Integration of New Security Features at a Tank Farm
As part of a comprehensive technical overhaul of a chemical industry tank farm, existing safety concepts were to be expanded and adapted to current functional safety requirements. The goal of the project was to sustainably enhance the facility’s safety, minimize potential risks to people, the environment, and operations, and ensure compliance with relevant national and international standards. Particular attention was paid to the tank farm’s existing transfer pumps. New safety-related dry-run protection functions were to be implemented for these pumps to ensure reliable and standards-compliant shutdown in the event of a fault. The challenge was to integrate the new safety functions into the existing infrastructure without compromising the facility’s availability. At the same time, all measures had to meet the requirements of Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 2 and take into account the existing explosion protection requirements.
gefeba handled the complete planning, implementation, and validation of the new Safety Instrumented Functions (SIF). The focus was on two independent dry-run protection functions, each of which safely shuts down a feed pump in the event of a hazard. To implement this, existing evaluation units were replaced with SIL-compliant components, and additional safety-related shutdown contactors were integrated into the existing control architecture. In addition, adjustments were made to the wiring, existing safety chains were expanded, and the electrical documentation and schematics were updated. In parallel with the hardware modernization, the new safety logic was implemented in the safety PLC. Process visualization, alarm systems, and diagnostic structures were also adapted to enable plant operators to transparently monitor the new safety functions. Extensive simulations and functional tests ensured that all safety requirements were met even before commissioning. Another key focus was on providing standard-compliant verification of functional safety. To this end, detailed PFD calculations were performed, the system architecture was evaluated, and comprehensive safety verifications and project documentation were prepared.
The successful implementation of the new safety features has led to a lasting improvement in the safety level of the tank farm. The integrated SIL-2 dry-run protection features ensure that the transfer pumps shut down reliably in the event of a hazard, thereby reducing the risk of equipment damage and production downtime. After implementation was completed, extensive on-site tests, loop checks, functional tests, and real-world shutdown tests were conducted. The final validation was carried out in collaboration with an independent testing organization. All results were documented in detail and provided to the operator as evidence of implementation in compliance with standards. The project establishes a robust foundation for the long-term safe operation of the facility and meets the highest requirements for functional safety, explosion protection, and plant availability.
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