EXPLOSION PREVENTION SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL TURRET MOORING SYSTEM

摘要

A method and apparatus for ensuring against explosion of the gaseous atmosphere of a closed chamber, such as the QDCD room (24) of an internal turret (14) of an offshore production and offloading buoy (12) wherein the chamber has production risers (26) and conduit connectors representing a potential source of flammable gas. The method comprises mixing and diluting the oxidant content of the air by introducing within the chamber (24) a sufficient quantity of inert gas to render the mixture of the air and any flammable gas non-combustible regardless of the flammable gas content of the mixture, which is removed by purging thereof to the natural atmosphere, while introducing inert gas, thereby leaving inert atmosphere within the closed chamber (24).