Paper Info
Title
Assessment of lightning impact frequency for process equipment.
Abstract
Fires and explosions triggered by lightning strikes are among the most frequent Natech scenarios affecting the chemical and process industry. Although lightning hazard is well known, well accepted quantitative procedures to assess the contribution of accidents caused by lightning to industrial risk are still lacking. In the present study, a quantitative methodology for the assessment of the expected frequency of lightning capture by process equipment is presented. A specific model, based on Monte Carlo simulations, was developed to assess the capture frequency of lightning for equipment with a given geometry. The model allows the assessment of lay-out effects and the reduction of the capture probability due to the presence of other structures or equipment items. The results of the Monte Carlo simulations were also used to develop a simplified cell method allowing a straightforward assessment of the lightning impact probability in a quantitative risk assessment framework. The developed approach allows an in-depth analysis of the hazard due to lightning impact by identifying equipment items with the highest expected frequency of lightning impacts in a given lay-out. The model thus supplies useful data to approach the assessment of the quantitative contribution of lightning-triggered accidents to industrial risk.
Year
DOI
Venue
2014
10.1016/j.ress.2014.05.001
Reliability Engineering & System Safety
Keywords
DocType
Volume
Major accident hazard,NaTech,Lightning hazard,Lightning capture frequency,Quantitative risk assessment
Journal
130
ISSN
Citations 
PageRank 
0951-8320
1
0.40
References 
Authors
2
6
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Amos Necci1163.61
Giacomo Antonioni2234.95
Valerio Cozzani35711.98
Elisabeth Krausmann461.15
Alberto Borghetti5468.05
Carlo Alberto Nucci6478.48