Research on the Safety and Security Distance of Above-Ground Liquefied Gas Storage Tanks and Dispensers.

Bożena Kukfisz,Robert Piec,Aneta Kuczyńska,Barbara Szykuła-Piec

doi:10.3390/ijerph19020839

Bożena Kukfisz, Robert Piec + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19020839

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Abstract

Many countries lack clear legal requirements on the distance between buildings and petrol station facilities. The regulations in force directly determine the petrol station facilities’ required distance to buildings, and such distances are considered relevant for newly designed and reconstructed buildings. Public buildings must be located no closer than 60 m to the above-ground liquefied gas tanks and liquid gas dispensers. Still, based on engineering calculations and the applied technical measures, it is possible to determine a safe distance for buildings that are constructed, extended and reconstructed, to which superstructures are added or whose utilisation method changes. The paper presents the results of calculations devoted to determining a safe distance between public buildings and LPG filling station facilities, using selected analytical models. The analyses were carried out for the LPG gas system commonly used in petrol stations, consisting of two gas storage tanks of 4.85 m3 capacity each, and a dispenser. It is legitimate to eliminate the obligation to observe the 60 m distance between LPG filling stations and public buildings and the mandatory distance of 60 m between liquefied gas dispensers and public buildings is not justified in light of the implemented requirements to use various protections at self-service liquefied gas filling stands.

Highlights

Cars powered with gas have been known since the beginning of the automotive industry when, in 1860, Etienne Lenoir constructed the first combustion engine using a mixture of coal gas and air
The conclusions must be preceded by the following caveat: the scenarios analysed with the areal location of hazardous atmospheres (ALOHA) program were highly unfavourable
Gas release through 3.2 cm holes was considered in the analysed scenarios because of the sizes of valves and hoses used in LPG

Summary

Introduction

Cars powered with gas have been known since the beginning of the automotive industry when, in 1860, Etienne Lenoir constructed the first combustion engine using a mixture of coal gas (used for illuminating streetlamps) and air. Liquefied gas, being a mixture of two LPGs, was first obtained in 1910 by an American chemist, Dr Walter O. Was used for powering a car three years later [1]. LPG has maintained its popularity as fuel powering car engines due to its economic aspect—the LPG to petrol price ratio is still favourable, despite the tax burdens introduced for LPG. Lower emissions to the environment, including but not limited to carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides, are another vital aspect. LPG is regarded as cheap and as an environmentally friendly fuel

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