The evaluation of the fire-retardant efficiency of intumescent coatings of steel structures exposed to high-temperature gas flows

Introduction. High-temperature gas flows often occur in case of a fire at oil and gas facilities; gas flows out of holes, cracks, ruptures in depressurized items of equipment and pipelines. The fire-retardant efficiency of intumescent coatings of steel structures, exposed to high-temperature gas flows, plummets. Hence, the task of developing a methodology for the adequate assessment of their fire-retardant efficiency is relevant.
Goals and objectives. The purpose of the study was to develop a methodology for evaluating the fire-retardant efficiency of intumescent coatings for steel structures exposed to high-temperature gas flows and experimentally evaluate the fire-retardant efficiency of various intumescent coatings. The following research-focused tasks were solved: the evaluation of the velocity of high-temperature gas flows leaving depressurized items that normally operate under pressure; the analysis of the methodology designated for identifying the fire-retardant efficiency of intumescent coatings of steel structures in a calm (sedentary) gaseous medium; the development of a method for evaluating the fire-retardant efficiency of intumescent coatings of steel structures exposed to high-temperature gas flows; the experimental evaluation of the fire-retardant efficiency of various intumescent coatings in a high-temperature gas flow.
Methods. The velocity of high-temperature gas flows, leaving depressurized items that normally operate under pressure, has been calculated. The co-authors have analyzed the established methodology used to identify the fire-retardant efficiency of intumescent coatings of steel structures in a steady (sedentary) environment, where gas temperature in a furnace is the only factor taken into account. The co-authors propose a method for evaluating the fire-retardant efficiency of intumescent coatings of steel structures exposed to high-temperature gas flows, which takes into account gas flow temperature and velocity. To evaluate the fire-retardant efficiency of an intumescent coating exposed to a high-temperature gas flow, a coefficient of relative fire resistance is introduced. An experimental evaluation of various intumescent coatings is carried out. It shows a substantial fire- retardant efficiency decrease in a high-temperature gas flow that fosters the hydrocarbon temperature regime.

Results and discussion. Mutual aerodynamic and thermal effects of a gas flow substantially reduce the fire- retardant efficiency of intumescent coatings of steel structures, and this is proven by the results of experiments conducted according to the proposed method. The method for evaluating the fire-retardant effectiveness of intumescent coatings of steel structures takes into account the temperature and velocity of a gas flow that affects the sample.
Conclusions. It is relevant and necessary to evaluate the fire-retardant efficiency of intumescent coatings of steel structures at oil and gas facilities, operating under pressure, since a substantial decrease in their fire-retardant efficiency is observed in high-temperature gas flows.

1. Andryushkin A.Yu. Application of supersonic gas-dynamic sputtering with multi-jet gas supply to reduce the probability of failure of multilayer functional coatings : monograph. St. Petersburg, 2021; 258. (rus).

2. Andryushkin A.Yu., Tsoi A.A. Methods of the determination parameter hot gas flow when test defensive covering. Life safety. 2016; 7(187):35­39. (rus).

3. Phan L.T., McAllister T.P., Gross J.L., Hurley M.J. Best practice guidelines for structural fire resistance design of concrete and steel buildings. Gaithersburg, Maryland, NIST, 2010; 200. DOI: 10.6028/nist.tn.1681

4. Garlock M., Kruppa J., Li G.­Q., Zhao B. White paper on fire behavior of steel structures. Gaithersburg, Maryland, NIST, 2014; 20. DOI: 10.6028/nist.gcr.15­984

5. Morys M., Illerhaus B., Sturm H., Schartel B. Variation of intumescent coatings revealing different modes of action for good protection performance. Fire Technology. 2017; 53:1569­1587. DOI: 10.1007/s10694­017­0649­z

6. Kang J., Takahashi F., T’ien J.S. Computer tomography based structure characterization of expanded intumescent coatings for fire protection. Fire Technology. 2019; 55:689­712. DOI: 10.1007/s10694­018­0796­x

