Determination of Fire Affected Areas with BLEVE in Fuel Service Stations (FSS)

Accidents due to fuel fires in Service Stations (SS) present a serious threat to human activities and the local economy. In order to improve emergency planning, intervention zones were determined. First, the areas of affectation by thermal irradiation in a fire with Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion (BLEVE) were calculated at the Service Station “Granja” located in the Pallatanga canton, using the technical note of prevention (NTP) 293. For this a widespread fire was considered in the 5 storage tanks with combustible liquids, having three containers of premium diesel, one with “super” (high octane) gasoline and one with “extra” (regular) gasoline, each with a nominal capacity of 10000 gallons (37.85 m3). The impact on people at different distances was then calculated using the vulnerability models of people due to major accidents according to Finney's PROBIT functions. In the end, the intervention, and alert distances due to exposure to thermal radiation from the fire were determined according to SEVESO regulations for different events. It was found that, at 23.83 ℃, 76.09% relative humidity; 2911.1 Pa; The intervention distance is: 783 m, and 980 m distances for the alert zone. It was also calculated: a) 100% of burns with protective clothing at 400 m, b) 100% of burns without protective clothing at 500 m, c) 100% of 1st degree burns affected at 600 m, d) 100% of affected with burns of 2nd degree at 800 m and e) 100% of fatal burns close to 400 m.