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Q1. What is the Objective of Fire Load Calculations (FLC) Study?
A1. The Objective of Fire Load Calculations (FLC) Study is as follows:
Fire load calculation is a critical aspect of fire safety and risk assessment in buildings and industrial facilities. The fire load represents the total amount of combustible materials within a given space, and calculating it is essential for determining the potential severity of a fire. Fire load calculation for tanks involves assessing the potential fire hazard presented by the contents of the tanks. Fire load calculations contribute to designing appropriate fire suppression systems, evacuation plans, and structural fire protection features. Fire load calculations enhance life safety by assessing the potential impact of a fire on occupants within a building or facility. This includes considering factors such as the rate of fire growth and the production of toxic gases during combustion.
Q2. What reference is commonly used for FLC Study?
A2. Reference commonly used for FLC Study is as follows:
IS:1641 CODE OF PRACTICE FOR FIRE SAFETY OF BUILDING (GENERAL): GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF FIRE GRADING AND CLASSIFICATION
Q3. What is the methodology for FLC Study?
A3. Methodology used for FLC Study is as follows:
These steps are illustrated in the flow chart below
Sharing the list of Documents Required: Providing a comprehensive list of necessary documents for Fire Load Calculation like Inventory of Materials, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), Material Combustibility and Heat Release Rate Data etc.
Review of the Documents required.
Identification of Materials: Identify the materials stored in the tanks. Different materials have different heat release rates and combustion characteristics.
Determination of Quantities: Measure or estimate the quantities of each material stored in the tanks. This could be in terms of volume, mass, or other appropriate units.
Heat Release Rates (HRR): Determine the heat release rates for each material. This information is often available from fire engineering handbooks, laboratory tests, or fire testing data specific to the materials in question.
Classification of fire-load: There shall be three classifications for fire-load and as usually they are low, medium and high. So, in order to identify the fire load classification, there shall be some classification i.e.,
Low Fire load: < 2, 75, 000 KCal/Sq.mt
Medium Fire load: 2, 75, 000 - 5, 50, 000 KCal/Sq.mt
High Fire load: > 5, 50, 000 KCal/Sq.mt
Calculation of Fire Load: Multiply the quantity of each material by its corresponding heat release rate to determine the heat release contribution from that material. Sum up the individual contributions to obtain the total fire load for all materials in the tanks.
Conversion Factors: Ensure that all quantities and heat release rates are in consistent units. Common units include kilograms, megajoules, or kilowatts.
Protection Measures: Assess existing fire protection measures for the tanks, such as automatic fire suppression systems, and consider their effectiveness in mitigating fire risk.
Q4. What are the steps for FLC Study?
A4. Steps for FLC Study is as follows:
Figure 1:Fire Load Calculation Flow sheet
Q5. What are the documents required for the FLC Study?
A5. Documents required for the FLC Study are as follows:
Scope of work
Plot Plan/Layout (with scale)
Fire Hydrant Layout
Fire Extinguisher Details
Facility Description
Inventory Details
Material Safety Data Sheets
Process Description
Process Flow Diagram
Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&IDs)
Fire Water Pump and Reservoir Details
Q6. What are documents deliverables for FLC Study?
A6. Documents deliverables for FLC Study are as follows:
Objective
Scope of Work
Executive Summary
Fire-Load Calculation Methodology
Fire-Load Calculation Worksheet
FLC Report
Comments Resolving sheets
Q7. What are Fundamental Assumptions for FLC Study?
A7. The Fundamental assumptions for FLC study are as follows:
Calorific values of some complex chemicals are not readily available in literature and thus calorific values of such chemicals are needed to be assumed based on the similarity of combustion/physical/chemical properties with chemicals whose calorific values are present in literature.
Calorific values of non-combustible materials/materials that undergoes decomposition are assumed to be zero.
Q8. What are challenges for FLC Study?
A8. Challenges that come in FLC study is as follows:
Challenges include variability in material properties, changes in inventory over time, complex storage configurations, the presence of reactive or incompatible materials, and the need to account for uncertainties in fire behavior and suppression measures.
Q9. How can fire load calculations be used to improve fire safety in the chemical industry?
A9. Fire Load Calculations is used to improve fire safety in the chemical industry in following ways:
Fire load calculations help identify high-risk areas, optimize fire protection systems, develop emergency response plans, and prioritize risk mitigation measures. By understanding the potential fire hazard posed by combustible materials, organizations can implement proactive measures to reduce the likelihood and impact of fires.
Q10. What information does the executive summary of a FLC Report typically include?
A10. Executive Summary of a FLC Report typically include following information:
The executive summary of a FLC (Fire Load Calculation) Report provides a overview of the study's objectives, methodology, key findings, and recommendations.
It typically includes:
Introduction: Briefly outlines the purpose of the FLC study and the systems/processes analyzed.
Methodology: Describes the approach and the method used in the study
Key Findings: Summarizes the findings of fire load into low, medium and high, significant hazards identified during the study, along with their potential consequences.
Recommendations: Provides high-level recommendations for mitigating the identified hazards and improving the safety of the system
Conclusion: Concludes with a summary of the overall importance of the study and any next steps.
Q11. How FLC Worksheet looks like?
A11. Following is the sample Fire Load Calculation Worksheet.
Q12. What is the Comment Resolution Sheet?
A12. The meaning of Comment Resolution Sheet (CRS) is as follows:
A comment resolution sheet is a document used to track and address comments, feedback, or issues raised during a review process, audit, or evaluation.
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