SEMINAR ON

“STORAGE OF HYDROCARBONS IN
TANK FARMS OF A REFINERY COMPLEX”

GUIDED BY:
Mr. PIYUSH VANJARA

PREPARED BY:
Ms. MANISHA VAID
 INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC
Vapor Pressure
Reid Vapor Pressure
Classification of liquids

CLASS 1: liquids having flash point below 37.8ºc

Class 1 a : flash points below 22.8ºc and boiling point below 37.8ºc
Class 1 b : flash points below 22.8ºc and boiling point at or above 37.8ºc
Class 1 c : flash points at or above 22.8ºc and boiling point below 37.8ºc

CLASS 2 : liquids having flash point at or above 37.8ºc

CLASS 3 : liquids having flash point at or above 60ºc

Class 3 a : liquids having flash point at or above 60ºc and below 93.4ºc
Class 3 b : liquids having flash point at or above93.4ºc
 STORAGE OF PETROLEUM
PRODUCTS
• NEED OF STORAGE

• BASIC CLASSIFICATION OF STORAGE (BASED ON

PHASE)
Storage of liquids Storage of gases
• based on internal pressure
• based on roof shape
• based on service
 BASED ON INTERNAL
PRESSURE
• ATMOSPHERIC TANKS

Internal pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure

pressure varies from atmospheric up to 0.5Psi above atmospheric
pressure

• LOW PRESSURE TANKS

Higher pressure from atmospheric up to 15Psig

• PRESSURE VESSELS

Pressure above 15Psig

 BASED ON ROOF SHAPE
• FIXED ROOF TANKS

Cone roof tanks

: bottom is flat and top made in form of shallow cone
: storage of large quantity of fluids
: roof rafters and support column

Umbrella and dome roof tanks

: tank roofs are self supporting

• FLOATING ROOF TANKS

External floating roofs

: diameter 30 – 100 ft.
: roof is steel deck having annular compartment that provides buoyancy
: double deck built for small floating roofs
: strong and durable because of double deck
: suitable for large diameter tanks

Internal floating roofs

: pan roofs are simple sheet steel disks
: bulk head pan roof
: skin and pontoon roofs
 BASED ON SERVICE
• PRESSURE VESSELS

Unfired
Cylindrical
: Bullets
: Reactors (with agitator)
: Columns
: Road tankers
Cuboidal
Spherical (HORTON SPHERE)

Fired
Boilers
Heaters
TYPES OF VERTICAL CYLINDRICAL
TANKS FOR PETROLEUM LIQUIDS
PETROLEUM LIQUID TYPE OF TANK

CLASS 1:Petroleum (flash point below (a) floating roof

21ºc e.g. motor and aviation gasoline) (b) “non pressure” fixed roof with
internal floating deck
(c) “pressure” fixed roof
CLASS 2 : Petroleum (flash point (a) Floating roof
between 21ºc and 55ºc) e.g. kerosene, (b) Non pressure fixed roof with
special boiling point liquids internal floating deck
(c) Non pressure fixed roof with
atmospheric vent
CLASS 3 : Petroleum (flash point “Non pressure” fixed roof with
above 55ºc ) e.g. diesel and gas oils, atmospheric vent.Tanks which content
medium and heavy fuel oils, lubricating heavy fuel oils or bitumen are
oils and bitumen insulated and heated
 STORAGE OF GASES
• GAS HOLDER
Liquid seal holder :
Seal tanks : size up to 2,80,000 m3 and
Flexible fabric diaphragm

• SOLUTION OF GASES IN LIQUIDS

certain gases will dissolve readily in liquids
example : ammonia in water, acetylene in acetone and hydrochloric acid in
water

• STORAGE IN PRESSUE VESSLES,BOTTLES AND PIPELINES

Gasses are stored under pressure

A storage pressure vessel is usually a permanent installation, storing a gas

under pressure and liquifying it at ambient temperature
for example : carbon dioxide

Bottle is usually applied to a pressure vessel that is small enough to be

conveniently portable

Bottles range from about 57 lit. (2ft3) down to CO2 capsules of about 16.4ml
(1 in3 )
example : air , Hydrogen , Nitrogen , Oxygen etc…
Pipelines
Pipes buried in series of connected parallel lines and used for storage

Storage is also obtained by increasing the pressure in operating pipe lines and thus using

the pipe volume as a tank

 LOSS MECHANISMS
• GENERAL DISCRIPTION
Evaporative losses :
Finite vapor pressure produced by the liquid stock
depending on surface temperature and composition of
liquid.
Establishment of an equilibrium concentration of
vapors above the liquid surface.
Floating roof tanks are exposed to dynamic
conditions disturbing equilibrium and leading to
additional evaporation.
Evaporative losses primarily occur during
standing storage and influenced by ambient wind.
 Design losses
• RIM SEAL LOSS:
vapor loss from Rim
establishment of low pressure zone above floating roof.

• DECK FITTING LOSS:

fittings have openings that allow stock vapors to flow to
atmosphere
mechanism governing is vertical mixing.

• DECK SEAM LOSS:

when seams are not completely vapor tight they become source of
evaporative loss.

• WITHDRAWAL LOSS:
as floating roof descends during stock withdrawal some of the
liquid stock clings to the inside surface of the tank shell and it exposed
to the atmosphere.
 CAUSES OF LEAKS AND SPILLS
AND
•
•
THEIR PREVENTION
Causes of Losses

Leak or spill source Characteristics Root causes Preventive measures

•
Corrosion most common in tank bottoms and corrosion; materials selection; careful design and engineering,
• Underground piping; low rate; lack costs of corrosion prevention inspection per API 653; tank
• Or warning; may continue for years methods management program
Undetected; large volumes released
• Over long periods; column

• Operations
• Overfills or Transfers Larger quantities released; operator error; instrumentation or tank management program having
• Quickly discovered; hazardous equipment failure; lack of written operating procedures;
• Potential for fires; relatively training; failure to maintain training and drills; periodic
• Common overfill systems testing of instrumentation
• Roof drains large volumes released; easily equipment failure; failure to use tank management program having
• Discovered; usually occur in secondary containment properly written operating procedures;
• Stormy weather; relatively rare training and drills; periodic
• Testing of instrumentation
• Leaks leaks relatively common in piping, tank management program having
• Valves, and fittings, pump seals, written operating procedures;
• Or in penetrations through training and drills; periodic
• Secondary-containment areas testing of instrumentation
• Tank breakage
• Brittle fracture occurs in cold weather; material selection; poor careful design and actual
• Catastrophic failure mode; entire fabrication details; failure to solution; assessment of brittle
• Tank contents can empty; extremely hydrotest fracture and seismic after each
• Rare significant charge of service;
 SUMMARY
•TYPES OF STORAGE VESSELS

•FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED DURING STORAGE THAT

IS STORAGE BASED ON CLASS OF PETROLEUM LIQUID

•LOSSES AND SPILL PREVENTION

 BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS :
Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology vol. 23
By: KIRK OTHMER
Chemical Engineering. Book
By: PERRY
Process Equipment design
By : M. V. JOSHI

JOURNALS :
I.P.C.L. , BARODA

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