Level Instruments for Tank Overfill Protection

Tank overfill incidents in recent years have resulted in loss of life and billions of dollars in damages to petroleum facilities worldwide. One of the worst incidents - the overflow of a gasoline storage tank at Buncefield Oil Depot (U.K.) - has been traced to the failure of level control to maintain containment of the flammable liquid. More common are minor spills that cause significant environmental impact and result in millions of dollars in clean-up fees and environmental agency fines.

In the wake of this incident, the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 2350, the most widely accepted guideline for overfill protection of petroleum storage tanks, has been revised. The fourth edition was published in May 2012 and combined the prescriptive standards of RP 2350 with the functional safety standards of Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) as described in IEC 61511.

Vital to these new requirements is the application of level instrumentation as one part of a comprehensive Overfill Prevention Process (OPP).

Magnetrol, a world-leader in the design, manufacturer and application of level and flow instrumentation, has written an application document titled "Level Instruments for Tank Overfill Protection". Get your copy here.

White Paper About Safety Compliance for Solenoid Valves

Solenoid valves for industrial process control applications
Image courtesy Asco Valve

Regulatory modifications have raised important issues in design and use of industrial safety systems. Certain changes in IEC 61508, now being widely implemented, mean that designers and users who desire full compliance must give new consideration to topics such as SIL levels and the transition to new methodologies.

In particular, these issues can impact the selection of solenoid valves and prepackaged redundant control systems (RCS) for implementation in a safety instrumented system (SIS). Such selections may also be affected by how experienced valve suppliers are at dealing with complex new compliance methodologies.

These issues are especially applicable to the oil, gas, chemical, and power industries - in applications such as safety shutdown systems, boilers, furnaces, high-integrity protection systems (HIPS), and more. These issues are of concern to safety engineers and reliability engineers, as well as to process engineers, engineering executives, and plant managers.

This report, a white paper made available by ASCO Valve, will address these issues in developing a compliant safety instrumented system using valves and redundant control systems. Making the right choices in safety system planning and in valve supplier selection can affect design time, costs, and effort — as well as the safety of the plant itself.

Asco Safety Systems Solenoid Valve Selection Guide from Miller Energy, Inc.

WirelessHART Toxic and Combustible Gas Detector

Vanguard WirelessHART toxic and combustible
gas detector for industrial safety use.
Image courtesy United Electric Controls

Earlier this year, United Electric Controls released its Vanguard WirelessHART gas detector for use in a wide range of industrial settings. Detecting potentially hazardous levels of toxic or combustible gases is an essential element of plant safety where these gases are employed. The Vanguard detector integrates seamlessly into existing WirelessHART networks and asset management systems. A battery lifespan of 5 years and a design that provides in-place test and calibration mean there will be little burden to maintaining the proper operation of the unit.

More detail is provided in the brochure included below. The Vanguard incorporates solid construction and design features to deliver ease of use and long service life. Share your gas detection and process measurement challenges with instrumentation specialists. Combining your own process experience and knowledge with their product application expertise will result in an effective solution.

WirelessHART Gas Detector for Toxic and Combustible Gas from Miller Energy, Inc.

Case Study From CSB: Industrial Plant Heat Exchanger Explosion

Shell and tube heat exchangers

Industrial accidents, whether minor or catastrophic, can serve as sources of learning when analyzed and studied. Operators, owners, and technicians involved with industrial chemical operations have a degree of moral, ethical, and legal responsibility to conduct work in a reasonably and predictably safe manner without endangering personnel, property, or the environment. Part of  a diligent safety culture should include reviewing industrial accidents at other facilities. There is much to learn from these unfortunate events, even when they happen in an industry that may seem somewhat removed from our own.

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board, or CSB, is an independent federal agency that investigates industrial chemical accidents. Below, find one of their video reenactments and analysis of an explosion that occurred at a Louisiana chemical processing plant in 2013. A portion of the reenactment shows how a few seemingly innocuous oversights can combine with other unrecognized conditions that result in a major conflagration.

Check out the video and sharpen your senses to evaluate potential trouble spots in your own operation.

Video Reenactment and Analysis of Explosion at Chemical Storage Facility

Unfortunate events can provide useful lessons for industrial
process operators

Industrial accidents range in severity and impact from minuscule to catastrophic. As operators, owners, or technicians involved with industrial operations, we all have a degree of moral, ethical, and legal responsibility to conduct our work in a manner that does not unduly endanger personnel, property, or the environment. Maintaining a diligent safety stance can be helped by reviewing industrial accidents at other facilities. There is much to learn from these unfortunate events, even when they happen in an industry that may seem somewhat removed from your own.

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board, or CSB, is an independent federal agency that investigates industrial chemical accidents. Below, find one of their video reenactments of an explosion that occurred in Texas in 2013, along with their findings regarding the cause of the incident. Check out the video and sharpen your senses to evaluate potential trouble spots in your own operation.

Contact Miller Energy for any safety related information you may need concerning their lines of industrial process control products.