Исследование условий теплового самовозгорания тяжелых углеводородов (на примере битумов) на развитой поверхности волокнистой негорючей теплоизоляции

Abstract

Experimental and analytical studies of thermal spontaneous combustion of substances of heavy oil fraction distilling (fuel oil, bitumen, tar) when contacting with a developed surface of non-flammable fibrous (such as slag and glass wool, fiberglass) material of thermal insulation of a tank have been conducted based on the example of bitumen. Experimental studies and calculations have shown that on the developed surface of fibrous materials impregnated with bitumen, the process of bitumen decomposition involving the generation of thermal and thermal-oxidative degradation products of heavy hydrocarbons able to auto-ignite (ignite spontaneously on the developed non-flammable fibrous surface) or ignite in case of availability of ignition source is possible under certain conditions at relatively low temperatures (~120 °С and lower), i.e., at temperatures close to the maximum process temperature (~180 °С) and significantly lower temperatures compared to the temperature of spontaneous ignition of bitumen (~330–380 °С). The calculations of thermal flows have shown how (via what methods) the thermal conductivity of thermal insulation impregnated with bitumen can be improved and, thereby, the probability of its spontaneous combustion can be reduced or prevented. Based on experimental and analytical studies and calculations, the proposals for preventing spontaneous combustion of thermal insulation materials of storage tanks for bitumen and other hydrocarbons of high distillation of petroleum products have been formulated.