Ensuring fire safety for autogas filling stations in town

Abstract

Objective: To ensure industrial safety for autogas filling stations operated in town, analyzing the current status of the issue and identifying accident causes are performed. Methods: It is shown that most motor vehicles are not designed to use liquefied gas as a fuel and consequently converted to fit gas cylinders for using liquefied petroleum gases (LPG) making the hazard to people much higher and contributing to autogas filling station chain growth. As the filling station process involves highly flammable gases, such facilities may be referred to as fire and explosion hazardous. Results: Making a selection of a typical autogas filling station based on systems analysis methods and also approved methods, an emergency is simulated with a gas-air mixture explosion in implementing a worst-case scenario (LPG escape resulting from a destroyed tank truck forming a primary gas-vapor cloud with the gas-air mixture exploding): injurious effects and potential impact are assessed. It is identified that within a 50 m radius there is a risk that people may be affected and also that buildings and structures placed in close vicinity to it be damaged, which causes a special threat if located close to other autogas filling stations. As one of the primary goals for safe operation of autogas filling stations is keeping rated operating conditions for process equipment components, a number of early preventive measures has to be taken, which would allow avoiding any emergencies. Practical importance: Following the patent study, a dusty cloud generation device based on an explosion overpressure triggering mechanism for explosion containment is contemplated and proposed and its location and operating conditions are recommended, which will make the facility better protected from fire and explosion hazards.