Storage and Transportation Technology: [Weekly Topic] Problems or accidents that often occur during the construction of new tank areas, from 11-3-12 to 20

1. It is necessary to fully understand the physicochemical properties of the medium stored in the tank, such as melting point, flash point, boiling point, freezing point, etc. Based on the characteristics of the medium, it must be determined whether to provide heating, insulation, or spray water for the storage tank； 2. Understand the safety regulations regarding tank construction; if it is a pressure vessel, it must be manufactured by a qualified manufacturer ； 3. There are specific regulations for the construction of special storage tanks, and these regulations must be followed ； 4. Provide necessary training for operators ； 5. Fire-fighting equipment must be complete and in good condition. 6. Establish an emergency response plan for accidents in the tank farm.

Reply to 2# babyangel: It mainly relates to the skills and competence of the staff

After the new tank area was put into use, we can share some of our lessons learned: 1. Quality risks of the products. For example: inadequate pipeline cleaning, water remaining inside pipelines and equipment, and material contamination caused by rust ； New pumps, valves, and flow meters often contain some rust preventive oil, which constitutes a form of contamination for chemical substances/ ； Residues in public resources such as nitrogen and compressed air pipelines can also directly affect the quality of goods, a problem that occurs in many warehouses. Solution: It is necessary to ensure the cleanliness of pipelines and equipment, and special inspections should be conducted before they are put into use. 2. Leakage risk. Due to openings in the pipelines, insufficient staff training, and a lack of familiarity with the process, leakage points are quite common. Solution: Develop a written checklist based on the operational conditions, assign specific personnel to carry out inspections to prevent any omissions, and define the frequency of these inspection controls. It is also required that personnel receive proper training and wear PPE at all times during operations. 3. Equipment accidents. After the new equipment is put into use, many issues may arise due to differences in the properties of the chemical substances compared to what was initially specified. Therefore, during the initial operation phase, it is necessary to strengthen monitoring, conduct thorough safety assessments of all types of equipment and materials, and clarify the process parameters of the equipment. If possible, it is advisable to add additional interlocks and alarm points. Such as pump flow interruption, underflow ； Overload protection. 4. At the beginning of operation, key risk control points should be established for each task and each piece of equipment, along with written operational guidelines. Training for the team should be conducted prior to starting work, and checks must be carried out on the predetermined key points during the operation process, taking advantage of the expertise of the experienced operators. In many cases, our construction and approval processes help to avoid some of the major risks; accidents that occur during actual operation are usually due to minor issues. However, in chemical storage, it is often these minor issues that lead to serious problems. There is a limit on the text length, so you can check out everyone’s experience shares; I’ll add more later

We still need to strengthen the training for the on-site operators; our company has trained those people there several times already. . .

I haven’t been working in this field for long, but I would like to suggest one thing: process design and the actual operations carried out by workers must be aligned. It’s not good if the process design is perfect, yet the workers proceed with the simplest methods available, as this can easily lead to safety issues

First, carry out the three inspections and four determinations in advance; then there are the technical skills of the operators, as well as issues related to the person in charge of the operators’ work

At the beginning of construction, the most crucial thing is to ensure that the foundation does not experience uneven settlement. Pay close attention while it’s first being run as well.

Reply to 1# Jie Li Yu Nan: 1. Regarding the design of the tank farm, before selecting a location for it, it is necessary to engage qualified agencies to conduct geological surveys to ensure that no accidents occur due to natural disasters. When designing, it is necessary to engage a qualified design firm. 2. During the construction process, it is necessary to ensure that work is carried out in accordance with the requirements of simultaneous implementation of various aspects. It is also important to ensure that fire protection systems and related equipment are properly installed and equipped during construction. Such as fire protection equipment and facilities, lightning protection equipment and facilities, tank farm cofferdams, etc. 3. Provide pre-job training for operators to prevent illegal operations that could lead to accidents.

Check whether the valve fittings are leaking, and prepare an emergency plan at the same time.

Whether the on-site opening degrees of each control valve match the data in the control room, whether the emergency shut-off valves can function properly to cut off flow, whether there are any leaks in the valves, whether fire protection measures are in place – and most importantly, the process knowledge of the operators as well as their training in handling emergencies