Pressure Relief Valves: Take the pressure of more than just storage tanks

Pressure Relief Valves: take the pressure of more than just storage tanks.

By LVSA Group

Written by Chriselda Pillay

The oil and gas industry produce enormous amounts of fluids daily. These products must be stored, (usually for a short period of time) before transportation or further processing. The oil and gas industry as well as many other industries use storage tanks. Due to the nature of oil and gas, it is no surprise that the strictest rules govern the materials, manufacture and maintenance of storage tanks. The American Petroleum Institute’s API 650 standard, outlines minimum requirements for the: design, materials, fabrication, erection, and examination of welded storage tanks. These standard outlines, protect the structure, safety of people and environment of the storage tanks. If a storage tank fails during an act of God or in an emergency situation the results could be fatal.

On the second of April 2015 around 10:00 am, a fuel tank storage facility in Santos near Sao Paulo went up in flames. It took over 80 fire fighters with 22 fire trucks almost 5 days to put out the blaze. The facility stores up to 301,300 cubic meters of fuels, chemicals, vegetable oils, ethanol and corrosive products. An estimated 8 tanks were completely destroyed and many others damaged in the fire. Fortunately, no lives where lost. Are there products that can stop or even prevent disasters like this? Yes, Pressure relief devices are major emission control devices. These devices can take more than just the pressure of storage tanks.

Relief valves protect against damage from pressure or vacuum and reduce losses from product evaporation. Deflagration and detonation arresters reduce the risk of damage or injury from fire. Blanket gas regulators maintain a constant gas pressure inside the vapor space of a tank to protect against fire or evaporation.

LVSA Group are the proud agents of Groth Corp Valves. Groth is a global leader in manufacturing pressure/vacuum relief valves, flame and detonation arresters, blanket gas regulators, and other low-pressure relief products. Groths products have been protecting refineries, chemical processing plants, and any facility with atmospheric, fixed-roof storage tanks: from tank farms all the way down to single storage tanks – for more than 40 years. LVSA Group provides solutions for: oil and gas, Chemical Processing, Pharmaceutical, Food and Beverage, and Bio Gas Processing.

For more information visit: http://lvsa.co.za/groth-corp-valve-official-supplier-durban-johannesburg-capetown-south-africa/

For enquiries: sales@lvsa.co.za

Bibliography

• Paulo Whitaker/Reuters, 2 April 2015, Smoke rises from fire at a fuel tank storage facility, viewed July 2019, <https://www.businessinsider.com/r-fuel-tank-fire-enters-third-day-in-santos-brazil-2015-4?IR=T>.

• Groth Corporation 2017, LVSA Group (Pty) Ltd official distributor of Groth Corporation Valves, Viewed July 2019, < http://lvsa.co.za/groth-corp-valve-official-supplier-durban-johannesburg-capetown-south-africa/>.