Process Safety Engineering

Sources of Ignition
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Main Objective

• Explain ignition basics

• State ignition sources (including the less

obvious)

• Outline the main aspects of hazardous

area classification

• Explain design alternatives and controls

Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
The Fire Triangle
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
The Fire Triangle

• The fire triangle or combustion triangle is a simple

model for understanding the necessary ingredients for
most fires

• The triangle illustrates the three elements a fire needs to

ignite:
➢ Heat (source of ignition),
➢ Flammable or combustible material, and
➢ an Oxidizing agent (usually oxygen)
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
The Fire Triangle

• A fire naturally occurs when the elements are

present and combined in the right mixture.

• A fire can be prevented or extinguished by

removing any one of the elements in the fire
triangle.
Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
The Fire Triangle
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Incident Frequencies sorted by Sources of Ignition
1. No ignition involved 41.6%
2. Auto ignition 14.6%
3. Unknown 13.0%
4. Flames from engines, furnace etc. 10.9%
5. Hot surfaces 04.6%
6. Lightning 03.4%
7. Spark from friction or grinding 03.4%
8. Static electricity 03.2%
9. Electrical equipment 02.3%
10. Welding arc 01.6%
11. Pyrophoric 01.2%
12. Match 0.2%
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
The Primary Controls

• Always consider the inherently safer design

alternative first
• Always separate fuel and ignition source if not
by design, then by hot work permit
• Non-open flames ignition sources always
require consideration of hot work permits.
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Overlooked Ignition Sources

• Electrical (Non-power): static electricity, stray

currents, lightning
• Physical: compression energy, friction impact
• Chemical: pyrophoric materials
• Moderate temperature sources: hot oil sacked
insulation
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Overlooked Ignition Sources

• Electrical (Non-power): static electricity, stray

currents, lightning
• Physical: compression energy, friction impact
• Chemical: pyrophoric materials
• Moderate temperature sources: hot oil sacked
insulation
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Pyrophoric materials
Iron sulfide deposits are a flammable hazard that
occurs in processing equipment, such as filters,
and will spontaneously combust when it comes in
contact with air.
Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Lightning
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Ignition by Flames
Sources Design alternatives
1. Flares/Burn pits Spacing & Layout
2. Fired heaters/boilers Spacing & Layout
3. Hot works PTW procedure
4. Engines Spacing & Layout
PTW procedure
5. Smoking Spacing & Layout
PTW procedure
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Hot Surfaces

1. Gas Turbine Exhaust

2. Engine Exhaust
3. Exposed Firetube Exhaust

Experience has shown that hat surface temp. has

to be significantly higher that AIT (Auto Ignition
Temperature). Exception is that the flammable
liquid-soaked fibrous insulation.
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Electrical Equipment as Ignition Source

- Switched
- Circuit Breakers
- Motor Starters
- Contractors
- Plugs and Receptacles

They release energy in the form of arcs & sparks

as contacts open & close.
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Electrical Equipment as Ignition Source

- Electrical Motors
- Transformers
- Lighting Fixtures

They are heating producing can ignite flammable

atmospheres if they exceed the ignition temp.
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Electrical Equipment as Ignition Source

- Electrical Motors
- Transformers
- Lighting Fixtures

They are heating producing can ignite flammable

atmospheres if they exceed the ignition temp.
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Electrical Equipment as Ignition Source

- Loose termination in junction box

- Loos bulb in a lighting fixture
- Insulation failure

This is a failure of electrical equipment can provide

a source of ignition and can cause sparking, arcing
and heat.
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Electrical Equipment as Ignition Source

Protection:

- Hazardous Area Classification

- Use of approved electrical equipment
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Hazardous Area Classification

What is it?:
- When electrical equipment is used in, or near
atmosphere that has flammable gases or vapors,
flammable liquids, combustible dusts, ignitable
fibers or flyings, there is always a possibility or
risk that a fire or explosion might occur.
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Hazardous Area Classification

