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72113

Failure Analysis of an Exploded Large-Capacity Liquid Storage Tank Using Finite Element Analysis

Article

Last updated: 25 Dec 2024

Subjects

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Tags

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Abstract

In case of liquid storage tank has been designed regardless of international standards and there is
little interest with its operating conditions, it may lead to fully or partially failure. This paper has
studied a failure of Toluene storage tanks with different capacities. Toluene is a liquid aromatic
hydrocarbon C7H8 which is toxic, flammable and may cause boiled liquid expanded vapor
explosions (BLEVE). Failure analysis was performed to determine the root causes of toluene
storage tank failure as well as corrosion influence. Axisymmetric finite Element analysis
(FEA) was performed for fillet welding of tank roof and top shell zone to develop a relation
between weld electrode size and tank diameter at each type of weld electrode to determine the
main framework of roof to top shell welding process. Also, to develop a relation between tank
diameter and maximum stresses that resulted at every amount of vapor pressure according to
maximum von-Mises stress theory. The optimum roof to top shell welding size is obtained through
the circumference welding path. The results of analysis allowed us to redesign the tank according
to API 650 and to express the recommendations for toluene storage tanks operation.

DOI

10.21608/erjm.2020.72113

Keywords

BLEVE, Toluene storage tank, Failure analysis, Finite element analysis, Axisymmetric stress analysis

Authors

First Name

Kamel

Last Name

Muhammad

MiddleName

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Affiliation

Department of Production Engineering and Mechanical Design, Menoufia University, Shebien El-Koum, Egypt

Email

eng.kamelmahmoud@gmail.com

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Mahmoud

Last Name

Abo-Elkhier

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Department of Production Engineering and Mechanical Design, Menoufia University, Shebien El-Koum, Egypt

Email

-

City

-

Orcid

-

Volume

43

Article Issue

1

Related Issue

10966

Issue Date

2020-01-01

Receive Date

2020-02-19

Publish Date

2020-01-01

Page Start

41

Page End

50

Print ISSN

1110-1180

Online ISSN

3009-6944

Link

https://erjm.journals.ekb.eg/article_72113.html

Detail API

https://erjm.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=72113

Order

4

Type

Original Article

Type Code

1,118

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

ERJ. Engineering Research Journal

Publication Link

https://erjm.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Failure Analysis of an Exploded Large-Capacity Liquid Storage Tank Using Finite Element Analysis

Details

Type

Article

Created At

22 Jan 2023