Storage tanks

You can add QQ395483031 to discuss

Pearlescent sand has excellent low-temperature insulation properties

Our company provides year-round services for: tank filling with sand, sand removal from tanks, and disposal of used sand, as well as services related to air separation units. Contact number: 15862633602

Suzhou Songcan New Materials specializes in providing sand loading and unloading services for air separation storage tanks. Business phone: 0512-87887889

Operating Procedures for Filling LNG Storage Tanks with Perlite 1 Overview 1.1 Perlite, also known as expanded perlite, is obtained by crushing vitreous rocks and subjecting them to high-temperature firing; it appears as loose white spherical particles. Non-toxic, tasteless, non-flammable, and non-corrosive. Due to its extremely low thermal conductivity and reliable chemical stability, as well as good filling flowability and very low bulk density ； 1.2 The insulation material filled in the insulation box of air separation equipment is mostly perlite. The particle size of pearlescent sand is generally 0.05–1 mm, with a bulk density of 45–80 kg/m3. It is prone to flying around, can irritate the throat and eyes, and is easily inhaled into the lungs. A person who falls into its layer will be drowned and suffocated ； 1.3 Operators must strictly follow the operating procedures during loading and unloading to prevent accidents. 2 Safety Preparation Work 2.1 On-site, measures such as setting up fences or barriers should be taken to prevent unauthorized persons from entering; warning signs should also be placed in areas where hazards may occur ； 2.2 Designate a safety supervisor and wear a self-contained breathing apparatus to carry out rescue operations and respond to emergencies if necessary ； 2.3 Operators shall receive safety education and safety instructions before entering the site to carry out work, and must comply with supervision and instructions during construction ； 2.4 When entering the construction site, operators must wear PPE as required, and smoking is prohibited in no-smoking areas ； 2.5 Electrical and mechanical operators and maintenance personnel must receive professional training; they should be familiar with the procedures for operating and maintaining equipment, as well as with the structure, performance, operation methods, and safety requirements of construction tools. The use of substandard tools is strictly prohibited ； 2.6 Strictly enforce the regulations regarding the use of fire, and adhere to the relevant approval procedures; obtain fire operation permits prior to starting construction. Equip fire extinguishing devices and place them in visible locations ； 2.7 The electrical circuits used for construction work must have good insulation; electrical equipment should be equipped with leakage protectors as well as grounding protection. 3 Filling of pearlescent sand 3.1 Formulating the filling construction plan ； 3.2 Check to ensure that the pearlescent sand used for filling is dry; construction is strictly prohibited on rainy or overcast days ； 3.3 The tools used for filling must be clean; oil contamination is strictly prohibited ； 3.4 Determine the number of personnel responsible for filling operations and form groups, with each group consisting of no fewer than two people ； 3.5 Confirm that the supervisors are equipped as required and are on site. Other personnel are strictly prohibited from entering the filling site without permission ； 3.6 Ensure that all personnel involved in the operations have received safety training and are aware of the hazards associated with their work ； 3.7 Before filling, ensure that the pearlescent sand meets quality standards: its compaction density should be between 40-80 kg/m3, the moisture content should be less than 0.5%, and its specifications should satisfy the required quality criteria ； 3.8 Submit work requests by executing the Work Order ； 3.9 Execute the \"Locking and Tagging Procedure\" to carry out the relevant locking operations, lock the relevant process valves, and cut off the sealing gas ； 3.10 Set up the working platform as needed; operators must wear dust masks and long-sleeved work clothes ； 3.11 Fill the cryogenic box with pearlescent sand from bottom to top through the manhole in the cryogenic box. When filling with sand, a square-shaped safety grille made of 8–10 mm steel bars welded together or a specialized safety net should be installed at the manhole to prevent people or objects from falling in ； 3.12 When filling the bagged pearlescent sand, the operator must secure themselves to a stable position using a safety rope; the length of the rope should be such that it does not extend into the manhole ； 3.13 Communication devices should be worn at all times to enable timely contact ； 3.14 During the filling process, use a wooden mallet to continuously strike the outer shell of the cold box to ensure the filling density ； 3.15 After each layer is filled, seal one manhole at a time, up to the top of the cold box ； 3.16 Once the top is filled, seal the manhole ；

