SPEIGN - Prevention of Explosions and Fires caused by Earthquakes

PN-III-P2-2.1-PTE-2019-0459 - Nr. 10PTE/2020 - "Proiect de transfer la operatorul economic" PTE 2019

Strong earthquakes, such as those in 1977 and 1940, can lead to explosions and devastating fires due to natural gas leaks from gas installations in damaged buildings. These are factors that aggravate the effects of an earthquake and lead to increased property damage and loss of life.

In order to prevent these situations, it is recommended to automatically close / block the gas network to which the buildings are connected, especially schools, apartment buildings, public institutions.

In this context, S.C. Electrovâlcea S.R.L. and its partner Research-Development Institute for Earth Physics - INCDFP aim, within the project, to develop and implement a validated prototype of a complex system for preventing explosions and fires at individual natural gas installations - SPEIGN, damaged by major earthquakes.

This protection system will generate the signal of automatic shutdown of the gas network at the entrance to the houses at the moment of an earthquake whose intensity exceeds locally (in Râmnicu Vâlcea), in the Câmpulung Făgăraș and Vrancea area a certain predetermined threshold, considered dangerous.

The main objective of the project is to expand the range of services, namely installation, commissioning and maintenance of the SPEIGN system, based on the assimilation and transfer of research results validated in laboratory conditions by the National Research and Development Institute for Earth Physics.

The innovative character of this project is based on a patent application 00744 /27.09.2017, “Complex seismic warning equipment of industrial objectives with local decision and confirmation”, published in OSIM RO-BOPI 3/2019.

Currently, a seismic station with a seismic drilling sensor has been installed and put into operation, which has the role of local confirmation. The INFP seismic warning service and a gas decoupling terminal (experimental model) operate at S.C. Electrovâlcea S.R.L.

The next step will be to install the gas decoupling equipment at the beneficiaries.

Publications:

1. Comparative Assessment of Tectonic Waves affecting the Hydropower Plants in Făgăraş-Câmpulung Seismic Area
2. Complex System for Earthquake Prediction, Warning and Local Assessment of Seismic Events
3. Implementation of a Radon Monitoring Network in a Seismic Area
4. Protection of power systems by earthquake warning based on local assessment of seismic events
5. Safety in operation of the power systems in Vâlcea-Făgăraş-Câmpulung seismic area
6. Complex System for Earthquake Prediction and Protection of Gas Installations