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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Technical Advice => Topic started by: Ashley Wood on September 30, 2008, 08:04:39 AM

Title: Ammonia NH3
Post by: Ashley Wood on September 30, 2008, 08:04:39 AM

I am doing an FRA of a cold storage facility in a couple of week’s time. One of the areas is an ammonia plant room. Has anyone any experience either from the FRA point of view or the operational point of view? If anyone has done an FRA of a similar facility and would like to share the bit about the ammonia plant room with me, that would be great. I am assuming that the ammonia is NH3?

Title: Ammonia NH3
Post by: Big A on September 30, 2008, 01:03:20 PM

Yes, it is. You might find the following paragraph useful:


The combustion of ammonia in air is very difficult in the absence of a catalyst (such as platinum gauze), as the temperature of the flame is usually lower than the ignition temperature of the ammonia-air mixture. The flammable range of ammonia in air is 16–25%.

Title: Ammonia NH3
Post by: Ashley Wood on September 30, 2008, 01:57:02 PM

Thanks Big A, What fire fighting equipment would you expect to find?

Title: Ammonia NH3
Post by: Ricardo on September 30, 2008, 09:19:16 PM

Hi Ashley

Take  a look at these links, may be of some use to you

http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&Page&HPAwebAutoListName/Page/1158313434449?p=1158313434449

http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/casestudies/pdf/coldstorage.pdf

Title: Ammonia NH3
Post by: Ashley Wood on October 01, 2008, 08:22:08 AM

Thanks Recard, most helpfull.