Analysis the Potential of Fire and Explosion at Secondary Reformer as Processing Unit in Ammonia Plant

Abstract

Increasing of fertilizer industry in the world made the increasing of ammonia industry as well. Ammonia was used as nitrogen source in fertilizer industry. Ammonia process production involved natural gas (flammable) with high temperature and high pressure in the process. Secondary reformer was the one of process unit plant in ammonia plant that had high temperature and pressure. Secondary reformer was the one of the unit process used to get hydrogen (H2) from natural gas. Hazard identification for secondary reformer was conducted by using Fault Tree Analysis (FTA). The results of FTA analysis for secondary reformer could be grouped into technical and non technical aspects. Non technical aspects had 76% possibility in fire/explosion at secondary reformer. Analysis using Dow’s Fire & Explosion Index (DFEI) resulted that the radius effect due to secondary reformer explosion was 74 meter. The actual probable property damage was US$ 11.649.269 and probable daily outage at least 129 days. Software ALOHA (Arial Location of Hazardous Atmospheres) resulted that the lowest effect of secondary reformer explosion, 0,5 psi, that could shattered the glass was 62 m in radius. Moreover, the radius effect for 1 psi explosion strength (made house/office inhabitable) was 41 m from secondary reformer.