Features of petrochemical fire accidents

1. The explosion risk is large. First of all, the equipment and pipelines of petrochemical production and storage sites store a large number of flammable raw materials or products, and it is easy to form a physical explosion after leakage explosion or expansion after heating; Secondly, the high degree of continuity of the production device, which is easy to form a continuous explosion; In the case of incorrect fire fighting procedures, multiple explosions may result.

2. The fire is developing rapidly. According to the calculation of fire fighting practice, when a fire occurs in the petrochemical industry, the linear spread speed of the flame can reach 2~3 m/s. At the same time, its combustion rate is also very fast, for example: gasoline fires can reach 80.9 kg/m²*h, benzene can reach 165.4kg/m²*hr. The speed of burning and explosion is impossible to prevent.

3. It is easy to form three-dimensional large-area combustion. When a fire occurs in a building or structure that produces and stores flammable and explosive liquids and gases, due to the interrelated influence between the buildings and structures, it is easy to cause three-dimensional combustion by the fire; In a gas fire, the gas with a specific weight than air spreads from top to bottom, and three-dimensional combustion will be formed when encountering the fire source; Flammable and explosive liquids are affected by high temperature or heat radiation, and the volatile vapor may float and spread from bottom to top with the wind, and it is easy to form three-dimensional combustion phenomenon when the fire source flows or splashes the fire.

4. It is easy to re-ignite and re-detonate. In petrochemical fires, after the gas or oil fire is extinguished, if it is not properly disposed of in time, the residue will still burn or explode again, which must be paid great attention to in fighting fires.

5. The harm is huge. Petrochemical fires have fast burning speed, high calorific value, and strong thermal radiation in the fire site, which is easy to cause injuries to rescue personnel. In addition, the leakage and diffusion of toxic substances and the splashing and flow of flammable and explosive materials form a large-area, three-dimensional or multi-fire ignition, which expands and aggravates the scope and degree of the disaster, and its toxic gas is also easy to cause injury to rescue personnel.