Experiment Investigation on Spontaneous Combustion of Iron Sulfides’ in Oil Tank

Abstract:

With sulfur-contained oil tanks undergoing chemical corrosions, the corresponding products (i.e. rust, mainly comprising of Fe₂O₃, Fe₃O₄ and Fe (OH)₃) would react with hydrogen sulfide, sulfur, mercaptan sulfur and other active sulfur contained in the oil to produce highly oxidizing iron sulfide, which is liable to cause fire and explosions upon exothermic reactions. In this paper, the corrosion induced by low-temperature wet H₂S and natural oxidations of corresponding products within the sulfur-contained oil tanks are simulated. An analysis is also made on the temperature changing patterns during the sulfidation of Fe₂O₃, Fe₃O₄, Fe (OH) ₃, and their mixtures as well as in the natural oxidation process of sulfide. Research results indicate that due to the strong oxidation tendency revealed by ferrous sulfide generated from reactions between Fe₂O₃, Fe₃O₄, Fe (OH) ₃, and their mixtures with wet H₂S under anaerobic conditions, it can react with oxygen in the natural air violently to release a lot of heat. The higher the content of Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄, the greater the risk of spontaneous combustion would be. Moreover, the oxidation of iron sulfide undergoes three phases in natural environment, i.e. oxidation induction, oxidation incubation, and oxidation acceleration.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 750-752)
• Pages: 1758-1764
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.750-752.1758
• Online since: August 2013
• Authors: Wen He Wang, Zhi Sheng Xu, Bao Jiang Sun, Dong Liang
• Keywords: Iron Sulfides, Natural Oxidation, Rate of Temperature Rising, Sulfur Oil Tank

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