A bit confusing issue with welding work
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If it is a container containing hazardous materials, and the static electricity grounding wire of its original equipment has corroded, now work needs to be carried out to install a new one. Is direct welding allowed? Suppose methanol is currently in the tank; there is still material inside the tank! Is it appropriate to weld flat iron directly onto the tank bottom support? I’m a bit confused. Expert, please explain it to me! :handshake
When welding is performed on the outer wall of a tank, heat is transferred into the tank; the medium inside the tank, in this case methanol, can easily explode. A similar incident occurred in our workshop, where heating was applied to the tank body before welding was carried out, and due to the tank being sealed, an explosion took place. Proper measures can be taken before performing welding: 1. If possible, empty the methanol in the tank as much as possible, then fill it with water; open the vent on top of the tank – this ensures safety ； 2. If it is not possible to empty the tank, it is necessary to ensure that the vent on the top of the tank is open; it must not be sealed. Temperature should be monitored during any welding work carried out on site, and welding should be completed as quickly as possible to keep the operation time short.
There really were problems; I’ve learned my lesson! If nitrogen is introduced into the tank to create a slight positive pressure, and there is no oxygen inside the tank, will welding on the supports or base outside the tank still cause the materials inside the tank to catch fire?
There seems to be a regulation regarding this – the industry has six prohibitions regarding hot work, and the location where hot work is carried out must be at least 10 meters away from flammable and explosive materials
You’re right; I just wanted to see if there could be a simpler way – simply using welding, filling the tank with nitrogen so that there’s no oxygen, and then combustion shouldn’t occur!
If your material needs to be heated, it shouldn’t be a flammable or explosive substance, right? How can it catch fire with just a little heat? I’ve never seen such a case; I just won’t give up
You can consider welding it in another location, or making a hole in the ground wire and connecting it with bolts
Mainly, the equipment is located inside the workshop and cannot be moved. Even if holes are made in the equipment brackets, heat will still be generated, right? There’s a risk of an accident on the first floor
You can use a drill to drill holes in the bracket; it’s not like you need to use gas welding. The heat generated during drilling is minimal, so you can keep cooling it with water while drilling.
There’s nothing wrong with welding flat iron directly to the tank bottom support.
Generally, safety and compliance must be ensured first, and then it’s okay