7. Schaumann P., Kirsch T. Protected steel and composite connections: simulation of the mechanical behaviour of steel and composite connections protected by intumescent coating in fire. Journal of Structural Fire Engineering. 2015; 6(1):41­48. DOI: 10.1260/2040­2317.6.1.41

8. Fox D.M., Cho W., Dubrulle L., Grützmacher P.G., Zammarano M. Intumescent polydopamine coatings for fire protection. Green Materials. 2020. DOI: 10.1680/jgrma.19.00065

9. Lucherini A., Giuliani L., Jomaas G. Experimental study of the performance of intumescent coatings exposed to standard and non­standard fire conditions. Fire Safety Journal. 2018; 95:42­50. DOI: 10.1016/j.firesaf.2017.10.004

10. Puspitasari W.C., Ahmad F., Ullah S., Hussain P., Megat­Yusoff P.S.M., Masset P.J. The study of adhesion between steel substrate, primer, and char of intumescent fire retardant coating. Progress in Organic Coatings. 2019; 127:181­193. DOI: 10.1016/j.porgcoat.2018.11.015

11. Nolan D.P. Handbook of fire and explosion protection engineering principles for oil, gas, chemical and related facilities. Gulf Professional Publ., 2011; 340. DOI: 10.1016/C2009­0­64221­5

12. Correia A.M., Pires T.A.C., Rodrigues J.P.C. Behaviour of steel columns subjected to fire. Proceedings of the Sixth International Seminar on Fire and Explosion Hazards. Leeds, UK, University of Leeds, 2011; 879­890. DOI: 10.3850/978­981­08­7724­8_13­01

13. Qing Xu, Guo­Qiang Li, Jian Jiang, Yong C. Wang. Experimental study of the influence of topcoat on insulation performance of intumescent coatings for steel structures. Fire Safety Journal. 2018; 101:25­ 38. DOI: 10.1016/j.firesaf.2018.08.006

14. Meijing Liu, Shenggang Fan, Wenjun Sun, Runmin Ding, Ting Zhu. Fire­resistant design of eccentrically compressed stainless steel columns with constraints. Fire Safety Journal. 2018; 100:1­19. DOI: 10.1016/j.firesaf.2018.06.006

15. Maciulaitis R., Grigonis M., Malaiskiene J. The impact of the aging of intumescent fire protective coatings on fire resistance. Fire Safety Journal. 2018; 98:15­23. DOI: 10.1016/j.firesaf.2018.03.007

16. Korolchenko D., Eremina T., Minailov D. New method for quality control of fire protective coatings. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. 2019; 471(11). DOI: 10.1088/1757­ 899X/471/11/112016

17. Andryushkin A.Yu., Tsoi A.A. The methods of definition of fire rating of flame­retardant coating for steel structures in hydrocarbon jet fire. Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo Universiteta GPS MCHS Rossii. 2016; 2:45­53. URL: https://vestnik.igps.ru/wp­content/uploads/V82/7.pdf (rus).

18. Andryushkin A.Yu., Tsoi A.A., Smirnova M.A. About the basic preconditions of creation of the me­ thod of testing fire­resistant coatings in high temperature gas flow. Problems of Risk Management in the Technosphere. 2016; 1(37):39­46. URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=25984067 (rus).

19. Andryushkin A.Yu., Tsoi A.A., Smirnova M.A. The method tests fire protective coatings in high­temperature gas flow. Problems of Risk Management in the Technosphere. 2016; 2(38):37­45. (rus).

20. Tsoy A.A., Demehin F.V. Testing of fire resistant materials in the conditions of the hydrocarbon temperature mode. Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo Universiteta GPS MCHS Rossii. 2015; 4:139­142. URL: https://vestnik.igps.ru/wp­content/uploads/V74/4.pdf (rus).