Why must loading arms be used in the petrochemical industry?
As a specialized equipment used in the petrochemical and port warehousing fields to connect storage tanks with transportation vehicles such as tank trucks and oil tankers, loading arms can realize the safe transfer of flammable, explosive, toxic, and highly corrosive media by virtue of their sealing design, emergency shut-off devices, and ability to flexibly adapt to different vehicle types/ship types. Moreover, since they meet the requirements of equipping safety devices like electrostatic grounding and leakage detection specified in the Code for Fire Protection Design of Petrochemical Enterprises (GB 50160), loading arms have become indispensable equipment for loading and unloading operations in this industry, and ordinary oil pipelines cannot replace them.
Media in the petrochemical industry (such as crude oil, methanol, and benzene series) mostly have the characteristics of being flammable, explosive, toxic, and highly corrosive. Ordinary oil pipelines cannot meet safety and adaptability requirements, and the irreplaceability of loading arms is reflected in three aspects:
Safety Adaptability: The sealing design and emergency shut-off devices of loading arms can prevent medium leakage, avoiding explosions caused by flammable media coming into contact with ignition sources and the diffusion of toxic media (e.g., benzene leakage can cause poisoning in personnel).
Scenario Adaptability: Transportation vehicles (tank trucks, oil tankers) in the petrochemical industry require frequent loading and unloading operations. The flexibility of loading arms allows them to adapt to different vehicle types/ship types, enabling efficient operations.
Compliance Requirements: According to the Code for Fire Protection Design of Petrochemical Enterprises (GB 50160), special loading arms must be used for loading and unloading operations in the petrochemical industry, and safety devices such as electrostatic grounding and leakage detection must be equipped. Ordinary oil pipelines do not meet compliance requirements.
