Application of Improved Dows Fire and Explosion Index (F&EI) for Organic Solvent Recovery Plant

Abstract:

The Dow fire and explosion index (F&EI) is universally used in evaluating the hazard category of a process plant, area of exposure, expected losses in case of fire and explosion, etc. In the current procedure, the effects of the safety management measures (SMMs) on the F&EI value are not taken into account. This makes the plant look more hazardous, makes it more spread out, requires more elaborate emergency measures and alarms the public more than is necessary. The objective of this paper is to develop an improved Dows fire explosion index which not only supplemented and detailed the safety compensation coefficient and added the safety management coefficient in the F&EI value. And furthermore, this paper calculates and evaluates quantitatively the fire explosion risk of organic solvent recovery plant in a pharmaceutical factory based on the improved evaluation method. To do this, we have developed the relevant equations and have proved the efficacy of the SMMs by means of an actual case, and the evaluation results are more accurate and scientific.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 418)
• Pages: 149-156
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.418.149
• Online since: September 2013
• Authors: Miao Zhang, Wen Hua Song
• Keywords: Explosion Index, Fire Index, Hazard Coefficient, Process Safety, Safety Compensation Coefficient, Safety Evaluation

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