On behalf of Vopak, Kenbri Firefighting worked on a huge valve station for the Vopak Optimus project. It installed a fully customised fire container with two tanktainers on top, containing 48,000 litres of foam.
Project leader Joost van Hagen said: “The container itself has an area of 4 by 12 metres and is 4 metres high. These dimensions are necessary to protect all equipment for admixture, extinguishing valves and valve circuits against weather influences and heat radiation. Two 2.5-metre-high tanktainers are added to house the 48,000-litre fire-fighting foam.”
He said this allows the valve station to accurately apply the right amount of fire-fighting foam over a wide flow range, depending on where a fire occurs. This wide flow range is necessary because of the different extinguishing systems that control the valve station.
Depending on the location of the fire, the mixing systems mix different amounts of extinguishing foam. But the admixture of the foam always remains within the required range of 3 to 3.9%.
The Vopak Optimus project presented a number of challenges. Joost van Hagen said: “We had to think deeply about this. The biggest challenge was the flow rate range from 2,000 to 48,000 liters per minute and the associated correct foam admixture. We found the solution in collaboration with FireDos and Bermad. Three FireDos proportioners are installed in parallel. The extinguishing system valves are supplied by Bermad. With a special pressure control on the largest Bermad valves, we ensure that the three enormous FireDos admixture systems are not at risk of overspeed. As a result, there is no imbalance in the supply of extinguishing foam.”
But Van Hagen and his colleagues then faced further challenges: “The solution for one created a challenge for the other. The flow rate range was the biggest challenge, but there were more. For example, there is a maximum surface on which the container can be placed at Vopak. In order to be able to lose all parts and the stock of foam, we went up to the height with a construction where the tanktainers are on the roof of the fire container.”
The fire extinguisher was prefabricated in its workshop in Numansdorp and had be transported to the Botlek. Including all materials, the container weighs about 25,000 kilos. The container is reinforced with beams to be able to lift the necessary material, such as the enormous admixture systems, valves and pipelines.
For more information visit www.kenbri.nl
