US2683552A - Fire wall and tank installation - Google Patents

Description

July 13, 1954 G, 1 BRENNAN 2,683,552

FIRE WALL AND TANK INSTALLATION Filed Feb. 18, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l J5 v v /f lcl- H 26 a INVENToR. 26 v Gerqzdrennan afg.

July 13, 1954 G. L. BRENNAN FIRE WALL AND TANK INSTALLATION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18, 1952 IN V EN TOR.

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Patented July 13, 1954 FIRE WALL AND TANK INSTALLATION Gerald L. Brennan, Tulsa, Okla., assigner to Warren Petroleum Corporation, Tulsa, Okla., a corporation of Delaware Application February 18, 1952, Serial No. 272,040

(Cl. 22o- 88) 8 Claims.

This invention consists in new and useful improvernen ts in a dre Wall and tank installation for the storage of inflammable fluids and has for its object to provide a structure which will minimize the fire hazards presently existing in and around such facilities.

l'n installations such as shipping terminals and storage ots for liquefied petroleum gas and the it is customary to employ batteries of large, horizontally disposed storage tanks, arranged in relatively close proximity and provided with the necessary piping connections for charging and discharging the fluid to be stored. In a number of instances very serious res have occurred because of the failure of a joint or a section of pipe near a joint beneath one of the tanks in a battery, with Jrhe resulting escape of large volumes of inflammable fluid which, upon ignition, have rapidly enveloped the nearby tanks in flame. These tanks are often of an individual capacity of 30,000 gallons and when one or more batteries of such tanks are involved, it will readily be seen that lire hazards can present la serious problem.

The effect of this heat has naturally been to increase the pressure of the fluid in the tanks to a point where the metal and seams of the tanks were forced to yield, with the resultant opening up of seams or bursting of tanks. Thus, the escape of more inilammable fluid has added fuel to the nre to such an extent that in most instances the entire installation has rapidly suffered serious damage.

lt is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to increase the safety of such installations and to provide adequate fire protection to the metal of the tanks and to this end I have provided a re wall which is arranged transversely, across the end of a battery of tanks and through which the tank heads protrude. All of the inlet and outlet openings and their associated pipings are connected into these heads and are thus separated from the main bodies of the tanks, whereby any ignition of escaping uid in and around the piping system is at least temporarily conned to an area which is completely segregated from the tanks themselves.

Another object of the invention is to provide a nre wall preferably provided with angularly disposed wings at its opposite extremities to form a three-sided enclosure or fire shield for the head ends of a battery of tanks, the bounding edges of the shield being provided with a continuous, forwardly-directed name-diverting lip which tends to localize the flames and adds further protection against their spreading to the tanks proper, or to other batteries of tanks.

A further object of the invention is to provide a re wall of the type referred to, wherein the protruding heads of the battery of tanks are each covered with a fire proof insulation which further reduces the sudden overheating of the tanks in the area Where ignition of escaping liuid is most likely to occur.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views,

Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of the nre wall, partly in section, and showing the heads of two tanks protruding therethrough.

Figure 2 is a top plan -view showing an entire installation on a Smaller scale.

Figure 3 is a View in side elevation, partly in section.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of the main fire wall or shield, with a tankreceiving opening, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary View showing a portion of the rear tank support with its tank-receiving recesses.

The drawings represent a typical tank installation embodying the improved re wall and consisting of a battery of horizontally-disposed tanks l, supported in laterally spaced relation by upright fore and aft foundations. The rear foundation t is formed of poured reinforced concrete, preferably having an enlarged footing 9 beneath the surface of the ground, said foundation eX- tending transversely across the entire battery of tanks. The upper edge of foundation i8 is provided with a series of arcuate recesses it, spaced at suitable intervals to coincide with the desired spacing of the tanks which are to be cradled in the recesses It, the height of the foundation being such as to maintain the tanks at the desired elevation above the surface of the ground.

The forward foundation l! is essentially of the same structure as the rear foundation and has an underground footing l2. However, the upper end of foundation I l is extended vertically to form the main shield I3 of the fire wall which, as will be seen from the drawings, may be of slightly reduced thickness above the supporting foundation H. The shield I3 is provided With a series of circular openings I4, transversely spaced to coincide with the spacing of the recesses IIJ in the rear foundation 8 and having radial dimensions to accommodate the forward ends r heads of respective tanks Preferably, the upper horizontal edge of the shield I3 is thickened and extended forwardly at substantially 45, to form an outwardly-directed flame-diverting lip or flange I5 for purposes hereinafter described.

The opposite longitudinal extremities of the shield I3 terminate in forwardly-extending end wings I5, preferably arranged at right angles with respect to the shield I3 and the top and free vertical edges of these wings are provided with continuations of the angular flame-diverting lipl indicated at Il and I8 respectively. Thus, the shield I3 and end wings I6, together, form. a three-sided enclosure for the head ends of the' battery of tanks, with a continuous fire-diverting lip extended entirely around the free edges or boundaries of the re wall.

As before stated, the foundations 8 and II are preferably formed of reinforced concrete and the nre wall, including the main shield portion i3 and the end wings I3, are formed of similar material. Because the iireproof or refractory characteristics of the re wall are essential tothesuccessful functioning of the present invention, the crosshatching on the drawings indicates a refractory material and in this connection it may be stated that instead of being formed completely of reinforced concrete, the re wall may be composed of any suitable refractory material. Furthermore, the foundation II per se, may be formed of reinfo 1ced concrete and the re wall, including the main shield I3 and end wings I8, may be composed of suitable refractory bricks or the like.

