The floating roof tank is a special interest to fire protection engineers, as it is where 90 percent of fires start, it is prone to contact between flammable vapours and air, and it is where damaged rubber seals cause the exposure of combustible gases to the atmosphere and potentially a fire.
Traditionally, a 34-minute response time between ignition and a covering foam blanket is generally accepted by the industry.
During this long period where every second counts, a rim seal fire can grow rapidly out of control, and could end in an accident of catastrophic proportions.
Alternatively, some customers choose an automatic foam system, where foam is poured automatically to the appropriate storage tank through large diameter piping after the fire-alarm is initiated, this causes a decrease of extinguishing/response time to about 8-9 minutes, which is a good reduction, but is it enough?
There are circumstances when even a 25 percent response time reduction by automatic foam is not enough.
The Saval CFI system sets the extinguishing vessels and components on top of the floating roof as a local application to extinguish incipient fires quickly within 60-90 seconds of ignition. Saval CFI systems are designed to eliminate risks and bring fires under control not in 20 minutes, or 8 minutes, but in seconds.
These unique systems are specifically engineered for every individual storage tank and rim seal specifications. Appropriate operation is guaranteed by international independently verified fire-tests and approvals.
Wireless communication between storage tank and main Fire & Gas panel is also possible.
For more information visit www.saval.nl
