How should the manual button for the cut-off valve in the tank area be set?
Thread Content
Dear sea friends: The question is as stated in the title: How should the manual button for the cut-off valve in the tank area be set? The emergency shut-off valves installed in the tank area come equipped with both automatic and manual functions. The manual function further includes remote operation from the control room as well as on-site manual controls (located on the valve body). However, recent safety inspections require that the on-site manual control buttons be located outside the enclosure. As for the specific way in which this should be implemented, the relevant regulations do not provide clear guidelines. I would appreciate it if experts could advise me on the proper approach! The standard referred to by experts is: AQ3036-2010
The manual safety device can be placed outside the cofferdam in a location that facilitates operation
Is there any standard that can provide specific guidance for implementation? The area outside the cofferdam is too large; how far away does it need to be? If it’s a button-type device on the cofferdam, it’s impossible to operate it even if the tank closest to the cofferdam catches fire. On the contrary, if I see a fire, couldn’t I call the control room staff to manually cut it off remotely to achieve this same function?
The standard was not found; the distance we set is approximately three meters from the cofferdam
According to the petrochemical industry regulations, an emergency shut-off valve must be installed 10 meters away from the loading/unloading crane positions
If it’s a tank with a volume of 5,000 m3 and is only 3 meters away from the cofferdam, then the distance to the partition between tanks is around 13 meters; in the event of a fire, it’s impossible for anyone to get inside at such a distance
Place it in a location that is easily accessible for operation; the valve body is certainly not suitable for this purpose.
Sigh, it’s still something decided on a whim. How would you call it when it’s based on convenience and ease of operation? It doesn’t work on the valve body; is 50m sufficient for the isolation valve, or is 100m required? By this logic, wouldn’t it be better if I just moved far away to the control room? But why doesn’t that work then? The standards set by AQ are not rigorous at all; compared to 50160, their level of practicality is far inferior, which is really frustrating!
This isn’t making things up arbitrarily; truly specifying where it should be placed is what constitutes arbitrary rule-making. The site conditions vary; it’s necessary to examine them on-site, so it’s sufficient to place them outside the cofferdam where they can be easily accessed
This is not only for convenience but also for safety – at a distance of more than 15 meters
It’s understandable at a distance of 15 meters; after all, that’s also the protective distance provided by fire-fighting foam. If a water cannon can be operated from that distance, then a button should also be operable from the same distance. It’s just not clear whether there are any other documents or standards that provide guidance regarding this distance