Fire is an imminent threat at plants that use thermal fluid for process heat. Because the fluid is often above its flash point during normal operation, any upset condition such as a spark or a leak can cause a catastrophic fire. Fires can occur when hot thermal oil is exposed to air. The most common sources for thermal fluid fires are the mechanical seal of thermal fluid pumps as well as flanged connections such as thermal oil piping. There are 2 components to fire safety: pr