Fire safety is the key to ammonium nitrate explosion safety

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vytenis Babrauskas
Keyword(s):  
Ammonium Nitrate ◽  
Fire Safety ◽  
Explosion Safety

The West, Texas, ammonium nitrate explosion: A failure of regulation

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 396-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vytenis Babrauskas
Keyword(s):  
Ammonium Nitrate ◽  
Fire Safety ◽  
State Agencies ◽  
Technical Knowledge ◽  
The West ◽  
Safety Measures ◽  
Product Stewardship ◽  
West Texas ◽  
Nitrate Fertilizer ◽  
Explosion Accidents

On 17 April 2013, the West Fertilizer Company’s ammonium nitrate storage building exploded, killing 15 persons and injuring over 200. Numerous Federal and State agencies regulated the facility. But none of the agencies demonstrated a viable understanding of what is liable to cause accidental ammonium nitrate explosions, nor what is needed to prevent these. Specifically, none of them recognized the fact that ammonium nitrate fertilizer explosion accidents, when they occur, are inevitably the consequence of an uncontrolled fire and that such fires can be precluded by well-known fire safety measures. In fact, existing regulations have generally focused on everything but features needed to make such storage facilities incapable of sustaining an uncontrolled fire. Ammonium nitrate manufacturers, however, did have technical knowledge concerning safety and were aware of the ineffectiveness of governmental regulations. Espousing proper Product Stewardship principles by the manufacturers would have precluded selling dangerous chemicals to buyers who cannot safely store them.

Calculation and Analytical Substantiation of the Limiting Values of Ammonium Nitrate Mass During Storage in the Warehouses and Terminals

2021 ◽  
pp. 20-26
Author(s):  
L.P. Vogman ◽  
◽  
A.V. Iliychev ◽  
E.E. Prostov ◽  
D.V. Dolgikh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ammonium Nitrate ◽  
Fire Resistance ◽  
Fire Safety ◽  
Fire Hazard ◽  
Storage Conditions ◽  
Hazard Class ◽  
Safety Requirements ◽  
Emergency Ventilation ◽  
Limiting Values

On the basis of theory of stationary thermal explosion of A.D. Frank-Kamenetsky, depending on the temperature of the critical size of the ammonium nitrate embankment, the calculations were performed, which show that it can be stored in the large volumes at the temperatures up to 30 °C. On the contrary, at the temperatures above 100 °C (for example, at 200 °C), the decomposition of nitrate occurs with acceleration and can lead to an explosion. Based on the studies performed, it is shown that the changes and additions to the fire safety requirements for ammonium nitrate storage in the buildings and structures should be determined by the requirements for fire resistance of buildings (at least II degree of fire resistance), for the purity of the product and its packaging, for the exclusion of contacts with organic substances and materials, storage conditions. Additional fire safety requirements were developed for inclusion in the normative document regarding ammonium nitrate storage. Ammonium nitrate is allowed to be stored in one-story warehouse buildings of at least II degree of fire resistance, structural fire hazard class C0. The floor area within the fire compartment should not exceed 10 500 m2. Between the fire-fighting walls of the 1st type, it is allowed to store no more than 25 000 tons of nitrite in bulk or in the special bags, as well as in the soft specialized containers for bulk products in accordance with GOST 2—2013.The conditions for placing ammonium nitrate in the stacks should be accepted in accordance with the requirements of SP 92.13330.2012. Temperature in the storage room of ammonium nitrate should not exceed 30 °C with a relative humidity of not more than 60 %. Warehouses for storing ammonium nitrate should be equipped with general exchange supply and exhaust and (or) emergency ventilation, in order to exclude the formation of a fire and explosion hazardous environment in the room during the decomposition of ammonium nitrate. Warehouses for storing ammonium nitrate in an amount of not more than 5 thousand tons may be separated from other premises, including from the warehouses for fertilizers and pesticides, by solid (without openings) type 2 fire walls.

scholarly journals Fire safety of hydrogen filling stations

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 42-50
Author(s):  
Yu. N. Shebeko
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Storage ◽  
Fire Safety ◽  
Motor Fuel ◽  
Hydrocarbon Fuel ◽  
Liquid Hydrogen ◽  
Adsorbed Hydrogen ◽  
Explosion Safety ◽  
Fire Hazards ◽  
Compressed Gas ◽  
Safety Features

Introduction. The problem of greenhouse gas emissions from hydrocarbon-powered vehicles, polluting the air, makes consumption of hydrogen as an alternative motor fuel particularly relevant. Solutions to this problem are provided in a number of works written by foreign researchers. This article contains the analysis of these works in respect of fi re and explosion safety assurance at gaseous and liquid hydrogen filling stations (hydrogen fi lling stations).Features of hydrogen storage. Motor fuel storage is a main problem of hydrogen filling stations and their operation. Most advanced hydrogen storage methods (applicable to gaseous, liquid and adsorbed hydrogen, as well as metal hydrides that contain hydrogen) are analyzed in the work.Compressed hydrogen filling stations. Fire and explosion safety features of filling stations, where compressed hydrogen is stored, are considered by the author. As a rule, mobile fuel trucks, equipped with compressed gas tanks, are used there.Liquid hydrogen filling stations. Fire safety aspects of filling stations, where liquid hydrogen is stored, regasifi cation is performed, and vehicles are fi lled with compressed gas, are also analyzed.Hydrogen formation at filling stations. One of the ways to supply fuel to a hydrogen filling station is to produce it on site using dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane, which is delivered in tank trucks. Hydrogen is compressed and stored in cylinders. Fire hazards arising at such stations are analyzed.Main provisions of NFPA 2 in terms of hydrogen filling stations. The requirements of the international standard NFPA 2 Hydrogen Technologies Code. 2016 Edition, that apply to compressed and liquefi ed hydrogen filling stations, are considered.Conclusions. The author has made a conclusion that hydrogen fi lling stations are intensively built in several countries. It has been proven that if necessary protective measures are taken, hydrogen fi lling stations can be as safe as those using hydrocarbon fuel. It is necessary to develop a domestic regulatory document containing fi re safety requirements applicable to hydrogen fi lling stations with account taken of the international experience.

