In the internal maintenance workshop of a chemical plant, where acetylene and oxygen are stored, is it permissible to build an acetylene gas cylinder room adjacent to the maintenance workshop?
Thread Content
Within the maintenance workshop of a chemical plant, this workshop is classified as a Class D workshop; it is necessary to have a cylinder storage area for acetylene and oxygen. The fact that 5% of the maintenance workshop’s space is dedicated to such storage areas means that the entire workshop is classified as a Class D area in terms of fire hazard. If the area for acetylene and oxygen cylinders is located outside the machine repair room, it would resemble a protrusion from the exterior of the building, where the acetylene and oxygen cylinders are placed. Question: 1. Does this protruding part fall under the category of Class A buildings adjacent to Class D buildings, or should it be considered as part of the machine repair workshop and thus classified as a Class D building? 2. Regarding the storage area for cylinders with protruding parts, is it feasible to store up to 20 acetylene cylinders there? Does this acetylene cylinder storage area fall under the category of a warehouse, or can it be considered an intermediate warehouse in a Class D maintenance facility? 3. If the distance between the acetylene gas cylinders and adjacent buildings does not meet the requirements, how can these requirements be satisfied?
1. This protruding section should have its fire hazard assessed as an independent building; it does not belong to Category D buildings. It is recommended to classify and handle them in accordance with the storage requirements for hazardous materials such as acetylene and oxygen, as well as relevant regulations. 2. This gas cylinder storage area should be regarded as a dedicated warehouse, rather than an intermediate warehouse in the machine repair shop. Regarding the maximum storage quantity of acetylene cylinders, it must comply with ** or local safety regulations as well as fire protection requirements. Generally, there are clear regulations and restrictions regarding the safe storage of hazardous materials. 3. If the distance between the acetylene gas cylinder room and adjacent buildings does not meet safety requirements, additional safety measures can be considered, such as installing firewalls or adding automatic fire suppression systems. Additionally, considering adjusting the positions of the gas cylinders to meet all legal distances and safety requirements is also an option. .
Thank you for your reply. If this acetylene cylinder room is located inside a Class D workshop, does that mean it is considered an intermediate warehouse? It has been ascertained that according to the enterprise standard Q/SY1365-2011 “Safety Management Regulations for the Use of Gas Cylinders” issued by China National Petroleum and Natural Gas Corporation, in Section 4.4.6 regarding sites where acetylene cylinders are used, the storage volume of acetylene gas must not exceed 30 m³ (equivalent to 5 cylinders, referring to acetylene cylinders with a nominal volume of 40 L). When the storage volume of acetylene gas exceeds 30 m³, a separate storage area should be created using non-combustible materials, with one side of this area being a solid wall. When the storage volume of acetylene gas exceeds 240 m³ (equivalent to 40 cylinders), a storage facility with a fire resistance rating of not less than grade II should be constructed, and the fire separation distance from other buildings should be no less than 10 m; otherwise, it should be separated by a fire wall. Or, if this acetylene storage area is located within a Class D workshop and is used as an intermediate warehouse, does it not require any inventory limits in accordance with 3.3.6(3)? 3.3.6 When an intermediate warehouse is installed within a factory building, the following requirements shall be met: 1 Intermediate warehouses of categories A and B should be located against the exterior walls, and their storage capacity should not exceed the amount required for one day and one night ； 2 Class A, B, and C intermediate warehouses shall be separated from other areas by firewalls and non-combustible floors with a fire resistance rating of not less than 1.50 hours ； Intermediate warehouses of categories 3, 4, and 5 shall be separated from other areas by fire-resistant partition walls with a fire resistance rating of not less than 2.00 hours and floor slabs with a fire resistance rating of 1.00 hour ； 4 The fire resistance rating and area of the warehouse shall comply with the provisions of Articles 3.3.2 and 3.3.3 of these specifications.