Indirect natural gas fired (modine type) building heaters in process buildings

[AlaskanME]

We have some buildings in a gas processing plant that are unable to be heated with steam like all of the other building in the process area. If an adequately ventilated building is electrically unclassified as determined by API RP 500, is it safe to use a natural gas Modine heater, or do most facilities use electric heat in these situations to avoid having an open flame?

 

[michaelwoodcoc]

I would think an open flame could be a hazard in (almost) any type of gas processing plant(not including all inert gasses, I think). What type of gas? This may actually be a good question for a chemical engineer. Even if it's not traditionally a hazard, or a fire hazard, what gas specifically are they processing? or is it implied they're processing gasoline?

You could have the gases they are processing interect with the natural gas/open flame of the heater, and come out an entirely different gas. Such is the case when welding certain metals after having used certain cleaners for the surface. The product of this interaction may be detrimental in miniscule amounts.

All this is worst case scenario. But it'd be important to know what kindof gas you're working with.

Engineering student. Electrical or mechanical, I can't decide!
Minoring in psychology

 

[chicopee]

In one of the heavy structural steel fabrication plant, one bay was used to spray paint steel girders, diaphrams, columns, etc. The bay was around 25000 sq.ft. with two large sliding doors on each end of the bay. To cure paint sprayed on the steel, there were two dozens or so side wall mounted radiant natural gas heaters which were also vented into the bay. These heaters were about 20ft off the ground and we had a dozen ceiling fans to spread the heated air that accumulated between the fans and the roof. For my duration of employment about 12 years before retiring we never had any health problem or injuries related to lack of ventilation, fires or explosion from combustible vapors. A word about the paint bay as it should not be viewed as a spray painting booth which has different NFPA and OSHA requirements.

 

[AlaskanME]

Thanks for the replys. The gas is natural gas at around 600 psig.

Chicopee, I'll have to see if radiant heat is an option. I am not familiar with those types of heaters. Electric heat would be the safest and easiest but obviously the most costly.