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MODULE 2

IS 15394 (2003): Fire Safety in Petroleum Refineries and


Fertilizer Plants - Code of Practice [CED 36: Fire Safety]

STORAGE TANK
Particular attention should be given to the selection of a storage tank area. Most hydrocarbon
vapours are heavier than air; therefore, tankage should preferably be located down grade from
plant process areas. The direction of.prevailing winds should also receive consideration in
order to minimize the possibility of released vapours drifting through the plant. Similar
consideration will be given to the piping lay out. All storage tanks should be provided with
fixed foam installation and water spray cooling system. Fixed spray system should also be
provided for the following:
a) Pumps handling products close or above their auto ignition temperatures, Pumps handling
lighter products, Pumps handling other Class A petroleum products which are located under
air cooled heat exchangers or critical flanged connection.
Compressors handling lighter products which are not installed in enclosures and can not be
covered by static manually operated monitors, Vessels, columns and exchangers normally
holding a liquid volume of lighter products of more than 5 m3. Vertical vessels and columns
shall be fully sprayed upto a height of 15 m above the potential source of fire, excluding the
skirt, and Uninsulated vessels normally holding 10.m’ or more of Class A and B petroleum
products.

LPG or flammable/combustible oils/liquids storage tanks should be detached from all other
properties by the minimum spacing requirement

Layout of groups of horizontal pressure storage tanks should be such that the longitudinal
axis does not point toward vital process areas, or important high values structures. Experience
has shown that tanks may rupture under fire conditions and move considerable distance aIong
their longitudinal axis due to the rocket effect. If airned into vital plant areas, such tanks
present serious loss possibilities.

The relevant accepted codes should be followed as standards for storage tank construction.
Welding is the preferred means of construction. Bolted/Rivetted tanks are undesirable and

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should be avoided. Under no circumstances bolted tanks ever be used for low flash point
(below 65°C) products, because it is virtually impossible to keep them properly gas tight.

Tanks for storage of low flash point products should be of th standard cone top or floating
roof or} standard pressure types.

Special attention should be given to the possibility of static ignitions. Proper counting should
be provided and suitable protection against lightening should also be provided.

All around the tank farm area, suitable road approaches of 6 m wide should be provided for
free
movement of fire fighting vehicles for event of any emergency.

A valve to shut off in case of damage to such water piping shall be provided outside the
dyked area at a safe location to isolate each storage tank. The valves must be accessible in
case of a fire.

Supports of elevated horizontal tanks should be of concrete or solid masonry construction.


Steel leg supports of spherical tanks should also be protected to their full load-bearing height
in manner which affords fire resistance rating of not less than 2 h. However, 3 h rating would
be preferable.

All tanks or groups of tanks containing hydrocarbons at atmospheric pressure, should be


located in dyked enclosure of earthen, concrete or solid masonry. Aggregate capacity of tanks
located in one dyke shall not exceed 120000 m3 in case of floating roof ranks and 60000 m3
for fixed roof tanks.
Dyked enclosure should be capable to contain the complete contents of the largest tanks
within the dyke.
Dyke height shall not be less than I m and shall not exceed 2 m. Dyke should withstand
maximum hydrostatic load that can generate due to release of tank contact.

Pressure storage vessels should be arranged into groups each having a maximum of 6 vessels.
Capacity of each group shall be limited to.15 000 m3.Any vessel in one group shall be
separated from a vessel in another group by a minimum distance of 50 m. If horizontal
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pressure tanks are separated individually by concrete walls with overhead water-sprays, then
distance separation by 50 m can be reduced to the diameter of the adjacent horizontal tanks.

For spherical pressure storage tanks the diking requirements, including the capacity
limitations as outlined for atmospheric tanks, should be followed. The ground beneath the
spheres should be graded so that any liquid products released will drain from beneath the
tanks to a collection basin within the enclosing dyke. The basin should be removed as far as
possible from the sphere.

