Additionally, foams can also be used on
liquid pool fires to smother the surface of the pool with foam, thereby starving
the fire for oxygen and providing quick extinguishment.
When trying to fight a liquid pool fire of hydrocarbons not miscible with water such
as Gasoline, Diesel, JP4. heptane and kerosene a minimum application rate of 4.1
2 2
L/min*m (0.1 gpm/ft ) of water-foam solution should be used. For liquid pool fire due
to polar solvents such as Ketones, Esters, Alcohols, MTBE, Amine which are water
miscible or will mix with water, a minimum foam-water application rate of
2 2
8.1 L/min*m (0.2 gpm/ft ) is recommended.
For sub-surface injection of foam-water solution in Fixed-roof (Cone) storage tanks
NFPA 11 gives the following application rates and minimum discharge times:
Minimum Discharge Times & Application Rates for Type II Fixed Foam Discharge
Outlets on Fixed-Roof (Cone) Storage Tanks Containing Hydrocarbons
5.9.2.1: Approved foam hose stream equipment shall be provided in addition to tank
foam installations as supplementary protection for small spill fires.
5.9.2.2: The minimum number of fixed or portable hose streams required shall be as
specified in Table 5.9.2.2 and shall provide protection of the area.
Let us do some actual calculations for finding out the foam requirement of some
storage tanks:
Problem Statement:
Two Tanks storing Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) are provided in a common diked area.
The capacity of each tank is 8895 m3. The tank dimensions are 30 m D X 12.2 m H.
The containment dike for this pair of tanks is 65.5 m W X 104.5 m L. Calculate the
foam-water solution requirement, 3% foam concentrate requirement & storage
requirement for foam concentrate.
Solution
Inputs
No of Tanks: 2
Tank Diameter (each): 30.5 m
Tank Height (each): 12.2 m
Dike Width: 65.5 m
Dike Length: 104.5 m
Foam concentrate: 3%
Application Time for tanks: 30 minutes
Application Time for Dike: 20 minutes
Foam Concentrate Storage Buffer: 200%
Calculations
2
Tank C/S area: 730.6 m
2
Gross Dike Area: 6845 m
2
Net Dike Area: 5383.5 m (Gross Dike Area - 2*Tank C/S Area)
Foam Solution Rate for Tanks: 5991.1 LPM (4.1*Tank C/S Area*2)
Foam Soln Rate for Dike: 22072.4 LPM (4.1*Net Dike Area)
Foam concentrate Rate for tanks: 179.7 LPM (Foam Soln Rate for Tanks*3%)
Foam concentrate rate for Dike: 662.2 LPM (Foam Soln Rate for Dike*3%)
Foam concentrate qty reqd for tanks: 5392 Liters (Foam conc. rate for
tanks*Application time for tank)
Foam concentrate qty reqd for Dike: 13243 Liters (Foam conc. rate for
dike*Application time for Dike)
Total Foam concentrate qty: 18635 Liters (5392 + 13243)
Foam concentrate storage capacity: 37270 Liters or 37.3 m3 (18635*Foam
concentrate storage buffer)