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Fuel Oil Storage
Fuel Oil Storage
Heavy fuel oil tanks may need heating of their content to be pumpable.
Viscosity limit for centrifugal pumps may reportedly be about 3000 cSt ,
however maximum viscosity in suction lines can be assumed as more or
less 220 cSt for API 650 tanks within dikes. So e.g. No 6 fuel oil (bunkers C)
.needs heating. http://www.engineeri...ils-d_1143.html
There are cases when fuel oil is only locally heated in tank around .2
suction connection. This will be neglected here. Impression is that this is
.applicable for tanks of capacity bigger than 1000 m3. Advice welcomed
Consequently tank latera walls should be insulated and fuel oil lines .3
.heat traced
Steam coils are commonly applied for heating, despite the risk of roll over
(see below) in case of leakage into the oil. For instance, if coil gets holes,
steam will locally condensate into the tank and heat its content. Over here
fuel oil daily tanks for boilers (30-40 m3) were externally "heat traced" to
avoid this risk (once a ceiling blew up), but this steam pipe "winding" is
.not practical for 1000 m3 tanks
At any case steam heated tanks are generally acceptable as standard
practice, take care of the measures / precautions adopted for the coil in
design and applied in construction (e.g. "generous" corrosion allowance,
extent of inspected coil radiographies, robust construction, frequent
.inspection after start up)
Usually two steam coils are installed near tank bottom; one operating, .4
.the other standby
Since fuel oil contains a small amount of water, it must not approach .5
water boiling point, which would cause boil over. According to local
practice, fuel oil temperature should not be higher than 93 oC. A steam
cut off vave should automatically stop steam supply, as soon as fuel oil
.measured temperature approaches this limit
Representative fuel oil temperature is hard to obtain in a fuel oil tank, .5
even of 1000 m3. Four probes of ~ 1.0 m depth from wall could be located
along a tank perimeter, at a height lower than tank low low liquid level
(LLLL). Vertical multi-measuring proble (for level indication, etc) can also
include temperature indication along tank height. Instrument Dept could
.help on this matter
If fuel oil needs to be heated above its flash point (or close to it, withing .6
.(say) 4 oC) , inert gas blanketing has to be applied
If fuel oil is heated below flash point, no blanketing is necessary. .7
However heating steam temperature had better be below 200 oC, to avoid
fuel autoignition in case that liquid level is low enough to emerge heating
coils from liquid (http://www.engineeri...ures-d_171.html). If this is not
practically possible, intall low level alarm (LLA) and low level cut off (LLLS),
.to stop steam supply before the coils are emerged
.Hope above is useful, comments / additions welcomed .8
.A relevant design practice would give additional information
.1
:The most common types of hot tank insulation, in order of increasing cost, are as follows
Sprayed-on polyurethane, spray coated for weather protection, with a maximum service temperature of about 107C (225F). This is not recommended due to maintenance
.problems
Fiberglass blanket or board covered by metal jacketing, with maximum service temperature .between 121C (250F) and 232C (450F), depending on materials and design
Mineral wool blanket covered by metal jacketing, with maximum service temperature as high .as 538C (1,000F)
Panel systems of polyurethane or isocyanurate foam bonded to metal jacketing with a .maximum service temperature of 121C (250F), or 232C (450F) if faced with fiberglass
Calcium silicate or other block insulation covered by metal jacketing may be used. However, .these are usually so labor-intensive as to be uneconomical
Extent and Minimum Thickness
Where insulation is required, 25 mm (1 in) is the minimum thickness for practical installation.
For liquid temperatures below approximately 77C (170F), insulating the roof of cone roof
tanks cannot normally be justified economically. Insulating the roof of a floating roof tank is not
usually done because of the difficulty of preventing water ponding and leakage into the
.insulation
Autoignition Temperature
Fuel or Chemical
(oC)
(oF)
Acetaldehyde
175
347
Acetic acid
427
801
Acetone, propanone
465
869
Acetylene
305
581
600
1112
Benzene
560
1040
454
850
Butane
405
761
Butyl acetate
421
790
Butyl alcohol
345
653
423
793
Carbon
700
1292
90
194
Carbon monoxide
609
1128
Charcoal
349
660
Autoignition Temperature
Fuel or Chemical
(oC)
(oF)
Coal-tar oil
580
1076
Coke
700
1292
Cyclohexane
245
473
Cyclohexanol
300
572
Cyclohexanone
420
788
Dichloromethane
600
1112
Diethylamine
312
594
Diethylether
160
320
Diethanolamine
662
1224
210
410
Diisobutyl ketone
396
745
Diisopropyl ether
443
829
Dimethyl sulphoxide
215
419
Dodecane, dihexyl
203
397
Epichlorohydrin
416
781
Ethane
515
959
Ethylene. ethene
490
914
Autoignition Temperature
Fuel or Chemical
(oC)
(oF)
Ethyl acetate
410
770
365
689
210
410
256
494
262
505
Furfural
316
601
Heavy hydrocarbons
750
1382
Heptane
204
399
Hexane
223
433
Hexadecane, cetane
202
396
Hydrogen
500
932
Gas oil
336
637
Gasoline, Petrol
246 - 280
475 - 536
Glycerol
370
698
Gun Cotton
221
430
Kerosene
295
563
Isobutane
462
864
Autoignition Temperature
Fuel or Chemical
(oC)
(oF)
Isobutene
465
869
Isobutyl alcohol
426
799
Isooctane
447
837
Isopentane
420
788
Isopropyl alcohol
399
750
Isophorone
460
860
Isohexane
264
507
Isononane
227
440
Isopropyl Alcohol
399
750
Light gas
600
1112
Light hydrocarbons
650
1202
526
979
Magnesium
473
883
580
1076
470
878
Methyl acetate
455
851
516
961
Autoignition Temperature
Fuel or Chemical
(oC)
(oF)
Naphtha
225
437
Neoheaxane
425
797
Neopentane
450
842
Nitrobenzene
482
Nitro-glycerine
254
490
n-Butane
405
761
n-Heptane
215
419
n-Hexane
225
437
n-Octane
220
428
n-Pentane
260
500
n-Pentene
298
569
482
900
Paper
218 - 246
424 - 475
Peat
227
440
Petroleum
400
752
427
800
Phosphorus, amorphous
260
500
Autoignition Temperature
Fuel or Chemical
(oC)
(oF)
Phosphorus, transparent
49
120
Phosphorus, white
34
93
Production gas
750
1382
Propane
470
878
Propyl acetate
450
842
Propylene, propene
458
856
Pyridine
482
900
p-Xylene
530
986
Rifle Powder
288
550
Triethylborane
-20
-4
Toluene
535
995
400
752
527
980
Silane
< 21
< 70
Styrene
490
914
Sulphur
243
470
Tetrahydrofuran
321
610
Autoignition Temperature
Fuel or Chemical
(oC)
(oF)
Toluene
530
986
Trichloroethylene
420
788
Wood
300
572
Xylene
463
867
The flammable (explosive) range is the range of a gas or vapor concentration that will
burn or explode if an ignition source is introduced. Limiting concentrations are
commonly called the lower explosive or flammable limit (LEL/LFL) and the upper
explosive or flammable limit (UEL/UFL).
Below the explosive or flammable limit the mixture is too lean to burn. Above the
upper explosive or flammable limit the mixture is too rich to burn. TheAuto-Ignition
Temperature is not the same as Flash Point - The Flash Point indicates how easy a
chemical may burn.