Layout of storage tanks (OISD STANDARD-244)


Dyked Enclosures:
a) Petroleum storage tanks shall be located in dyked enclosures. Each dyke shall have roads
all around for access for normal operation and maintenance as well as for emergency
handling. Aggregate capacity (Combined safe capacity) of tanks located in one dyked
enclosure shall not exceed following values:
60,000 cum. for a group of fixed roof tanks.
120,000 cum. for a group of floating roof tanks

Fixed cum floating roof tanks shall be treated as fixed roof tanks. However in case these
tanks are provided with windows opening on the shell and these windows will not get
blocked in any case, then these should be considered as floating roof tanks. If a group of
tanks contains both fixed and floating roof tanks, then it shall be treated as a group of fixed
roof tanks for the purpose of above limits.

b) Dyked enclosure shall be able to contain the complete contents of the largest tank in the
dyke in case of any emergency. A free board of 200 mm above the calculated liquid level or
10% of calculated dyke capacity whichever is higher shall be provided for fixing the height
and capacity of the dyke. Enclosure capacity shall be calculated after deducting the following
volumes:
Volume of the tanks other than largest tank up to enclosure height without free board.
Volume of all tank pads.
Volume of fire break walls.
Volume of pipes/supports/steps etc.

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The height of tank enclosure dyke (including free board) shall be at least 1.0 m and shall not
be more than 2.0 m above average inside grade level. The dyke wall made up of earth,
concrete or solid masonry shall be designed to withstand the hydrostatic load and shall be
impervious. Earthen dyke wall shall have not less than 0.6 meter wide flat section on top for
stability of the dyke wall. Dyke enclosure area (inside area of the dyke) shall be also
impervious to prevent the ground water pollution.

c) The dyke and the enclosures will be inspected for cracks, visible damage etc. every six
months (pre and post monsoons) and after every major repair in the tanks / dykes etc. so as to
keep it impervious. Piping thru’ dyke wall if any shall be properly sealed to make dyke
impervious. The dyke area shall have proper slope outward of tank pad towards the inner
periphery of the dyke enclosure to prevent reverse flow.

d) Earth-pits shall be provided outside of Dyke area and strips buried under the earth except
at
termination points from a shortest possible distance. The earthing lay out diagram of each
facility shall be displayed near each facility for reference.

f) Pump stations and piping manifold should be located outside dyke areas by the side of
roads.

g) Horizontal above ground tanks mounted on pedestals shall meet separation distances and
shall have dyked enclosure.

h) In case of Under Ground Tanks :


Kerb wall of minimum 30 cm height shall be provided in the under ground tank Farm Area
to contain accidental overflow.
A minimum of 3 M clear distance around the tank shall be maintained (from structures /
boundary wall etc).
Vents shall be located / terminated at a distance of 15 mtrs from hazards.
Pressure / Vacuum vents for class A product and free vents for other class of products shall
be
provided. Vent shall be at minimum 4 M height from the grade level.

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The open end of free vent pipe shall be covered with two layers of non- corrodible metal
wire
gauze having not less than 11 meshes per liner centimetre and shall be further protected from
rain by hood or by suitably bending it downward.
The petroleum shall enter a tank through closed piping system / coupled electrically
continuous and sound hose.
The manholes should be 30 cm above the grade level.

i) Corrosion control measures shall be undertaken

Types of storage tanks(Design considerations)

Most farm petroleum storage tanks are above-ground, single-walled, horizontal storage tanks.
Such tanks should have secondary containment systems to retain any leaks.
Double-walled, vacuum monitored tanks have a vacuum between the two walls. If the gauge
indicates that the vacuum has been lost between the two steel walls, then there is a leak in one
of the walls.
Double-walled tanks are frequently found to be a good option for smaller farm operations.
All tanks must have a corrosion protection coating and/or be primed and painted to prevent
rusting.

1.FLOATING ROOF TANK

A floating roof tank is defined as one that incorporates either:


(i) A pontoon or double-deck metal floating roof in an open-top tank in accordance with API

Standard 650﹔or

(ii) A fixed metal roof with ventilation at the top and roof eaves in accordance with API
Standard 650 and containing a metal floating roof or cover meeting any one of the following
requirements
(a) A pontoon or double-deck metal floating roof meeting the requirements of API Standard
650.
(b) A metal floating cover supported by liquid tight metal floating devices that provide
sufficient buoyancy to prevent the liquid surface from being exposed when half of the

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flotation is lost. flotation, even if encapsulated in metal or fiberglass, shall be considered a
fixed roof tank.
Tanks for storage of class 1 petroleum products and greater than 1000 m3 capacity must be
equipped with floating roof tanks.

