LYTECH’s Retractable Bypass Conductor (RBC) provides a robust, visibly inspectable, direct electrical connection between the tank shell and floating roof, thereby eliminating the risk of voltage differences between these metal bodies.
LYTECH’s experience within the oil & gas industry is significant and a focus of our business. LYTECH’s core technologies and services are tailored to these unique applications and risk management objectives. We have worked closely with many global oil & gas operators to develop customized solutions to meet these demanding environments.
One of the most vulnerable applications that poses a serious threat from lightning is External Floating Roof Tanks (EFRT). EFRT’s are highly susceptible to lightning current created by direct and indirect strikes and pose potentially catastrophic results leading to significant loss of product, financial impact, loss of operations and human safety. Reports indicate that 30+% of EFRT fires are caused by lightning. More specifically, it is estimated that 95% of rim-seal fires are the result of lightning strikes.
To solve this industry wide problem, LYTECH has developed a solution to mitigate these devastating events. LYTECH’s Retractable Bypass Conductor (RBC) provides a robust, visibly inspectable, direct electrical connection between the tank shell and floating roof, thereby eliminating the risk of voltage differences between these metal bodies. The RBC in an integral part of our complete solution approach to oil & gas applications.
LYTECH’s Retractable Bypass Conductor meets or exceeds the recommendations specified in NFPA 780 and API 545 standards. The RBC is Ex certified and comes standard with a 3-year replacement warranty with extended warranty agreements available upon request.
| Title | Information |
|---|---|
| Part Number | RBC-HD |
| Total Weight | 53kg |
| Certified To | CE (Ex) II 2 G Ex h IIC T4 Gb |
| Specification Compliance | API 545, NFPA 780 |
| Housing Material | 316L Stainless Steel |
| Cross Sectional Area | 50mm² |
| Inner Conductor | 48 x 30 x 0.15 Tinned Copper |
| Outer Protective Jacket | 48 x 30 x 0.15 316L Stainless Steel |
| Length | 23 m |
| Cable Tensile Breaking Force (Pulling speed: 100mm/min) | ≥ 21000 N |
| Single Conductor Element Diameter | 0.149 - 0.154 mm |
| Retracted | ≤ 0.015 Ω Max |
| Extended | ≤ 0.030 Ω Max |
Per the American Petroleum Institute (API) 545 recommended practices, there are a minimum of (2) Bypass Conductors required per tank, with an average spacing of no more than every 30m.
This chart below illustrates the minimum quantities required based on a range of tank diameters:
| Quantity | Tank Diameter (m) | Quantity | Tank Diameter (m) | Quantity | Tank Diameter (m) | Quantity | Tank Diameter (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | ≤ 19.10 | 6 | ≤ 57.30 | 10 | ≤ 95.49 | 14 | ≤ 133.69 |
| 3 | ≤ 28.65 | 7 | ≤ 66.84 | 11 | ≤ 105.04 | 15 | ≤ 143.24 |
| 4 | ≤ 38.20 | 8 | ≤ 76.39 | 12 | ≤ 114.59 | - - - | - - - |
| 5 | ≤ 47.75 | 9 | ≤ 85.94 | 13 | ≤ 124.14 | - - - | - - - |
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