Full scale fire tests with unprotected and thermal insulated LPG storage tanks

Abstract This paper presents the results of three fire tests (tank surrounding fuel oil fire) with unprotected 4.85 m 3 LPG storage vessels and two fire tests (full fuel oil fire engulfment) with tanks of the same type which had been equipped with a fire protection insulation. The unprotected tanks failed after a fire duration between 7 and 12 minutes; the tank rupture caused a BLEVE. The thermal insulation which was examined is able to prevent a failure even in a full fire engulfment of up to 90 minutes. The test results in terms of temperature- and pressure-time-relations as well as the insulation design aspects are given and discussed in detail.