3.17 After filling is complete, sealant gas should be supplied promptly to prevent moisture from entering and to avoid caking of the perlite sand, which could affect its thermal insulation properties； 3.18 The supervisors should count the number of people regularly, pay close attention to the behavior of the operators and their condition, and provide immediate assistance if anyone falls or passes out ； 3.19 If conditions permit, the bulk filling of pearlescent sand should first be carried out using mechanical automatic filling ； 3.20 Half a year after the equipment has been in use, the top manhole should be opened to check the settlement of the pearlescent sand and replenish the settled portion. 4. Discharge of pearlescent sand (referred to as sand removal): Pearlescent sand needs to be removed from the cold box due to reasons such as leaks in the process pipelines; leaks in these pipelines can result in either too low or too high oxygen levels inside the cold box ； It is also possible that compacted pearlescent sand may fall from above, causing injuries or damaging instrumentation and pipelines. Therefore, removing pearlescent sand from the cold box is a highly risky operation. It is strictly prohibited to carry out this task in an unauthorized manner or without following instructions; operations must be conducted strictly in accordance with the procedure manuals to prevent accidents. 4.1 Heating of the cryogenic box 4.1.1 When it is confirmed that low-temperature liquid has seeped into the perlite sand due to leaks in the containers or pipes inside the cryogenic box, heating shall be initiated in accordance with the cryogenic box heating procedure after the box stops operating. Before heating, the sand filling port at the top of the cold box should be opened to allow pressure release from the cold box ； 4.1.2 When heating the cold box, a small amount of air should be introduced first; the amount of air fed into the equipment and pipes inside the cold box should be adjusted based on the degree of sandblasting at the access holes in the cold box. If the amount of sandblasting increases, the amount of air used for heating should be reduced, while if there is no significant change in the level of sandblasting, the amount of air used for heating can be increased gradually ； 4.1.3 Slowly adjust the flow rate of the sealing gas in the cold box to heat the pearlescent sand ； 4.1.4 Heating should be carried out slowly; the volume of air supplied must not be increased arbitrarily, to prevent excessive heat from causing the liquid to vaporize in large quantities and resulting in danger ； 4.1.5 The heating air sources for each section should be allocated reasonably according to the temperature; the heating must be thorough, with no dead corners ； 4.1.6 After the temperatures at various points within the tower reach normal levels, heat is applied for an additional 1–2 days to allow the pearlescent sand in the cold box to gradually warm up. No frost or dew was observed on the outer wall of the cold box when viewed visually. If so, continue to heat it. If time permits, it is best for the cold box to remain stationary for about one to two weeks after heating is stopped ； 4.1.7 During the heating process, close attention should be paid to the pressure of the sealing gas in the cryogenic box, as well as to whether any perlite is leaking out; the pressure and flow rate of the heating gas should be adjusted promptly according to the specific circumstances ； 4.1.8 Operators should operate the valve slowly to prevent excessive heating gas flow and high operating pressure resulting from rapid operation ； 4.1.9 Pay close attention to whether the sounds inside the cold box are normal; if any abnormalities are detected, stop heating immediately, and resume heating only after the cause has been identified and the issue resolved ； 4.1.10 Measure the oxygen content in the gas inside the cryogenic container to determine the type of leaking gas. Whether the oxygen content is high or low, it must be replaced with air after heating is completed, until the oxygen content returns to the normal range of 20%–22%, before proceeding with subsequent operations ； 4.1.11 After heating is completed, stop the operation of each individual device by shutting them down one by one ； 4.1.12 Cut off the seal gas supply and follow the Lockout/Tagout procedure; if the seal gas is nitrogen, it should also be physically isolated ； 4.1.13 The desanding operation can be carried out once the pressure indicator for the sealing gas in the cooling box shows zero. 4.2 Sand removal operations 4.2.1 A thorough and detailed sand removal plan should be developed before carrying out the sand removal work. All preparations prior to sand removal should be carried out properly; a warning line should be set up around the cold box, along with safe evacuation routes in case of emergencies ； 4.2.2 Determine the number of personnel involved in the operation and form groups, with each group having no fewer than two members ； 4.2.3 Operators should be equipped with PPE such as goggles and dust masks. The methods and routes for evacuating personnel in the event of a sand explosion must be determined in advance, and safety exits must remain unobstructed ； 4.2.4 Operators must receive prior training in construction techniques and safety, so that they have a thorough understanding of the emergency response methods for unexpected incidents throughout the entire work process ； 4.2.5 Confirm that the heating of the cold box has been completed, that the pressure in the perlite filling layer is zero, and that the weather conditions are calm with no wind or rain, making it suitable for carrying out the sand removal operation ； 4.2.6 Confirm that all process operations have been stopped, and fill out the Work Order to submit a work request ； 4.2.7 Verify that the guardians are equipped as required and are on site ；

5.10 Clean the site with a wet vacuum cleaner； 5.11 If a person is buried under perlite, they should be promptly dragged to a well-ventilated area where the following emergency measures can be taken, and 120 emergency services should be contacted: 1) Exposure to large amounts of perlite dust can cause temporary physical pain, discomfort, vision problems, and increases the risk of potential accidents. 2) In case of inhalation: Perlite dust can affect breathing capacity and cause suffocation. The injured should be moved to fresh air. Use plenty of water to rinse the dust from the mouth and throat as much as possible. 3) In case of skin contact: Perlite can cause temporary allergies or pain. The affected area should be wiped, and then thoroughly rinsed with water immediately. 4) In case it gets into the eyes: perlite can cause severe pain. The first thing to do is to ensure that the injured person does not rub their eyes. It should be immediately rinsed with clean water, using plenty of water to thoroughly wash the eyes in an eyewash station for at least 15 minutes, in order to remove as much dust as possible. If a large piece of perlite gets into the eye, it is necessary to seek help from an ophthalmologist.