Evaluation Of Leak Elevation Effects On Ammonia Storage Release Consequences Using Aloha Simulation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22437/proca.v2i2.55562Keywords:
Ammonia Storage, Quantitative Risk Assessment, Leak Elevation, ALOHA Simulation, Consequence AnalysisAbstract
Ammonia leakage from storage tanks poses significant risks to personnel, facilities, and surrounding communities due to its toxic and flammable properties. This study investigates the influence of leak hole elevation on Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) outcomes for the 5,000 MT Ammonia Storage Tank 4101-F at PT Pupuk Sriwidjaja Palembang, located near residential areas. Simulations were conducted using ALOHA 5.4.7 software to compare two scenarios: low elevation leak (0,5 m above ground) and high elevation leak (10 m above ground), with a 3-inch diameter hole under worst-case meteorological conditions (stability class F, wind speed 2 m/s). Four consequence scenarios were evaluated: toxic vapor cloud, flammable vapor cloud, vapor cloud explosion, and BLEVE. Results demonstrated that low elevation leaks generated significantly higher release rates (1.820 kg/min) compared to high elevation leaks (974 kg/min) due to greater hydrostatic pressure. The toxic vapor cloud ERPG-3 zone extended to 1,4 km for low elevation versus 0,953 km for high elevation. Similarly, flammable vapor cloud LEL zones reached 156 m and 105 m, while vapor cloud explosion overpressure (1 psi) zones extended to 168 m and 114 m, respectively. The findings reveal that leak elevation substantially affects consequence dispersion patterns and hazard zone extents, providing critical insights for emergency response planning and safety system optimization in ammonia storage facilities.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Beatric Erlina Sitohang, Ira Galih Prabasari, Oki Alfernando, Ayu Nadila Safitri, Feerzet Achmad, Aldillah Herlambang
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