Questions regarding fire dikes? ? ? Urgent! Urgent! Urgent! ! !

There are too many issues; I don’t know much about it. All I know is that the pump pipes can pass through the fire dike, but it seems that the openings need to be sealed. I’m not sure about the details. The calculation of the fire dike is related to the volume of the tank, and it’s necessary to refer to the maximum volume that could leak from the tank. For specific details, one should consult the relevant petrochemical regulations

First, in accordance with the design specifications for fire dikes in storage tank areas, pipes can pass through fire walls via sleeves, but effective sealing measures must be taken. For the remaining three, a decision must be made based on the actual circumstances; relevant provisions in the building codes and petrochemical industry regulations can be referred to.

If it is a flammable liquid: Article 1: Refer to Clause 6.2.17 of the petrochemical regulations; Article 4 – The areas where pipes pass through dikes must be tightly sealed using non-combustible materials； Article 2: In a pump area with multiple pumps, refer to Rule 5.3.5 of the petrochemical regulations – the distance from Class A areas must be at least 15 meters;... For scenarios with a single pump, flammable liquids other than those in Class A can be placed within a fire dike, with no restrictions on the fire separation distance. Article 3: The calculation of the distance from fire dikes shall follow Rules 6.2.11–6.2.17 of the petrochemical regulations, and Rules 6.3.5–6.3.8 for liquefied hydrocarbons. Article 4: By referring to Table 4.2.12 of the petrochemical regulations to determine the distances from equipment to various installations, it is possible to ensure that the distance from storage tanks to fire dikes meets the requirements of Article 3, thereby determining the distance between the fire dikes and the installations.

5.3.5 This refers to the situation where a dedicated pump area is available for such actions; in ordinary pump areas, the procedure specified in 4.2.12 applies. Moreover, even for dedicated pump sets, the minimum distance of 15m mentioned here refers to the distance from the pump to the tank, not from the pump to the fire dike. OP, the specifications generally specify the distance between the tank and the pump; there is no requirement regarding the distance between the fire dike and the pump.

...Think of it this way: with the distance from the storage tank to the fire dike, and the distance from the pump area to the storage tank, then isn’t the distance from the pump to the fire dike determined as well? Because we need to understand the role and significance of distance, first and foremost, the function of the fire dike is to create a distance in case of a leak and spraying from the storage tank. As for the distance from the pump to the storage tank, it exists to prevent a fire in the storage tank from affecting the operation of other pumps. Is it meaningful to specify a separate distance from the pump to the fire dike? Distance is affected by matter.

Additionally, the 5.3.5 distance refers to the distance from one device to another; for a specific detailed case, we should look at the detailed provisions and calculations.

1. The discharge pipe at the bottom of the fire dike is connected to a pump; can the pipe pass through the firewall as a sleeve? Which provision needs to be met? Sure. It is sufficient to meet the requirements for pipes passing through the dike. Especially sealing and leak stopping. 2. Leakage pumps and transfer pumps are installed outside the fire dike; what is the fire separation distance from the fire dike? Which provision is being met? For Petrochemical Regulations 5.2.12, 5.3.5, and 5.3.6, analyze each specific issue individually. 3. How is a fire dike calculated? Based on volume, refer to GB 50351-2014 Code for Design of Fire Dikes in Tank Farm Areas, Section 4: What is the fire separation distance between the fire dike and other installations? Thank you so much, hero! The spacing here refers mainly to the tank group; in accordance with Petrochemical Code 4.2.12, the center line of the fire dike is used as the starting and ending point. Those who feel it’s just right, please vote for the best support :)

All of these things you asked about are included in the petrochemical regulations! It is recommended to read it by yourself; this way, it’s comprehensive and misunderstandings are less likely!

This post was last edited by liujia1987 on 2016-5-23 at 18:24. It’s not a matter of flexibility; you’re thinking too simply. First, it is not possible to determine from the owner’s description whether the transfer pump located outside the tank area is a pump dedicated to that specific tank group; in such a case, applying 5.3.5 directly may mislead the owner. Second, the original poster asked about the distance from the transfer pump to the fire dike, but you answered regarding the distance from the transfer pump to the tank; your answer is irrelevant to the question. The specifications do not specify a requirement for the distance between the transfer pump and the fire dike. According to what you said, by knowing the required distance between the storage tank and the transfer pump, as well as the required distance between the storage tank and the fire dike, it is possible to determine the required distance between the storage tank, the transfer pump, and the fire dike. The minimum distance between a Class A tank and its pump is 15 meters; for Class A tanks considered as horizontal tanks, the minimum distance between the tank wall and the fire dike is 3 meters. As you mentioned, the safe distance between the fire dike and the pump is 12 meters. Suppose there is a Type A horizontal tank on site, 10 meters away from the fire dike and 16 meters away from the storage tank; thus, the distance to the fire dike is 6 meters, which is less than 12 meters. If you tell others that this does not comply with the regulations, they will laugh at you. Third, what you said – that \"combustible liquids other than Class A can be placed outside fire dikes with no restrictions on the fire distance\" – applies to the case of dedicated pumps for storage tanks; it does not mean that as long as there is one pump outside the tank cluster, there are no restrictions on the distance.

5.3.5 It is clearly the distance from the tank to the pump; how can it be equated to a device? If storage tanks are equivalent to other devices, there is no need in Table 4.2.12 to distinguish between devices and tanks.