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Reliable flame detection in dome roof storage tanks at Vesta Terminals

Reliable flame detection in dome roof storage tanks at Vesta Terminals

For Vesta Terminals, Saval supplied its ClearView flame detection solution for storage tanks fitted with aluminium geodesic dome roofs. By creating a smart separation between the ATEX Zone 0 environment inside the tank and the externally mounted detector, ClearView combines reliable fire detection with safe and easy maintenance.

ClearView combines dependable detection with easy maintenance

Vesta Terminals operates multiple storage terminals with a large number of storage tanks. To improve environmental performance, reduce emissions and optimise operational efficiency, several open-top storage tanks have been equipped with aluminium geodesic dome roofs. These roofs help reduce vapour emissions and protect the tank contents from external influences.

At the same time, this creates a specific fire safety challenge: how can a fire inside a covered tank be detected reliably, while the atmosphere inside the tank is classified as ATEX Zone 0? For Vesta Terminals, Saval supplied its ClearView flame detection solution.

Challenge

In an industrial storage environment, fast and reliable fire detection is essential. This is especially true for tanks containing flammable products, where an incipient fire must be detected as early as possible.

For tanks with aluminium dome roofs, flame detection is technically challenging. The internal tank environment is classified as ATEX Zone 0, meaning that an explosive atmosphere may be present continuously or for long periods of time. Installing flame detectors directly inside this environment brings strict technical, safety and maintenance requirements.

Vesta Terminals needed a solution that could reliably detect flames inside the tank without placing the detector itself in the Zone 0 environment. The solution also had to be easy to maintain, allowing inspection and servicing to be carried out safely and efficiently from outside the tank.

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Approach

Saval supplied the ClearView solution for flame detection in dome roof storage tanks. At the heart of the solution is a physical separation between the ATEX Zone 0 environment inside the tank and the ATEX Zone 1 area outside the tank, where the detector is installed.

This separation is created using a high-quality special glass barrier. As a result, the Det-Tronics Triple IR Flame Detector can monitor the inside of the tank without being installed directly in the most critical ATEX zone.

The detector is mounted on a specially designed aluminium roof interface. This assembly positions the flame detector at a pre-engineered angle, ensuring optimum coverage of the detection area. Thanks to this engineered mounting solution, only three flame detectors are required per tank to achieve reliable flame detection.

ClearView therefore combines technical reliability with practical usability. The detectors remain accessible from outside the tank, making inspection, testing and maintenance significantly easier.

Result

With the ClearView solution, Vesta Terminals now has reliable flame detection inside its covered storage tanks. The Det-Tronics Triple IR Flame Detectors monitor the tank interior through the special glass barrier, while the detectors themselves are safely and accessibly installed on the outside of the tank.

The solution offers several key benefits:

  • Fire safety inside the dome roof storage tanks is improved through fast and reliable flame detection.
  • The detectors are easily accessible from outside the tank, making maintenance safer and more efficient.
  • The dedicated aluminium roof interface ensures optimal detector positioning.
  • Only three flame detectors are required per tank, without compromising detection coverage.

In this way, Saval supports Vesta Terminals in combining improved operational efficiency, reduced environmental impact and reliable fire safety in a demanding industrial environment.

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    Fire safety for tank storage requires specialist expertise

    Storage tanks containing flammable liquids require a tailored approach. Especially when technical, operational and ATEX requirements come together, a standard solution is rarely sufficient. With ClearView, Saval provides a well-engineered solution for reliable flame detection in dome roof storage tanks: safe, effective and easy to maintain.

    The photos above were taken at Vesta Terminal Antwerp under the supervision of Gertjan Van der Mast, Construction Supervisor @ Vesta Terminals Antwerp.

    Applied solution at Vesta Terminals

    Clearview
    Clearview