Study on Safety of LPG

as Ship’s Fuel

2018. 09.
CHAPTER. 1
Back ground
Part A: General, Goal & Functional Requirements, General Requirements
Part A-1: Specific Requirements for Ships Using Natural Gas as a Fuel
• Ship design arrangement
• Fuel Containment System
• Material & General Pipe Design
• Bunkering
• Fuel Supply to Consumers
• Power Generation including propulsion and other gas
consumers applicable for LNG
• Fire safety
• Explosion Prevention
• Ventilation
• Electrical systems Progress of other low flashpoint fuels
• Control monitoring and safety systems ü Methyl/Ethyl alcohol, Fuel
Part B-1: Manufacture, workmanship and testing cell : Under development
Part C-1: Drills and Emergency Exercises, Operations, Training ü LPG : not planned
Part D : Training
CHAPTER. 2
Specific Properties of LPG
 properties LNG LPG related risks

Vapour SG at 15 ℃ and 1.52(Propane)

0.55 • unfavorable for ventilation/dispersion of leakage gas
atmospheric pressure 2(Butane)
459(Propane) • hazard of auto-ignition at lower temperatures
Auto-ignition temperature (℃) 595
405(Butane) • hazard of ignition of unburned gas
Flammable limits in air by volume 2.2 ~ 9.5(Propane) • formation of flammable atmosphere at lower
5 ~ 15
(vol%) 1.8 ~ 8.4(Butane) concentrations
Boiling point at 1 bar absolute -42(Propane)
-161 • unfavorable for visual identification of gas leakage
(℃) -1(Butane)
96(Propane) • presence in gas or liquid state in atmospheric
Critical temperature (℃) -82.95
152(Butane) temperature
Static pressure / static volume 1.13(Propane)
1.31 • design pressure of outer wall of double pipe
specific heat ratio k (Cp/Cv) 1.096(Butane)
• liquefaction by pressurizing at atmospheric temperature
15(Propane)
Vapour pressure at 45 ℃ (bar) - • various boundaries of the phase change according to
4(Butane)
the composition ratio.
butane and
Variety of composition ratio methane • change of properties on the basis of composition ratio
propane
SG of LPG : heavier than air (1.5~2 times)
Critical temperature: liquefiable at room temperature

P
Various composition ratio of propane and butane
Auto-ignition temperature : lower than NG

LEL : Lower than NG

CHAPTER. 3
Safety requirements
CHAPTER. 4
Application of IGF Code &
Conclusion
ü Flammability (fire safety)
• Prevention of gas leakage to safe area ;
- Double wall pipe - double block and bleed valve
- purging of fuel piping - Air lock between safe area and hazardous area
• Prevention of fire caused by gas leakage ;
- ESD systems - Ventilation of hazardous area
- Gas detection systems - Separation of bilge lines(safe area / hazardous area)
- Classification of hazardous area - safety measurement for fuel consumer
• Suppression of fire ;
- Fire integrity between spaces - Fire detection
- Water spray systems - Dry chemical powder fire-extinguishing system
ü Protection of systems
• Protection from over pressure(PRD) ∙ System design
ü Cryogenic temperature of LNG
• Material, design, test : same as IGC Code
• Protection of structural from cryogenic liquid : Drip tray required
ü Location of fuel tank
• Protection from external damage caused by collision or grounding : distance from shipside
and bottom
ü Redundancy
• Prevention of operational capability loss caused by single failure
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