Solve Heat Transfer Problem: Fire in Propylene Plant

[fujifilm6502002]

Hi I am wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction. I am trying to solve a heat transfer problem.

There was a fire in a propylene plant and the metal piping was damage in the fire. I know that the total heat of the fire is about 2371 btu/ft^3. And the total amount of fuel in the plant is 700,000 lbs. The fire burned for 14 days. With that know I want to calculate the damage done to the pipe at the start of the fire. Assuming its like a fin problem where the start of the fire is at a flame temperature(3600F) and the end is at (1500F) which is the temperature for carbon steel to anneal. The ambient temperature outside is (1370F). I was wondering if I can calculate how long is the pipe from 3600F to 1500F ? I have been taking the fin approach to calculate for the temperature distribution and fin heat transfer rate. But I have been getting answers too small to make sense.

 

[Achy47]

Hello, thank you for reaching out with your question. It sounds like you are working on a challenging heat transfer problem related to a fire in a propylene plant. I would recommend starting by breaking down the problem into smaller, more manageable parts. First, determine the thermal properties of the metal piping and the ambient temperature outside. Next, calculate the heat transfer rate from the fire to the pipe using the known total heat of the fire and the duration of the fire. From there, you can use the fin approach to calculate the temperature distribution along the pipe and determine the length of the pipe that reaches the annealing temperature of 1500F. It may also be helpful to consult with a heat transfer expert or use computer modeling software to assist with your calculations. Best of luck in solving this problem.