Oil tank owners know the dangers of fire in both oil and water tanks. Until recently, tank owners were left few optioins to protect against fire.
The question then becomes:
How can a tank owner proactively monitor against tank fires while also quickly dealing with them if they do occur?
How about an automatic fire detection and suppression solution that protects oil tanks from fire regardless of the cause and that doesn’t even require staff to operate it?
The XTT (Xtreme Tank Technology) tool is an oil skimmer with built-in fire detection and fire suppression functionality and Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) benefits, too.
How the XTT operates
The Xtreme Tank Technology tool changes the tank’s total atmosphere from flammable to inert. XTT releases nitrogen-based fire foam from the tool right into the flash zone a few inches above the oil phase and purges the tank of the combustible mix. This can be used for maintenance on tanks or to prepare for approaching storms.
The XTT Tool works off the simple idea that it remains in the Flash Zone. It is a constant moving object that stays with your tank level. Once a fire needs to be extinguished, the foam enters the XTT a few inches above the liquid releasing the fire foam, placing it in the correct spot. Firefighters want this foam directly on this area which lets the fire suppressing foam do its job and separate flame from fuel.
Let’s take a closer look at the components of the XTT in pictures.
XTT tool skimming benefits
The XTT tool provides oil skimming benefits to ensure you ship the cleanest oil. The skimmers float on top of the oil and with instrumentation enables tank owners to maintain a 3” to 4” oil blanket on their oil or water tanks.
XTT offers multiple advantages
XTT combines functions such as skimming, VRU take-off, riser line, and fire suppression in one tool.
XTT can be fitted with an infrared camera to monitor the tank for fire. If lightning, static, mechanical or a terrorist act occurs and starts a fire, the camera will detect this. The self-stored foam that is on site gets delivered instantly, a drastic improvement on the common situation where a fire department can little more than watch it burn out on conventional, external fire suppression methods.
XTT fire suppression benefits
When a fire is detected, the fire suppression functionality kicks in. Self-stored fire foam is quickly released directly above the fire zone a few inches above the oil, exactly where it’s needed to rapidly extinguish the fire. This is done automatically using an infrared camera to detect fire.
Automatic, no staff required
The fire suppression foam is released automatically. We install an infrared camera to monitor the tanks for sings of a fire. If lightning, static, mechanical or terrorist act starts a fire the camera will detect it.
The self-stored fire foam is already on site and is released in the tank covering the surface area rapidly. The foam enters the tank internally so it’s a much faster process than even dialling the fire department for help.
The time from fire detection to it being extinguished can occur in as quickly as 20 seconds.
Fire foam is placed where needed
The entire surface of the tank is covered quickly in fire suppressing foam. Fires are extinguished before they spread.
In the time that it take to detect and extinguish the fire, you wouldn’t have even had time to pick up the phone and call the fire department.
Contact OilPro at 403-215-3373 or by email at [email protected] to learn more about the benefits of the XTT tool, or visit www.xttcanada.com