Failure Analysis of an Exploded Large-Capacity Liquid Storage Tank Using Finite Element Analysis | ||||
| ERJ. Engineering Research Journal | ||||
| Article 4, Volume 43, Issue 1, January 2020, Page 41-50 PDF (1.15 MB) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/erjm.2020.72113 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
| Kamel Muhammad; Mahmoud Abo-Elkhier | ||||
| Department of Production Engineering and Mechanical Design, Menoufia University, Shebien El-Koum, Egypt | ||||
| 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. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| BLEVE; Toluene storage tank, Failure analysis, Finite element analysis, Axisymmetric stress analysis | ||||
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