See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/322789511

Firefighting systems in gas turbine power plant

Article · January 2018

CITATIONS READS
0 345

2 authors, including:

Goodarz Sabetian
Islamic Azad University, Iran, Fasa
7 PUBLICATIONS   0 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

power plant commissioning View project

power plants View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Goodarz Sabetian on 30 January 2018.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 Firefighting systems in gas turbine power plant
Goodarz Sabetian Fard Jahromy, Hatam Mohammadi Kamrava

Electrical Engineering Department, Islamic Azad University, Fasa Branch, Fasa, Iran

Sabetian2002@yahoo.com , Hmkamrava@yahoo.com

Abstract
Firefighting and detection are one of most critical systems in power plants. Although they have not so
significant as in petrochemical and refinery plants, but must work properly and plays their role
impressively in power plants too. They should not only detect the fire but also extinguish it, further more
they are linked to other systems and can prevent more damages, trip the unit, close the inlet fuel valves
and limit the fire. In fire triangle which consists of air, flammable material and spark if we can delete each
of sides the fire will be finished. The paper offer the basic of these systems used in power generation
plants (merely gas turbines) and finally an active project in more detail.

Key words: firefighting, detection, power plant, gas turbine

Introduction
Devices that put out the fire are mainly mechanical, and could be categorized in firefighting system
though those that announce the fire are principally instrumental, and could be insert in fire detection
system. The latter detect the fire, activate the former, and fight the fire. This process could be done
automatically by a CPU (central process unit) in MFCP (main fire control panel), or manually by
operators. Unfortunately long time without a bad event happened, cost of maintenance and preserving,
unwanted unit trip make these systems useless, and this is very crucially dangerous. As per experience,
the worst case will be happened for professionals that ensure themselves excessively and don’t care about
safety. Figure 1 shows an actual fire event in V94.2 gas turbine power plant that broken forward and
return line of liquid fuels to combustion chamber was the main reason. The firefighting system didn’t act
automatically, gas turbine didn’t trip and high pressure injection pump continued its’ function with 70 bar
liquid fuel spread in turbine enclosure. It took around 1 M$ to redress.

Figure 1, combustion chamber left to right: valves, actuator, and ignition transformers

Page 1 of 6
 I) general view
Input signals are collected from field to JB (junction boxes), then LFCP (local fire control panel) and
eventually to MFCP. Outputs transmit in reverse direction with a little difference at target i.e. they actuate
the relevant equipment. It should be noted here, that there are two type of system: old one that named
conventional and recent addressable. Such as field bus technique in modern designs all of signals are
addressed with a special code number and transfer in loop made of two core fire resistance cable (type of
cable that can persist its’ function under fire, another is fire retardant that can only hold the fire progress)
[1]. This approach has some advantages: decrease the enormous cabling, simple the diagnostic process
and have some defects: if the loop disconnects, all of signals missed, furthermore it is too dependent on
software. According to the type of extinguishing material (cause of variety in flammable matter), different
systems are designed. In most of power plants 3 types of them are used:
 Water: extinguish and cool huge fires used for cable galleries, main fuel tanks (outer shell for
cooling) , main transformers
 CO2: stifle the fire in clean way ( without remained effect after fire) considered for control
panels in LCR ( Local control room) and CCR (central control building), turbine and generators
 Foam: restrain the fire in main fuel tanks
More than above mentioned systems some structural items are foreseen to hold the fire and prevent
distributing to other location, such as fire wall around sizable transformers, dike around large fuel oil
tanks and fire stop in cable trench entrance to buildings.

II) Design and standards

NFPA (national fire protection association) is an approved and well known standard in firefighting
systems design field. It is an obligation for EPC (engineering procurement construction) companies in
most of power plant contracts.
 Hazardous area classification
First of all it should be cleared where we want to protect, it means hazardous area classification. Type of
detectors differs according to their zone. In zone numbered 0 with high LEL (Lower Explosive Limit)
explosion proof detector and equipment should be used. The flammable (explosive) limits of a gas or
vapor are the lower (LFP/LEL) and upper (UFL/UEL) flammable (explosive) limit percentages by
volume of concentration of gas in a gas-air mixture that will form an ignitable mixture [2].This shows
the ratio of explosive gas and air mixture in relevant zone, which more than this, the risk of danger is
very high, and the system should take action.