FEATURES OF FIRE-EXPLOSIVE PROPERTIES, EXTINGUISHING METHODS AND SAFE STORAGE CONDITIONS OF AMMONIUM NITRATE

2020 ◽  
pp. 5-16
Author(s):  
Леонид Петрович Вогман ◽  
Александр Валерьевич Ильичев ◽  
Владимир Александрович Зуйков ◽  
Евгений Евгеньевич Простов ◽  
Дмитрий Вадимович Долгих
Keyword(s):  
Ammonium Nitrate ◽  
Fire Resistance ◽  
Fire Safety ◽  
Storage Conditions ◽  
Safety Requirements ◽  
Safe Storage ◽  
Baltic Countries ◽  
Explosive Properties ◽  
The Baltic

В соответствии с российскими нормами хранение аммиачной селитры, как правило, должно осуществляться в отдельностоящих одноэтажных складских зданиях не ниже II степени огнестойкости. При этом максимально допустимое количество хранимой селитры в пределах пожарного отсека не должно превышать 5000 т, в то время как в странах Прибалтики (Латвия, Эстония) допускается единовременное хранение 25 000 т и более. В работе предпринята попытка расчетно-аналитическим путем обосновать унификацию требований пожарной безопасности российских и зарубежных норм хранения аммиачной селитры. The storage of ammonium nitrate usually should be realized in separate single-story warehouse structures of at least II degree of fire resistance in accordance with Russian standards. At the same time, the maximum allowable amount of stored ammonium nitrate within the fire compartment should not exceed 5000 tons, while the simultaneous storage of 25000 or more tons is allowed in the Baltic countries (Latvia, Estonia). Authors attempt to substantiate the unification of fire safety requirements for ammonium nitrate storage in Russian and foreign standards by calculation and analysis.

scholarly journals Modern problems and main directions for ensuring explosion and fire safety of fuel preparation systems for combustion in thermal power plant

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-105
Author(s):  
V. Z. Leikin ◽  
V. Ye. Mikhailov ◽  
L. A. Chomenok ◽  
P. M. Luzin
Keyword(s):  
Fire Safety ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Circulating Fluidized Bed ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Coal Industry ◽  
Kuznetsk Coal ◽  
Explosion Hazard ◽  
Thermal Power Plants ◽  
Explosion Safety ◽  
Explosion And Fire Safety

To solve the problem of further improving the efficiency and reliability of solid fuel generation in the Russian Federation, it is necessary to solve a number of main problems: ensuring environmental safety, export-oriented nature of the coal industry, low reliability, efficiency, high emissions of NOx , SO2 and particulate matter of existing obsolete equipment. In modern conditions, these problems can be solved comprehensively with the use of relatively low-cost methods in the case of using highly reactive coals, which at the same time have an increased explosion hazard (coals of explosiveness groups 3 and 4). For this reason, currently a large number of coal-fired power plants (mainly in Siberia and the Urals) experience a global transition to the combustion of highly explosive Kuznetsk coal of grades D, G, GD. In the present work, analysis is undertaken of methods and technologies to ensure the explosion and fire safety of fuel preparation systems for combustion at thermal power plants during the transition to these types of fuels, since most of these thermal power plants were initially designed for explosion-proof types of coal (T, 1CC, AH). A number of additional recommendations are developed to the current "rules of explosion safety", taking into account the specifics of technological schemes and the operation of a large number of these thermal power plants, a number of design solutions for equipment that improve the explosion safety of their dust treatment plants. For systems of preparation of finely crushed fuel (5–15 mm), boilers with circulating fluidized bed that are promising for the Russian power industry, and the use of drying installations at thermal power plants to ensure crushing of ordinary high-humidity fuels entering thermal power plants, a number of measures have been proposed that increase the fire safety of such installations.

White Earth Collaborative Elder Home Fire Safety Project

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Kuklinski ◽  
Christopher Allen
Keyword(s):  
Fire Safety ◽  
White Earth

Why Beirut’s ammonium nitrate blast was so devastating

Nature ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giorgia Guglielmi
Keyword(s):  
Ammonium Nitrate

The effect of nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide on the thermal decomposition of ammonium nitrate

1981 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 424-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrzej Kolaczkowski ◽  
Andrzej Biskupski
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Thermal Decomposition ◽  
Nitrogen Dioxide ◽  
Ammonium Nitrate
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