Numerical simulation of thermal radiation distribution of large-scale crude oil storage tank

Abstract

When the fire of a large-scale crude oil storage tank occurs, the fire source will emit large heat radiation which can induce not only serious economic losses, but also casualties. This paper investigated the influence of full-surface fire occurring in a crude oil storage tank on the adjacent tanks by numerical simulation based on the fire dynamic simulation software (FDS). Firstly, the combustion model of 105 m3 crude oil storage tank was constructed to reproduce the evolution behavior of the flame and smoke after the fire of the storage tank. The distributions of temperature and heat radiation value of adjacent storage tanks of crude oil storage tank were analyzed. The results show that a warning line with a radius of 57.77 m should be established to reduce the personnel and equipment damage caused by heat radiation when a full-surface fire occurs in the storage tank. This research can provide a technical basis and decisionmaking reference for the check computation of the fire-fighting capacity of fixed fire- fighting facilities, tactical arrangements of fire-fighting and rescue, and emergency rescue.