Dow Fire and Explosion

Index Study
NAME
DATE OF SUBMISSION
Contents
Introduction to F&EI....................................................................................................................2
Steps Involve to Calculate Penalty According to F&EI.............................................................2
Project Evaluation on Basis of F&EI...........................................................................................3
Conclusions.....................................................................................................................................4
References.......................................................................................................................................4
Introduction to F&EI
The Dow fire and explosion index is the hazard classification guide developed by the Dow
Chemical. It’s a standard maintained by American Institute of chemical Engineering. It gives a
method of evaluating the potential risk from a process and assessing the potential loss. A
numerical “Fire and explosion index” (F&EI) is calculated, based on the nature of the process
and the properties of the process materials. The larger value of the F&EI, the more hazardous the
process would be. .[1]

Assessment of Hazard according to Dow Fire F&EI

Table 1:Assessment of Hazard

Fire and explosion index range Degree of hazard

1-60 Light

61-96 Moderate

97-127 Intermediate

128-158 Heavy

>159 Severe

Steps Involve to Calculate Penalty According to F&EI

 The first step is to identify the units that would have the greatest impact on the magnitude
of any fire or explosion.
 The basis of the F & EI is a Material Factor (MF). The MF is then multiplied by a Unit
Hazard Factor
 The Unit Hazard factor is the product of two factors that are the general(F1) and
special(F2) process hazards. The special process hazards are factors that are known from
experience to contribute to the probability of an incident involving loss. And general
hazard is 16 related to multiple factor.
 The value of MF for ethanol is 16, special hazard factor related to temperature increase is
0.3 and general hazard is 70 because the hazard is moderate.
Project Evaluation on Basis of F&EI
There are three parts that we have to do according to F&EI.

1). Calculation of Penalty

Process:

The storage tank of ethanol maximum temperature inside is 350C. when it reaches above that
temperature relief valve opens, and tank temperature is always 10 0C less than surrounding
temperature, if temperature of surrounding reaches to 470C what would happen then?

First scenario:

If the relief valve fails and surrounding temperature reaches to 470C.

Calculation of F&EI index

F3 = F2*F1

= 4.8

F&EI = 76

So, it looks the hazard is moderate as temperature in vessel increase to 20C. And ethanol flash
point is 130C. so penalty range is very low 0.25 that is assigned for storage.[2]

Now using the Fig.1

a). So, penalty of increase of temperature is 0.25 when Temperature increases to 20C.

b).And, penalty of access is 0.35 of not maintaining the temperature of storage area

2). Reasons of Penalty

Reason 1: As temperature increase in storage vessel due to failure of relief valve so its due to
lack of management of not checking the equipment properly and doing no focus on autonomous
maintenance so its penalty is 0.25 not severe because of 2 degree increase of temperature.

Reason 2: Penalty of not accessing the storage side or lack of personal duty might cause this
scenario and penalty to this 0.35 because this part of management is very important for the
industries.
Fig.1

3). Degree of Hazards According to Process Condition

 Degree of hazard associated with the rise of 20C temperature is not severe as defined by
F&EI.
 Ethanol storage as we can see the temperature is 470C so the atmosphere is dry and its
suitable condition for ethanol storage so degree of hazard is less.
 Since ethanol flash point is 130C if temperature of surrounding reduced to 170C there
would be explosion and the severe hazard associated with the storage so its storage
should be on the side where average temperature would high and dry place. .[3]
Conclusions
It was concluded that ethanol storage should be in place where average temperature is high and
place should free of humidity so that F&EI index would not high. This index would show the
severity when the surrounding temperature would low because ethanol flash point is 130C

References

1- F&EI standards. (July 2018). Retrieved from https://rlshumancare.com/dow-fire-and-

explosion/
2- Fire and explosion risk assessment. (June 2018). Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311949446_Fire_and_explosion_risk_assessme
nt_in_a_chemical_company_by_the_application_of_DOW_fire_and_explosion_index
3-Ethanol storage. (May 2019). Retrieved from
https://www.uschemicalstorage.com/ethanol-chemical-storage-buildings/