Issues with shared vapor pipelines for vapor recovery in storage tanks
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Dear sea friends: With the current expansion of the new storage area, there is an issue related to the vapor recovery from the storage tanks. The approach originally adopted involved using a group of tanks of the same type, all connected to a single vapor main pipe that leads to the vapor recovery unit. Recent expert assessments have indicated that this method is not permitted. I only saw in Document No. 68 issued by the General Administration of Work Safety that safety assessments are required for situations where multiple tanks share a vapor pipeline, and it wasn’t stated that such use is absolutely prohibited. Are there any other standards or regulations prohibiting the sharing of gas-phase recovery pipes for storage tanks? How to conduct a safety assessment, and what are the procedures to follow? If there is to be one tank with one gas-phase pipeline, won’t the entire storage area be filled with pipelines? Process design is really a problem!
We are also carrying out renovations in the tank area; the design follows the provisions of Document No. 68, and it is all designed on a single-line basis, which is quite troublesome.
From a systematic perspective, I don’t understand why it’s not possible to use one main pipe for the gas streams of the same type; even if individual pipes are used, these gas pipes will ultimately be connected together. It should be feasible to implement flame arrestor measures before the various branch pipes meet at the main pipe. . As for the interpretation of regulations and requirements, I don’t want to comment on experts.
We thought the same, but the evaluation experts said it wasn’t possible, adding that it definitely wouldn’t pass the inspection; there was nothing we could do about it. This was proposed after the Tokyobashi accident, and we cannot find any specific regulations or requirements either.
It’s like an area filled with a dozen or so small tanks, where a system of separation is implemented everywhere, with a dike built around each tank. . . Feasibility and the reasons for doing so are not taken into consideration; it’s a one-size-fits-all approach. . . In the device, the gas phases are also connected together in a single main pipe for processing; by implementing measures to prevent backflow and fire suppression, the desired goal can be achieved. Well, it seems like the storage and transportation tank area is something that everyone wants to give their opinions on, without any real reason for that. .