FIXED ROOF TANKS

A tank with an internal metal floating pan, roof or cover that does not meet the requirements
of (ii) or one that uses plastic foam (except for seals) for flotation, even if encapsulated in
metal or fiberglass, shall be considered a fixed roof tank.

i) External Floating Roof Tank (EFRT)


External Floating roof (EFRT) may be single deck pontoon roof or double deck. For
designing the EFRT tanks with single deck pontoon roof or Double deck, API STD 650 shall
be followed.

ii) Fixed Roof Tank


Fixed roof may be of cone type or dome shaped. The tank may be pressurized (to a few
inches of
water) type with fuel gas or inert gas blanketing to prevent oxygen/moisture ingress. For
designing atmospheric/low pressure tanks, API STD 650 or API STD 620 shall be followed
based on the type of the tank.

iii) Internal Floating Roof Tank (IFRT)


These tanks have a fixed roof over a floating roof. For designing these tanks, API STD 650
guidelines shall be followed.

Selection of type of storage tanks


Selection of type of tank generally depends on ambient conditions and the product handled.
The external floating roof storage tanks with Pan Roof shall not be used as these are
considered unsafe.

Selection of Seals for Floating Roof Tanks

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IFRT and EFRT shall be provided with double seal with minimum vapour recovery of
96%.
Primary seal shall be liquid or shoe mounted for EFRT and vapour mounted for IFRT.
Maximum seal gap width will be 4 cm and maximum gap area will be 200 cm2/m of tank
diameter.
Secondary seal shall be rim mounted. Maximum seal gap width will be 1.3 cm and
maximum gap area will be 20 cm2/m of tank diameter.

Special Considerations
Tank bottoms shall be of cone up or cone down ("Apex down".)

Tank appurtenances

i. Ladders and Handrails:


Individual tank shall be provided with access to the roof. A platform with railing should be
provided from the top of the stairway to gauge well and roof ladder. On floating roof tanks,
non-sparking self levelling tread type rolling ladder with suitable earthing connection are to
be provided.
ii. Stairs:
Stairs should be made of grating. All staircases shall have resting/landing platform for every
5m
height.
iii. Manholes:
Number of manholes shall depend on diameter of the tank (Refer API STD 650 for details).
iv. Walkway on the Roof:
Walkway with handrail on the roof of the tank should be provided to facilitate
inspection/checking of vents/ flame arrestor etc. so that movement of personnel on roof is
safer.
Types of Storage

There are two types of petroleum product storage tanks: underground tanks and aboveground
tanks. An underground tank is any tank which is so installed that at least 50 per cent of its
mass is below the adjacent ground level.

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An aboveground tank is a tank which is located at or above groud, including both horizontal
and vertical tanks, and tank truck and tank truck trailer that are being used as a stationary fuel
storage. As there are few underground storage tanks and aboveground vertical storage tanks
found on farms.
All aboveground petroleum product storage tanks (except heating fuel storage tanks of
capacity of 2500 L or less and connected to a heating appliance) have to be surrounded by a
dike or barrier to contain any leak or spill from the tank. This dike or barrier needs to be
constructed in such a manner that:
The dyked area will retain not less than 110% of the capacity of the tank.
The base and walls of the dyke shall be impermeable to liquid ( impermeable clay lining,
concrete, solid masonry or other material designed to be liquid tight to a permeability of 25
L/m2/day).
The dyked area shall have a method to drain accumulated rainwater. The floor of the
dyked area should be designed to direct water accumulations to a sump pit. Through the dyke
wall drainage piping is not permitted.
After installation of a new tank system or after relocation and/or alteration of an existing tank
system, the tank has to be tested by 1) visual inspection for leaks and 2) dipping the tank
every 12 hours for two consecutive days to detect any variation from the original liquid level,
which would indicate leakage. Also, electronic and other testing devices and equipment may
be used to conduct testing of new or altered aboveground storage tank systems.
The surrounding dyke or barrier has to be tested utilizing a method approved by the
Department of Environment and Labour or Government services Centre to measure the
permeability of the construction materials.
Location of a Petroleum Product Storage Tank System
The location of a petroleum product storage tank system on the farm is subject to regulations
as set out in the National Fire Code. Depending on the type of fuel, adjacent structures, etc.
different separation distances apply. The following minimum separation distances apply for
fuel storage tanks (with a capacity of 55,000 gallons or less):
3 m (10 ft) from a building
3 m (10 ft) from property line
1 m ( 3 ft) between storage tanks containing a stable liquid such as diesel fuel, where either of
two storage tanks contains gasoline (unstable liquid) the minimum separation distance is 2 m
(6 ft).It is recommended that petroleum product storage tank systems are located downhill
from a well.
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Safe Operating Practices in Storage and handling of bulk petroleum
products

