Tips for Longer Tank Service Life

Through many years of experience with industrial and chemical tank applications, Eastern Reliability has learned many valuable lessons. Through this learning process, we have developed a list of important technical tips that will help extend tank service life.

Below are some suggestions to improve and extend the life of industrial and chemical tanks.

• Oversize vent. The ASTM standard for atmospheric tanks is 1.5 times the size of the largest fitting on the tank. Eastern Reliability recommends 2 times the largest fitting for any bulk tank that will receive air-transfer deliveries from a bulk chemical tank truck.
  
  
• Do not use internal drop tubes on fill assemblies when air is used to transfer or fill the vessel. Use an anti-foam elbow instead.
  
  
• Protect tank from direct sunlight. The tanks can withstand the UV rays, however, the issue is that the UV rays and heat accelerate the chemicals degrading it and shortening chemical shelf life. The heat can also make the chemical more aggressive, and this can reduce tank life.
  
  
• Drain the tank flush tank with water annually. This ensures that any aggressive sludge in the bottom of the tank is removed. This also allows for a visual tank inspection of the inside of the tank.
  
  
• Flexible expansion joints. All tank side wall fittings shall be equipped with flexible couplers or other provisions that allow the vessel to expand and contract (polyethylene tanks only).
  
  
• Minimize side wall connections and avoid cross-section exposure for polyethylene and FRP tanks.
  
  
• Polyethylene and FRP vertical tanks should be placed on tank stands, 5-6 layers of roofing felt, rubber mat material, or a 1/2" sheet of polyethylene or polypropylene.