Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) identify the expectations and requirements of fire

service personnel in conducting their jobs. A non-compliance with SOPs can result in a fire.

A tank, having a 45m3 capacity, contains n-hexane (Heat of combustion DHc = 45,000 kJ/kg

and its density was 0.6606 g mL-1). Unknowing the fact that the tank was filled with n-

hexane, a fire service personnel hit the tank with hammer for repair and damaged the tank.

All n-hexane was released into air and a nearby ignition source ignited it immediately. This

resulted in a fire ball. As a safety engineer, you are required to calculate heat flux at 20m,

40m, and 100m distances away from the tank. Process monitoring tools indicated a pressure

of 1.5 MPa inside the tank while ambient temperature was 298 K. Additional information is

given below;

Relative humidity, RH: 0.73

Saturation water vapour pressure, Pow: 2,315 Pa

Using any computer tool (such as MS Excel), draw heat flux as a function of distances and

discuss your results.