This section deals with the safe operating practices and provisions applying to unloading and
storage of bulk Petroleum Products at installations. There should be strict compliance w.r.t
selection, deployment of proper skilled manpower for effective operation and maintenance.

i) Terminal/depot Control room where ever provided shall be manned on continuous basis
during
operations and in emergency.
ii) Site Specific, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) shall be developed which not only
give what the procedures are, but also why they are needed. These must be made with the
involvement of users and approved by the operations and safety team. Such procedures shall
be periodically reviewed, updated and records maintained especially whenever any changes /
modifications to the facilities are made as per Management of Change procedure (MOC).
iii) The critical operating steps based on “SOPs” shall be displayed on the board near the
location
where applicable.
v) Check list for operators for checking safety system & equipment shall be prepared and
check
records kept in safe custody.
vi) All operations shall be carried out under supervision of a responsible officer. Only in
serious
exigencies, permission can be granted by authorized personnel subject to obtaining a reliever
forthwith. The person leaving site shall only be allowed on a valid authorization issued by the
immediate officer and records maintained.
vii) The pipe line transfer should preferably be commenced during day light. Due to urgency
if operation requires to be carried out/extended in night time, the same to be carried out under
supervision of adequate trained & experienced staff.
viii) Manning level in the shift shall be adequate to ensure coverage for normal and
emergency
operations.

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x) Suitable interlocks shall be provided for tripping / alarm / operation based on the events
e.g
low level, high level, high high level, high pressure, low pressure etc.
xi) The contents of the dyke drain generated from draining of tanks, any other spillage or
effluent
containing oil shall be diverted to Oil Water separator (OWS) / Effluent Treatment Plant for
safe
disposal.
xii) Personnel protective equipments (PPE):
Equipments designed to offer protection against potential hazards, Fire, toxicity, accidental
fall etc.during normal and emergency operations.Personnel protective equipment such as
safety shoe, hand gloves, apron, safety goggles, safety belt, helmet, ear muff, dust respirator,
self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), etc.as applicable shall be worn while carrying out
operations in normal and emergency situations.

TANKFARM OPERATIONS- SAFETY PRECAUTIONS IN TANK FARM AREA

i) Whenever operations are not in progress, 100 % closure of the valves must be ensured and
they shall not be left in partial open condition.
ii) All electrical fittings shall be maintained to ensure its integrity and type of protection.
iii) The tank farm must be kept clean and free from vegetation
iv) Tanks must be periodically checked for leakages / sweating and repairs must be
immediately
carried out whenever scaling / pitting are observed. Ref OISD STD 129
v) Movement of floating roof must be smooth during operation. Free movement of rolling
ladder must be ensured by proper lubrication of moving parts and ensure free movement of
wheels.
vi) Floating roof deck must be kept clean and free from all foreign materials / dust etc so as to
avoid clogging of roof drain sump
vii) Water seal must be maintained in the emergency drain in floating roof tanks & it should
be ensured that there are no traces of oil in the emergency drains
viii) Proper earthing and bonding shall be maintained and ensured at all times for the tank
body,
electrical continuity from shell to ladder and from ladder to floating roof.

