Oxygen Storage in excess of 20,000 CuFt.

  • Wednesday, January 23, 2019 4:46 PM
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    Message # 7095195
    Peter "Nick" Linden, III

    I have a customer who has an emergency oxygen manifold that currently has 68 oxygen H-Cylinders connected to a manifold.  Each Cylinder is approximately 230 cu ft for a total of 15,640 cu ft of oxygen in the room.  There are several other medical gas manifolds in the same room and it is properly constructed.  Mechanical ventilation is employed (although unknown CFM on the exhaust fan).  RT expressed an interest in storing more loose H-cylinders in the room (there is plenty of space).  They are already near the 20,000 cuft "Bulk" designation.  If they decide to go over the 20,000 cu ft what more do they need to do?  


    NFPA 99 11.3.1 is in reference to storage of systems over 3,000 but is it limited at the 20,000 cuft? - If not then they just have to meet chapter 11 conditions...

     

    NFPA 55 9.3 (2) states that bulk systems can be inside if they are properly constructed, but the specifications in there are hard to identify.  


    Any help would be greatly appreciated.


    Nick
  • Thursday, January 24, 2019 10:55 AM
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    Reply # 7127159 on 7095195
    Don Holden

     If there’s room you may want to consider a bulk oxygen reserve or a oxygen generator. 
  • Thursday, January 24, 2019 9:12 PM
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    Reply # 7128262 on 7095195
    Al Moon (Administrator)

    I think their are two issues here.


    1) The ventilation of bottle storage and manifold rooms.

    Which is covered in Chapter #9


    2) The locations for of bulk oxygen systems.

    Which is covered in Charter #3 & 5 + NFPA 55


    If this room has over 20,000 ft3 of oxygen storage, it shall be outside.


    SO, add up the volume and stay under 19,999 ft3: 
  • Friday, January 25, 2019 3:42 PM
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    Reply # 7129691 on 7095195
    Peter "Nick" Linden, III

    Al,


    Am I reading this wrong or does NFPA 55 say bulk oxygen systems can be inside?

    NFPA 55 2013

    9.3 Location of Bulk Oxygen Systems. Bulk oxygen systems shall be located in accordance with one of the following:

    (1)  Above ground and out of doors
    (2)  In a building of fire-resistive or noncombustible/limited-

    combustible construction, ventilated to prevent the accumulation of oxygen vapors, and equipped with protection level controls in accordance with the requirements of the building code

    If so, then I am trying to understand what the "protection level controls in accordance with the building code" are specifically.  2 hour Fire wall?  What else?  Im struggling to find that reference....


    -Nick
  • Saturday, January 26, 2019 9:51 AM
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    Reply # 7130575 on 7095195
    Al Moon (Administrator)

    Well you got me on the:

    (2)  In a building of fire-resistive or noncombustible/limited-

    combustible construction, ventilated to prevent the accumulation of oxygen vapors, and equipped with protection level controls in accordance with the requirements of the building code



    But I have this that may help. Check out #9.3.2.1




    2 files
    Last modified: Saturday, January 26, 2019 9:52 AM | Al Moon (Administrator)
  • Monday, January 28, 2019 9:36 AM
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    Reply # 7132969 on 7095195
    Corky Bishop

    Hi Peter,


    The NFPA 9.3 paragraph is referring to a building used only for housing the bulk site.  If you want to put a bulk tank inside an occupied building, it must be 700 Liters or less to keep under the 20,000 cu ft of Oxygen requirement.


    If they want to store more than 20,000 cu ft worth of cylinders in the building, they need to build another compliant storage room.  Notice the rule for the cylinder reserves being in an adjacent space when describing liquid manifolds?  NFPA 99, 2018; 5.1.3.5.13.3:  The reserve header shall be permitted to be located in the same enclosure as the primary and secondary headers or in another enclosure compliant with 5.1.3.5.13.1.  If there are already 4 dewars in the room, the reserve cylinders will have to go next door.

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