Classification Systems:
- There are two systems to classify these
hazardous area:

1. Class/Division System (USA and Canada)

2. Zone System (Rest if the Word)

 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Hazardous Area Classification

Fundamental Purpose:
- To minimize the likelihood of electrica; equipment
causing the ignition of combustible gases or
vapors that may be present.
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Hazardous Area Classification

Specific Purposes:
- Ensure that sources of ignition are safely separated from
sources of combustible liquids and gases

- Ensure that any electrical equipment that must be used in

these area are of a adequate design and construction to
prevent them acting as ignition sources.
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Hazardous Area Classification

Specific Purposes:
- Define the extent of combatable travel from vent, drains
and other likely sources.

- Assist in the location of air inlets of HVAC systems, fired

equipment. Internal combustion engines to prevent
ingestion of combustible vapors or gases.
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Hazardous Area Classification

Specific Purposes:
- Assist in the location of Fire and Gas detection
equipment.

- Achieve an economical and safe electrical installation.

 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Comparing IEC and NEC
IEC : international Electrotechnical Commission
NEC: Matinal electrical Code
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Area Classification Risk Assessment
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Hazardous Area Classification
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Hazardous Area Classification
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Hazardous Area Classification
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Protection Methods

- Locate electrical equipment/devices of concern in a non-

hazardous area.

- Utilize explosion-proof enclosures

- Utilize intrinsically safe electrical equipment

- Purging and pressurizing

 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Explosion Proof Enclosures

- Enclosure is designed to contain an internal explosion

and prevent escaping gases fro igniting the surrounding
atmosphere.

- Applications: Control panels, control equipment, motors,

lighting fixtures.
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Intrinsically Safe Design

- A circuit in which any spark or thermal effect is incapable

of causing ignition of a combustible mixture.

- This is a accomplished by limiting the available power

(voltage & current) in the circuit.

- Mostly used for instrumentation, signal and controls.

Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Intrinsically Safe Design
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Purging and Pressurizing

- Prevent ingress of the external atmosphere into the

enclosure by maintaining protective gas at a positive
pressure( normally use instrument air)

- Purging is a mainly start up operation to remove

flammable gas/vapor from a protected enclosure
(Typically 5 – 10 volume changes).
Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Purging and Pressurizing
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Non-Power Electrical Ignition Sources

Static Electricity:

- Four conditions must combine to create an electrostatic

ignition:

1. A means of generating a charge

2. A means of a cumulating the charge

3. A spark gap

4. An ignitable air-vapor mixture in the spark gap

 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Non-Power Electrical Ignition Sources

Static Electricity:
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Non-Power Electrical Ignition Sources

Static Hazards:

- Personal grounding

- Liquid handling (loading tank trucks)

- Highly refined products are static accumulator

- Solid handling (Personnel electrical shock, ignition of

flammable liquids during hand addition of powders).
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Non-Power Electrical Ignition Sources

Static Electricity Control:

- Follow up standard procedures when loading trucks

- Identify opportunities for static ignition and one or more of

the four necessary conditions.

- Employ good bonding and grounding practices.

 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Non-Power Electrical Ignition Sources
Static Electricity Control:
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Non-Power Electrical Ignition Sources

Lightning:

- Lightning strike of flammable and combustible liquids

storage tanks is a common occurrence.

- External floating roof tanks with poor primary and

secondary seal management are likely candidates for fires
following lightning strikes.
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Non-Power Electrical Ignition Sources
Lightning:
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Non-Power Electrical Ignition Sources

Lightning Controls:

- Frequent inspection and maintenance of lightning

protection system.
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Non-Power Electrical Ignition Sources

Stray Currents:

- Radio frequencies

- Overhead high voltage transmission lines

- Cathodic protection

- Electrical heat tracing

 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Non-Power Electrical Ignition Sources

Stray Currents:
 Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition
Other Physical Ignition Sources

Mechanical Ignition:

- Sparks

- Friction

- Vibration
Process Safety Engineering
Sources of Ignition

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