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ix) Dyke drain valve shall be in closed condition and shall be operated only under supervision
of a authorised person and log book maintained.
xi) Entry on floating roof for maintenance and inspection shall be with the following
conditions:
The roof is should half way to the top.
Floating roof is levelled and free of oil and excessive water.
One man shall be available as standby at the top of platform with a canister mask /
breathing
apparatus. A situation may arise during excess generation of vapour at the time of rim seal
inspection and dip hatch seal inspection
A life line with safety belt is used for the man going on the roof. The other end of the line
held by the standby at the top platform.
The tank is not under receipt or delivery.
xii) No gauging or sampling of tanks should be undertaken during thunder or hail storms.
xiii) Flow velocity at tank inlet should not exceed 1 m/s until the inlet is completely
submerged.
For easy reference, permissible flow rates for initial filling are given below:
Due care shall be taken during input in floating roof (tanks) rested on legs till roof floats
completely & smoothly from.
xiv) Conductive footwear e.g. leather soles or electrically conducting rubber soles, should be
worn while gauging, sampling or taking temperatures.
xv) Ensure that gauge tapes with earthing provision are used for gauging.
xvi) Tank dip pipes shall be extending to tank bottom. If dip pipes are not provided, give a
relaxation time of 30 minutes before sampling/gauging.
xvii) Rope used for lowering sample bottles in the tank shall be made of non conductive / non
static material. Nylon rope shall not be used.
xviii) In case of large tank farms effective communication is essential. Pagers with loud
hooters
should be provided on roadside at various locations. This can also be utilised for
communication
during emergency like fire.
xix) While cleaning the tanks, care should be taken to avoid generation of static electricity.
Cleaning of tanks by gas oil spray shall not be permitted.
Cleaning of tanks by steaming shall not be permitted for Class A & B products.
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The earthing and bonding connections shall be ensured during the entire process.

HAZARDS OF PETROLEUM STORAGE

The storage of of petroleum products presents several hazards to the environment. The most
obvious of these are explosion, fire and gross spillage which may give rise to loss of life or
the destruction of property and damage to the environment in general. However, also of
importance are the less obvious hazards, such as inhalation of petroleum products vapour and
the tainting of food contaminated by it.
The flammable and potentially explosive nature of petroleum products are the primary hazard
and it follows that precautions against explosion and outbreak and spread of fire are of the
utmost importance
Gross spillage of petroleum products, especially the black oils, is similarly a very serious
environmental hazard and clearly every precaution must be taken to prevent the accidental
rupture of a tank becoming a major disaster by failure to retain the spilt product within the
confines of the storage facility.
The more volatile petroleum products give off a vapour which may be slightly anaesthetic
and may also cause suffocation if present in a quantity sufficient to displace oxygen in air.
Some aromatic hydrocarbon compounds which are mainly produced in petrochemical
processes, but which may also be present in conventional petroleum product fractions as
components of the mixtures, are severely toxic. Care must be taken to avoid inhalation of
such vapours; in particular benzene and to a lesser degree to toluene.

TANK DESIGN/LOCATION REQUIREMENTS

Farm Tanks
Farm tanks have the least stringent design requirements. Minimum design/location standards
for farm tanks include the following:
• Tanks shall be of single-compartment design.
• Tanks shall be a minimum 12-gauge plate thickness.
• Each tank shall be provided with a fill opening that is equipped with a closure that is
designed to be locked. The fill opening shall be separate from the vent opening.
• Each tank shall be provided with a free-opening vent that shall relieve either the vacuum or
the pressure that might develop during normal operation or fire exposure. The vent shall have

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the nominal pipe sizes: 1-1/2” for tanks up to 275 gallons; 2” for tanks of 275-660 gallons; 2-
1/2” for tanks 661-900 gallons; 3” for tanks 901-1100 gallons)
• Vents shall be arranged to discharge so as to prevent localized overheating of, or direct
flame impingement on, any part of the tank in the event that vapors from the vent are ignited.
• Tanks shall be located outside and at least 12 m (40 ft) from any important building. Tanks
shall also be located so that any vehicle, equipment, or container that is filled directly from
the tanks is at least 12 m (40 ft) from any important building.
• Tanks shall be permitted to have top openings only or shall be permitted to be elevated for
gravity discharge.
• Each tank shall be provided with a listed emergency vent.
• Tanks that have top openings only shall be mounted and equipped as follows: o Stationary
tanks shall be mounted on concrete, steel, or masonry supports at least 150 mm (6 in.) in
height so as to protect the bottom of the tank from corrosion due to contact with the ground
and to maintain the tank in a stable position.
o Movable tanks shall be equipped with attached metal legs that rest on shoes or runners
designed so that the tank is supported in a stable position and so that the tank and its supports
can be moved as a single unit.
o Tanks shall be equipped with a tightly and permanently attached approved pumping device
having an approved hose and nozzle.
o Each component of dispensing systems for Class I liquids shall be listed.
o The dispenser nozzle and hose shall be designed so they can be padlocked to the hanger to
prevent tampering.
o The pump discharge shall be equipped with an effective anti-siphoning device, or the
discharge hose shall be equipped with an approved self-closing nozzle.
o Siphons or internal pressure discharge devices shall be prohibited.

