Operating pressure conditions for non-explosion hazards in plants handling propane gas

Hazardous area classification is designed to prevent chemical plant explosions in advance. Generally, the duration of the explosive atmosphere is used for zone type classification. Herein, IEC code, a quantitative zone type classification methodology, was used to achieve Zone 2 NE, which indicates a practical non-explosion condition. This study analyzed the operating pressure of a vessel handling propane to achieve Zone 2 NE by applying the IEC code via MATLAB. The resulting zone type and hazardous area grades were compared with the results from other design standards, namely API and EI codes. According to the IEC code, the operating pressure of vessels handling propane should be between 101325-116560.59 Pa. In contrast, the zone type classification criteria used by API and EI codes are abstract. Therefore, since these codes could interpret excessively explosive atmospheres, care is required while using them for hazardous area classification design.