As will be seen from Figures 3 and Il of the drawings, the head ends of the tanks 'l which protrude through the openings I4 in the shield I3, are covered with a suitable reproof insulation or coating I9 and with the exception of tank relief valves 2G, all connections to the tanks are preferably made through these insulated heads. In the form of the invention illustrated, valved inlets and outlets 2l and 22 are respectively connected by pipes 23 and 24, to supply and discharge headers 25 and 26. These headers extend transversely beneath the forward ends of the tanks 'l and are preferably supported in slightly elevated position by piping supports 21 which are formed integrally with the forward foundation II and its footing I2. These piping supports 2l are spaced so as to directly support the piping beneath each of the tanks of the battery.

With this arrangementA it will be noted that not only are the heads of the tanks and their inlet and outlet openings confined within the boundaries of a three-sided fire Wall, but all pip.- ing connections and headers in the immediate vicinity of the tanks are thus confined. The main shield portion I3 of the fire wall completely segregates all connections and piping from the main bodies of the tanks l and as these areas are the ones most likely to develop leaks, any fire resulting from such leaks will be prevented from Contact with the tanks proper, at least for a suicient period of time to permit adequate fire fighting equipment to be brought into play.

in the event of the ignition of any escaping fluid in the danger zone surrounding the piping and connections, the flame-diverting lips I5, Il, and I3, will tend to direct the flames away from the battery of tanks so as to concentrate the same within the confined area bounded by the 4 shield I3 and end wings I6. Thus, the extreme heat generated by such a fire will be prevented from contacting the tanks and effecting a dangerous increase in the pressure of the fluid stored therein.

From the foregoing it is believed that my invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art without further description, it being borne in mind that numerous changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention as forth in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A nre wall and tank installation for above ground storage of inflammable fiuids, compri.;- ing at least one horizontally disposed tank, located above the ground level, fore and aft foundations for supporting opposite ends of said tank, the forward foundation being formed of nre resistant material and extending vertically to form the main shield of a transverse fire wall, an opening in said` shield embracing the forward end of tank and through which the head of the latter protrudes, said shield extending radially in all directions, beyond the walls of said tank, the lateral extremities of said shield terminating in forwardly-directed Wings of nre res tant material which, together with the shield, form a three-sided fire wall, the upper edges of said main shield and wings being provided with a continuous forwardly-directed horizontal flamediverting lip having a free outer edge which over-lies the area immediately adjacent the inner boundaries of the fire wall, all of the inlet and outlet openings for said tank and their associated piping, being connected through the tank head and separated from the body of the tank by said main shield, and a coating of fireproof insulation covering said protruding head.

2. A fire wall and tank installation as claimed in claim l, including charging and discharging headers to which said inlet and outlet openings and their associated piping are respectively connected, said inlet and outlet openings, their associated piping, and the adjacent portions of said headers being located within the confines of said three-sided re wall.

3. A combination above ground tank support and re wall, comprising a solid foundation member, the topV of which is recessed to provide a transverse cradle for the head end of a horizontal tank, said foundation being extended vertically to form a continuous nre wall of fire resistant material, an opening in said nre wall adapted to embrace the forward end of a tank restingin said cradle, so as to permit the head of the tankto protrude, said fire wall extending vertically and laterally beyond the radial limitsof said opening and together with said foundation, providing a tank-encircling main shield, the lateral extremities of said main shield terminating in forwardly directed wings which together with said main shielddefine the boundaries of a fire retaining area around said tank head, and-an angularly disposed flame diverting lipfextending along the upper edge of at least said main shield and directed into said fire retaining area.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 3, wherein the upper edges of said forwardly directed wings are provided with name-diverting lips forming oontinuations of the lip on said mainV shield.

5.- The combination as claimed in claim el including a continuous name-diverting lip which extends along the bounding edges of said main shield and wings.

6. A re wall for tanks adapted to contain infiammable iiuids, comprising a vertically disposed main shield of hre-resistant material, an opening in said shield adapted to embrace the forward end of a tank, so as to permit the head of the tank to protrude, said shield extending vertically and laterally beyond the radial limits of said opening, the lateral extremities of said shield terminating in forwardly directed wings which together with said shield define the boundaries of a fire-retaining area around said tank head, and an angularly disposed flame-diverting iip extending along the upper edge of at least said main shield and directed into said re retaining area.

7. A re wall as claimed in claim 6 wherein said angularly disposed lip is continued around the bounding edges of said wings.

8. A combination above ground tank support and fire wall, comprising a solid foundation member, the top of which is provided with a series of recesses forming transverse cradles for the head ends of a corresponding series of horizontal tanks, said foundation being extended vertically to form a continuous ire wall of rire resistant material, a series of openings in said re wall adapted to embrace the forward ends of respective tanks resting in said cradles, so as to permit the heads of said tanks to protrude, said fire wall projecting vertically beyond the radial limits of said openings and laterally in both directions, beyond the outermost of said series of openings, and together with said foundation, providing an encircling main shield for each of said tanks, the lateral extremities of said main shield terminating in forwardly directed wings which together with said main shield dene the boundaries of a re resistant area around said tank heads, and an angularly disposed dame-diverting lip extending along the upper edge of at least said main shield and directed into said iire retaining area.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 936,723 Hutchinson Oct. 12, 1909 1,162,572 Clark Nov. 30, 1915 1,394,969 Colven Oct. 25, 1921 1,421,454 Glessner July 4, 1922 1,612,596 Marks Dec. 28, 1926 1,818,723 Lindemann Aug. 11, 1931 2,600,015 McLaughlin June 10, 1952

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