In petrochemical regulations, how should the fire separation distance for liquid ammonia storage tanks be determined?
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A project is designed in accordance with petrochemical regulations and includes two 50m3 liquid ammonia storage tanks. The petrochemical regulations do not specify clear fire separation requirements between these liquid ammonia storage tanks and other facilities. What are your thoughts on this? Should it be treated as a Class B gas, a Class A liquid with a boiling point below 45°C, or a liquefied hydrocarbon? Is there any practical experience with such handling?
For liquid ammonia storage tanks, toxicity should be given particular consideration, and a larger spacing should be adopted
Except for the special provisions regarding liquid ammonia in the petrochemical regulations, liquid ammonia is classified as Category A-B, and the fire separation distances from other facilities are determined accordingly.
Please refer to 4.3.7 for building codes
Refer to the following two tables:
Liquefied ammonia storage tank area | Remarks
Residential areas, public welfare facilities, villages | 100
Adjacent factories (fence line) | 50
**Railways (centerline) | 45
Railways of enterprises outside the factory (centerline) | 35
**Or railway marshalling yards in industrial zones (centerline or building) | 45
Roads outside the factory | 20
Substations (fence line) | 50
Overhead power lines (centerline): 1.5 times the height of the tower | I, II grade
**Overhead communication lines (centerline) | 40
Navigable rivers, lakes, coastlines | 20
Liquefied ammonia storage tanks: >1000 m³ to 5000 m³ | Loading/unloading stations
Process units (equipment, production buildings, warehouses) | Class A: 25; 25
Class B: 20; 20
Class C: 15; 15
Important facilities across the entire factory | 30; 30
Areas with open flames or sparks | 30; 25
Above-ground flammable liquid storage tanks:
Class Aa, Class B fixed installations: >5000 m³ | 30; 30
>1000 m³ to 5000 m³ | 25; 25
>500 m³ to 1000 m³ | 20; 20
≤500 m³ or horizontal tanks | 15; 15
Floating roof or Class C fixed installations:
>5000 m³ | 20; 20
>1000 m³ to 5000 m³ | 15; 15
>500 m³ to 1000 m³ | 10; 12
≤500 m³ or horizontal tanks | 8; 10
Liquefied hydrocarbon storage tanks:
Fully pressurized tanks: >1000 m³ | 40; 40
>100 m³ to 1000 m³ | 30; 35
≤100 m³ | 25; 30
Fully refrigerated storage | 40; 40
Flammable gas storage tanks: >1000 m³ to 5000 m³ | 15
Liquefied hydrocarbons and Class Aa, Class B liquids | Wharf loading/unloading areas | 25; 25
Vehicle loading/unloading stations | 15; 15
Railway loading/unloading facilities, tank car cleaning stations | 20; 20
Filling stations: Liquefied hydrocarbons | 20
Class Aa, Class B liquids and flammable/oxidizing gases | 15
Warehouses (sheds) for Class A items or storage yards | 20
Pumps or pump houses for Class A and Class B liquids in tank areas (including lead addition, additive installation facilities, and dedicated power distribution rooms) | 15
Wastewater treatment plants (uncovered oil separation tanks) | 25
Railway tracks (centerline), roads for transporting raw materials and products (road edges) | 10 (should be at least 5.0 m from secondary roads)
Elevated flares that may carry flammable liquids (center of the flare stack) | 90
Centerline of the factory fence | 10
Liquefied ammonia storage tank area | Remarks
Residential areas, public welfare facilities, villages | 100
Adjacent factories (fence line) | 50
**Railways (centerline) | 45
Railways of enterprises outside the factory (centerline) | 35
**Or railway marshalling yards in industrial zones (centerline or building) | 45
Roads outside the factory | 20
Substations (fence line) | 50
Overhead power lines (centerline): 1.5 times the height of the tower | I, II grade
**Overhead communication lines (centerline) | 40
Navigable rivers, lakes, coastlines | 20
Liquefied ammonia storage tanks: >1000 m³ to 5000 m³ | Loading/unloading stations
Process units (equipment, production buildings, warehouses) | Class A: 25; 25
Class B: 20; 20
Class C: 15; 15
Important facilities across the entire factory | 30; 30
Areas with open flames or sparks | 30; 25
Above-ground flammable liquid storage tanks:
Class Aa, Class B fixed installations: >5000 m³ | 30; 30
>1000 m³ to 5000 m³ | 25; 25
>500 m³ to 1000 m³ | 20; 20
≤500 m³ or horizontal tanks | 15; 15
Floating roof or Class C fixed installations:
>5000 m³ | 20; 20
>1000 m³ to 5000 m³ | 15; 15
>500 m³ to 1000 m³ | 10; 12
≤500 m³ or horizontal tanks | 8; 10
Liquefied hydrocarbon storage tanks:
Fully pressurized tanks: >1000 m³ | 40; 40
>100 m³ to 1000 m³ | 30; 35
≤100 m³ | 25; 30
Fully refrigerated storage | 40; 40
Flammable gas storage tanks: >1000 m³ to 5000 m³ | 15
Liquefied hydrocarbons and Class Aa, Class B liquids | Wharf loading/unloading areas | 25; 25
Vehicle loading/unloading stations | 15; 15
Railway loading/unloading facilities, tank car cleaning stations | 20; 20
Filling stations: Liquefied hydrocarbons | 20
Class Aa, Class B liquids and flammable/oxidizing gases | 15
Warehouses (sheds) for Class A items or storage yards | 20
Pumps or pump houses for Class A and Class B liquids in tank areas (including lead addition, additive installation facilities, and dedicated power distribution rooms) | 15
Wastewater treatment plants (uncovered oil separation tanks) | 25
Railway tracks (centerline), roads for transporting raw materials and products (road edges) | 10 (should be at least 5.0 m from secondary roads)
Elevated flares that may carry flammable liquids (center of the flare stack) | 90
Centerline of the factory fence | 10
Tables don’t display well here. What specification requires this?
Technical Specifications for Safe Production of Liquid Ammonia Storage and Loading/Unloading in Shandong Province
Can liquid ammonia be stored in the same tank assembly as other types?