Isolation measures for air pumps from flammable materials during storage

The isolation of air pumps from flammable materials during storage is the core measure to ensure fire safety and prevent explosion accidents. A systematic protection system needs to be constructed from four dimensions: physical isolation, environmental control, monitoring and early warning, and management norms. The following are the specific measures and technical key points:

First, physical isolation measures

1. Spatial layout and distance standards

Minimum safety distance:

The air pump should be kept at a straight-line distance of no less than 5 meters from flammable liquids (such as gasoline and solvents). If space is limited, a fireproof partition wall (with a fire resistance limit of no less than 2 hours) should be set up.

The air pump should be kept at a fire prevention distance of no less than 3 meters from flammable solids such as wood and paper, and direct ventilation paths should be avoided.

Isolation barrier requirements:

The isolation wall should be constructed with A-level non-combustible materials (such as concrete and aerated bricks), with A thickness of no less than 200mm. The top should be more than 1 meter above the air pump to prevent sparks from flying.

A certain chemical plant added a 240mm thick aerated concrete wall between the air pump and the paint warehouse. After testing, it was found that it could withstand a 1200℃ flame for 1.5 hours.

2. Fire separation and independent zoning

Fire compartment design

The storage area for air pumps should be separately divided into fire compartments with an area of no more than 500 square meters, and a Class A fire door (with a fire resistance limit of no less than 1.5 hours) should be installed.

A certain automobile manufacturing plant has completely isolated the air pump storage area from the spray painting workshop, achieving physical separation through firewalls and fireproof rolling shutters to prevent chain fires.

Explosion-proof pressure relief design

If the air pump may produce explosive mixtures (such as oil-lubricated air pumps), a vent (with an area of ≥0.1㎡/m³) should be set up and led to a safe area.

A lightweight explosion-proof board was installed in the gas pump room of a certain coal mine. It automatically opens when the explosion pressure reaches 0.02MPa to prevent structural collapse.

Second, environmental control measures

Temperature, humidity and ventilation risk control system

Temperature limit:

The temperature in the storage area of the air pump should be no more than 40℃ to prevent the evaporation of lubricating oil or the aging of electrical components due to high temperature.

An industrial air conditioner was installed in the air pump room of a certain electronics factory to keep the temperature constant at 25±2℃, reducing the risk of fire.

Humidity control

The relative humidity should be maintained at 40% to 60% to prevent rusting of metal parts and the generation of electric sparks.

Example: A certain precision instrument factory is equipped with a dehumidifier in the air pump room. When the humidity exceeds the limit, it will automatically start to prevent short circuits caused by rust.

Ventilation system requirements:

Explosion-proof axial flow fans are adopted, with an air change rate of ≥6 times per hour, to ensure that the concentration of flammable gas is less than 25% of the lower explosive limit (LEL).

A dual-fan redundant system was installed in the air pump room of a certain chemical plant. Even when a single fan malfunctions, it can still maintain air changes at a rate of 4 times per hour.

2. Electrical safety and explosion-proof design

Explosion-proof electrical equipment

The lighting, switches and sockets in the air pump storage area should be explosion-proof equipment of Ex dⅡCT4 grade (applicable to dangerous gases such as gasoline and hydrogen).

An explosion-proof LED light was installed in the air pump room of a certain gas station, with a surface temperature of no more than 135℃, which is far lower than the autoignition point of gasoline vapor (260℃).

Static electricity and lightning protection

The ground is paved with an anti-static floor (resistance ≤10⁶Ω), and the grounding resistance of the metal casing of the air pump is ≤4Ω.

An independent lightning rod is installed in the air pump room of a certain oil depot, with a protection coverage radius of 50 meters and a grounding resistance of no more than 10Ω.

Third, the monitoring and early warning system

1. Combustible gas detection

Detector layout:

Install catalytic combustion or infrared combustible gas detectors at a height of 0.3 to 0.6 meters above the ground (where gas is prone to accumulate), with a coverage radius of no more than 7.5 meters.

Four detectors are installed in the air pump room of a certain LNG refueling station. When the concentration reaches 20%LEL, an audible and visual alarm is triggered, and when it reaches 50%LEL, the fan is activated.

Alarm threshold setting:

Level 1 alarm (20%LEL) : Activate the exhaust system and prompt manual inspection.

Secondary alarm (50%LEL) : Cut off the power supply of the air pump and activate the emergency response plan.

2. Automatic fire alarm

Detector type:

The smoke detector (suitable for early smolder-burning fires) is used in combination with the temperature detector (operating temperature 57℃).

Example: The air pump room of a certain archive is equipped with A2R type temperature detectors, with a response time of no more than 50 seconds, to prevent the spread of smolders caused by flammable paper materials.

Interlocking control

When a fire alarm is triggered, the fire damper will be automatically closed, non-fire-fighting power supplies will be cut off, and the fire pump will be activated.

Fourth, management norms and emergency measures

1. Daily management requirements

No-fire and no-smoking system

No open flame operations are allowed within 10 meters of the storage area. Any hot work must obtain a first-level hot work permit and be equipped with fire extinguishers (2 4kg dry powder fire extinguishers for every 50 square meters).

An AI video surveillance system has been installed in the air pump room of a certain shipyard, which can automatically identify smoking behavior and send an alarm to the safety officer's mobile phone.

Inspection and Maintenance

Check the sealing performance, oil level and pressure gauge of the air pump every day, test the function of the explosion-proof equipment every month, and clean the accumulated dust in the ventilation duct every quarter.

A certain chemical industrial park has formulated the "Air Pump Safety Inspection Checklist", which covers 12 key indicators, and the rectification rate of potential hazards has reached 100%.

2. Emergency Response plans and drills

Emergency material allocation:

The storage area is equipped with explosion-proof tools (copper wrenches), positive pressure air breathing apparatus, fire blankets, and an emergency assembly point (at least 50 meters away from the storage area).

The air pump room of a certain oil depot is equipped with three sets of air breathing apparatus, with the gas cylinder pressure ≥25MPa, which can meet the 30-minute escape requirement.

Drill requirements:

A practical drill is conducted every six months to simulate a fire caused by air pump leakage. The drill content includes personnel evacuation, initial fire fighting, and external rescue coordination.

In a drill at a certain car factory, it took 2 minutes and 15 seconds from the alarm to the complete evacuation of all staff, a reduction of 40 seconds compared to the previous year.

Fifth, summary and recommendation

Isolation priority:

Physical isolation > environmental control > monitoring and early warning > management norms. Priority should be given to eliminating fundamental risks through spatial separation and fire barriers.

Technical selection suggestions:

For industrial scenarios, it is recommended to combine explosion-proof screw air pumps, explosion-proof electrical appliances and infrared gas detectors. For household scenarios, diaphragm pumps, independent storage rooms and smoke alarms can be selected.

Cost-benefit analysis

The initial investment increases by 20% to 30% (such as explosion-proof equipment and isolation walls), but it can reduce fire losses (direct losses can reach more than ten times the value of the equipment).

Through the strict implementation of the above measures, the isolation safety of the air pump from flammable materials can be enhanced to over 99.9%, effectively preventing major accidents such as fires and explosions.