• Tanks elevated for gravity discharge shall be mounted and equipped as follows: o Tanks
shall be supported on masonry, concrete, or steel supports having adequate strength and
designed to provide stability.
o Discharge connections shall be made to the bottom or to the end of the tank.
o The discharge connection shall be equipped with a valve that shall automatically close in
the event of a fire by means of operation of an effective heat-actuated device. This valve shall
be located adjacent to the tank shell. If this valve cannot be operated manually, an additional
valve that can be manually operated shall be provided.
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o Each component of dispensing systems for Class I liquids shall be listed.
o The nozzle shall be equipped so that it can be padlocked to its hanger to prevent tampering.
o Hose used for dispensing Class II and III liquids shall be equipped with listed self-closing
nozzles.

• Individual tanks shall not be interconnected or manifolded.


• Tanks shall be separated from each other by not less than 0.9 m (3 ft).
• The surrounding area shall be free from weeds and other combustible materials.
• Tanks shall not be located near open flames or in areas where smoking is allowed.

Lightning protection systems for floating roof petroleum storage tanks (FRTs) should do
more than just intercept incoming lightning strikes, because an intercepted lightning strike is
still likely to cause ignition of the tanks’ contents. A completely effective lightning protection
system (LPS) should be designed to protect against BOTH direct lightning strikes and the
effects of nearby lightning strikes. A total LPS should isolate the FRTs from both types of
threats, to eliminate all lightning-related risks.

Lightning-related petroleum storage tanks fires are not uncommon. According to a review of
petroleum storage tank fires between 1951 and 2003, the number of tank fires reported in the
worldwide media is in the range of 15 to 20 fires per year. Of the 480 tank fire incidents reported
in the media, about one-third have been attributed to lightning. Another study, sponsored by 16
oil industry companies, found that 52 of 55 rim seal fires were caused by lightning, and
concluded that “lightning is the most common source of ignition.”

Lightning strikes are characterized by very high stroke currents arriving in a very brief
amount of time. An average lightning strike delivers about 30,000 amps of electricity to
ground within a few milliseconds. This current will flow across the surface of the earth until
the cell between the thundercloud and earth is neutralized. The current will flow in all
directions, although the amount will vary in proportion to the paths of lowest impedance.

The mostly likely strike location on an FRT is the top of the rim or the gauge pole. However,
lightning may endanger an FRT if a stroke terminates on (1) the roof, (2) the shell, (3) anything

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attached to the roof or shell, such as the gauge pole, or (4) a structure or the earth near the FRT. If
lightning terminates on any of these locations, a portion of the total lightning current will flow
across the roof-shell interface. If lightning should terminate on the tank shell, as illustrated in
Figure 1, sizable currents will flow across the roof-shell interface.

If lightning terminates in the vicinity of an FRT, either to the earth or to a structure as illustrated
in Figure 2, smaller currents will flow across the roof-shell interface. In either case, lightning-
related currents will flow across the roof-shell interface. If the impedance between the roof and
shell is high, arcing will occur across the seal interface.

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A typical lightning stroke contains numerous components, as shown in Figure 3 and delineated in
Table 1. The fast component, or first return stroke (Component A in the figure) is extremely brief
yet contains the peak current. The long, slow component (Component C) contains less current
than Component A, but is defined as the continuing current component. Component C lasts much
longer than the other components and thus contains the most energy. The slow Component C lasts
500 to 2,000 times longer than the fast Component A.
Between Components A and C is a transitional, intermediate phase (Component B), where the
current transitions from fast to slow. Following Component C, additional subsequent return
strokes (Component D) typically occur, followed by additional Components B and C, etc., which
typically continue to flow until the entire lightning flash is exhausted.

Prepared by

SREECHITHRA M.
Asst.Professor
TIST

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