Page 2 of 6
 Gas
Gas
lateral
valve
skid
skid

Jacking
oil skid

Figure 2, hazardous area classification in gas turbine enclosure [3]

Determination of fire area boundaries should be based on consideration of the following: [4]
(1) Types, quantity, density, and location of combustible material
(2) Location and configuration of plant equipment
(3) Consequence of losing plant equipment
(4) Location of fire detection and suppression systems

Page 3 of 6
  Design clarity
Similar to every engineering system design, 2 phases could be introduced: basic and detail design. In
power plant systems’ designing, contract and standards has the first priority. What the owner wants and
what is necessary for him, is the first important question that should be answered. This approach requires
some prerequisite such as ICW (input civil work), from civil group, specifies the dimension of buildings
and structures. Documents are provided as (typically):
-basic design:
P&I (piping and instrument) diagram, general technical specification, system description, block diagram
-detail design:
C&I (cause and effect) diagram, instrument location layout, I/O ( input/output) list, cable list, cable
diagram ,connection diagram, panel layout, logic diagram , data sheet, purchase specification , hook up ,
geographic mimic panel
 compatibility and extendibility
Cause of interfaces of the system to others, high variety of manufacturers, unity of fire systems, it should
be compatible and extendible to other and future systems.

III) Practical project

For more detail a practical project is reviewed: A Gas turbine power plant consist of 6 units. Water
comes in the plant to 2000 m3 reservoir tank. There is a fire fighting pump house in lower level (for
pump suctions’ head supply), pressurize the buried firefighting pipeline ring 10 bar. 1 diaphragm
expansion tank, 2 jockey pumps, 2 diesel pumps and 1 electric pump make the required pressure
sequentially [5]. Pumps could be put in service automatically via pressure decrease or manually by
operators, local (from switchgear or attached panel) or remote (from DFCP, dual fire control panel, or
MFCP). DFCP or repeater panel is located in firefighting station where the fire officers and operators are
ready for fast response to any fire. The pressure of line is indicated in MFCP and RFCP by a pressure
transmitter in FFPH (firefighting pump house) and 3 different positions in ring by pressure switches.
Spacious fuel tank are extinguished by foam and cooled by water manually. There is a foam station
composed of a 10000 litter foam storage bladder tank, proportional mixer. When the inlet valve opens
manually, in its’ path to tanks, mixes by foam by its’ own pressure and spread in tanks by means of foam
chambers. Pressure switches acknowledged the MFCP that foam released to tanks.

Page 4 of 6
Figure 3, transformer spray water, firefighting maneuver

Huge transformers are equipped by heat detectors form alarm. 4 detectors for each transformer, 2 out of
4 in cross mode make fire alarm and water release command in automatic mode. 2 spray rings with
special nozzles for put off the fire. Deluge valves supply the large amount of high pressure water
instantly for rings. (Figure 3)
All of manual hydrant and post indicator valves are connected to bury pressurized water rings. Each
island or building is equipped by 2 valves; manual insulating and post indicator valve that could shut the
relevant location from above ground, meanwhile the valves’ body is underground in pipe path.
Two racks of CO2 cylinders, primary and secondary are considered for each GT (gas turbine). Annihilate
the fire in special poses: turbine enclosure, generator enclosure, gas valve skid room. These location are
named BOP1 (balance of plant1), while the others BOP2 are equipped by watery systems not CO2,
except main transformers (that are in BOP1). Any HVAC (heat ventilation air conditioning) system will
be tripped and fire damper are closed in relevant location. Cause for CO2 to do its’ job effective, the
surround should be closed without any evacuation or air circulation. Flame, smoke and gas detectors are
in these spaces that signals’ transmit to LFCP; this panel issues the release command, trip the unit
individually and inform the MFCP. It is conventional and relevant signals should be addressed by I/O
modules to send to MFCP.
In addition to above mentioned systems, 3 fire trip pushbuttons are designed for trip the unit manually
and release the relevant extinguisher in CCR, entrance of turbine and generator enclosures.

IV) Conclusion
It is necessary initial safety training for all of people who worked in power plants. Doing periodic
maneuver is a good practice for fire fighters. Manager of plant should pay enough attention to
maintenance and reserve of fire systems. Firefighting system could impressively save the life of persons,
prevent important damages for devices, if they work properly.

V) References
[1] BSI 6387, British standard specification for performance requirements for cables required to
maintain circuit integrity under fire conditions

Page 5 of 6
 [2] ISA-S12.01.01-1999, Definitions and information pertaining to electrical apparatus in
hazardous (classified) locations, item 3.46, page 1, for additional information refer to NFPA 325
and IEC 60079-20.
[3] Hazardous area classification, MP-SNG-46MD-04-JB5-706, 2006, mapna company issue
[4] NFPA 850, recommended practice for fire protection for electric generating plants and high
voltage direct current converter station, 2000 edition, 3-2.1.2
[5] Firefighting system pump house P&ID, X-46IE-02-JG5-521, September 2007, H.R.

Page 6 of 6

View publication stats