Fireproofing offers fire resistance to materials and structures, allowing important structures to continue working in the event of an accidental fire until the fire is brought under control. Fireproofing is the use of particular products over materials or buildings to reduce the escalation of fire and so provide plant operators with enough time to respond against the fire.
Fireproofing of equipment and structures is done for a variety of reasons. Some of these are as follows:
Completing the NFPA (National fire protection academy) and OSHA requirements to fulfill the industrial need
Fire resistance should be increased.
To maintain essential control systems and equipment operational throughout the fire.
At about 1000°F (538°C), structural steel is thought to lose roughly half of its design strength. As a result, employing fireproofing extends the time it takes to reach that temperature. It’s worth noting that a typical fire burns at temperatures ranging from 1800°F to 2000°F.
Fireproofing must be durable to withstand the rigors of daily life in the plant. If and when a fire occurs, the fire endurance qualities are preserved and the fireproofing can be relied on to perform successfully. Mechanical abuse, exposure to oil, solvents, and chemicals, and outside weathering over extended periods of twenty, thirty, or forty years are all examples of everyday exposure. As a steel coating, fireproofing may offer enough corrosion resistance. Concrete, when put directly to steel, can passivate the surface by producing an increased pH.
Method of applying fireproofing
When applying fireproofing to mechanical equipment, the following processes are taken:
Prepare the equipment’s surface.
Apply the primer at a thickness of 65-75 microns.
To retain the tie mesh, tack weld the nut.
Procreate 241 should be used.
Apply two layers of epoxy paint and measure the DFT of the paint as well as the thickness of the fireproofing.
If the engineer in charge or SOP accepts it, the vessel can be released for additional work.
Fireproofing Types:
In many industrial facilities, fireproofing is required in order to obtain insurance. Fireproofing is broadly classified into two types:
There are two types of fireproofing: active fireproofing and passive fireproofing.
In the case of active fireproofing, some type of activity by a person is necessary to activate the fireproofing system. Passive fireproofing, on the other hand, is planned and developed with safety precautions in mind. Passive fireproofing is the most prevalent type.
Firestop fireproofing, intumescent fireproofing, and cementitious fireproofing are all options.
