Approval of Structural Steel Protection Materials for Hydrocarbon Fires

Chris Miles Business Manager Europe & Latin America

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Agenda
UL Overview Background to Hydrocarbon Hydrocarbon testing by UL UL Hydrocarbon Certification Proposal Q&A/discussion

UL
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Hydrocarbon

Background - Fire
The construction and operation of petrochemical installations is a high risk process. Fire events can often result in high loss of plant and production time. The fires can be extremely severe due to the hydrocarbon fuels. Needs specific test regimes including higher temperatures than typical commercial or domestic buildings. Therefore products to protect the installations against fire are specifically designed to resist these higher temperatures.

Steelwork protection

Background - Exposure
The environment, pre-fire, can mean products are exposed to very low temperatures. This can affect the applied protection and reduce fire resistance. Additionally, long duration weathering of the protection can be detrimental to the fire performance.

Concerns
Incorrect fire protection levels can lead to loss of fire performance if fire breaks out. Need to know if hydrocarbon fuels are likely to be burning in a fire event. This affects the type and thickness of protection that should be used. If protection is used outside, what temperatures will it be subjected to. Should ensure protection will remain in place if temperatures are extreme If protection is used outside, will it be exposed to weathering? Ensure protection is capable of remaining intact.

Selection of Protection Material

Consequences

Situation in Russia
No specific hydrocarbon standard specified by the Russian codes. Materials currently on the market are often tested to the GOST standard only (GOST R 53295). That uses cellulosic temperatures and is not appropriate. Products often have UL 1709 test evidence but must have GOST approval also which results in lower protection thicknesses and lower resistance levels per mm.

Hydrocarbon Testing by UL

History
Oil refining industry conducted testing in England and US. Used temperature and heat flux to establish an exposure to replicate a hydrocarbon fire scenario. Subsequently the oil companies only used fire protection products evaluated to this condition at their facilities.

UL 1709
First edition - February, 1989. Currently fourth edition. Activity for high intensity/hydrocarbon fires with ASTM in mid 1970s to meet oil refinery specifications. Understood existing time/temperatures were not applicable, not as aggressive and fast forming being based on wood/cotton materials, not oil based. Evaluated by temperature and heat flux. Large scale test methods for fire performance. Small scale test methods for fire and environmental performance using durability standard UL 2431

Comparison of Cellulosic to UL 1709

Cellulosic (typical) T-t Curve 1000F at 5 min Columns, Walls, Floors, Roofs, Beams No calibration requirements Optional Environmental Exposures Same TC layout Same failure point - 1000F average and 1200F maximum UL 1709 4th ed. (1st ed. 1989) T-t Curve 2000F at 5 min Columns Only Calibration required Mandatory Environmental Exposures

t-T Comparison
2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0

Temperature (F)

Cellulosic UL 1709

60

120 Time (s)

180

240

Certification by UL

UL Certification Process
Step 1. Witness Production of test material Provides traceability between production and test preparation Step 2. Witnessed sample preparation and application Ensures the correct sample is prepared Step 3. Consistent thickness readings during preparation and before testing Step 4a. Fire Test Step 4b. Weathering test Evaluation to Simulated Environments. Compare to fire test results. <75% of control sample Step 4c. Exposure test Step 5. Evaluation of data package Step 6. Final certification Step 7. Online certification database updated

UL Certification
Headline category (BYBU) Individual designs (XR) Assembly concept

UL Certification
1. Steel Column Min size W10x49. The column surfaces must be free of dirt, loose scale and oil, then primed with 0.001 in. of an epoxy based primer material. 2. Mastic and Intumescent Coating* See table below for appropriate thicknesses. Two-component spray material applied in one or more coats as described in the manufacturer's product technical data. ++ See Item 3A for alternate Reinforcing Mesh Company Product 3. Reinforcing Mesh Nom 3 by 3 mm fiberglass mesh with a nom weight of 172 g/m2 applied to the entire column with an 89 mm overlap at side joints and 76 mm overlap at end joints. Mesh shall be placed at approximately mid-depth of the coating for all hourly ratings. Company Product 3A. Reinforcing Mesh (For 2-1/2 Hr. Rating Only) Nom 3.5 by 3.5 mm coated glass fiber mesh with a nom weight of 245 g/m2 applied to the entire column with a 51 mm overlap on side joints and end joints butted. The mesh shall be placed at approximately mid-depth of the coating for all hourly ratings. Company Product Material
Rating, Hr 1/2 1 1-1/2 2 2-1/2 ++ Thickness, mm 5.45 8.63 11.81 14.99 27

Proposal

Proposal to Adopt UL1709

Adoption of ANSI/UL1709 and the associated UL certifications in Russian would provide an increase in fire safety in petrochemical installations and prevent substitution of correctly tested products with products which have not been tested to a sufficiently high intensity test regime and would provide a verifiable system for checking the acceptability of the products. The addition of the ANSI/UL1709 to the requirements for approval of protective systems would enable the industry to develop products to a single test method for use in many regions of the world and to subsequently use a harmonised certification listing. Adoption of ANSI/UL1709 and the associated UL certifications in Russian would enable a harmonised process and consistent certifications across the petrochemical industry of which Russia is an important part.

Appendix Test information

Calibration Column
Confirms furnace exposure is accurate. Measured with thermocouples and calorimeters mounted within 14 x 14 in. by 6 ft. tall calibration column. Final instrument. Heat flux gauges. Thermocouples.

Thermocouple Locations Full Scale

Structural Tube Wide Flange

Thermocouple Locations Small Scale

6 x 6 in. tubes. 3/16 in. wall. 2 ft. tall. Plates at each end.

Conditions of Acceptance
Small Scale 10.1 The average temperature of the test samples shall not exceed 1000F (538C) and no thermocouple shall indicate a temperature greater than 1200F (649C) within a time equal to three quarters of the control period.

Conditions of Acceptance
Full Scale 6.1 The transmission of heat through the protection material during the period of fire exposure for which Classification is desired shall not raise the average temperature at any of the four levels of the steel column above 1000F (538C) and no thermocouple shall indicate a temperature greater than 1200F (649C).