What To Know Before You Install An Industrial Tank
Posted on: 23 June 2022
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Tanks are critical storage features in many types of industrial locations. Most operations of that sort will need to perform tank installation projects at some point. Before you do start an installation, you should know the following things.
Purpose
A tank's purpose will dictate a lot of your decisions. If you're storing certain chemicals, for example, the tank may require lining to prevent undesirable interactions or corrosion. Similarly, you'll have to be sure the lining is compatible with the chemicals. Otherwise, the chemicals could strip out the lining, eat through the tank, and produce a leak.
Bear in mind that this extends far beyond industrial chemicals. Even something as simple as fuel oil might have an adverse interaction if stored in the wrong type of tank.
Regulations
Unsurprisingly, there are lots of government regulations dealing with tank installation jobs. These appear at the federal, state, and local levels, too. You should contact your local code enforcement office to learn about the low-level requirements. Likewise, you should contact your state's environmental protection agency. If the state can't address a federal question, you may need to contact the EPA or a similar agency to discuss your needs.
Location
Safety is the first priority when it comes to picking a location. Know how far the tank will need to be stored from any other types of chemicals or fluids that might interact badly with the contents. When in doubt, try to be as conservative as possible and add a few more feet of distance to the best available guess.
You will also want to think of location in terms of functionality. If you're going to connect the tanks to operational systems, that may require significant plumbing. Where possible, you'll probably want to eliminate long runs of pipes to get contents to systems that need them.
Surface
Level ground is important, but that's only half of the battle. You should also collect soil samples and send them to a lab for testing. You will want to know how much the soil might compact or shift under the weight of the tank. If the ground can't support the tank, you may also need to engineer the soil or find a different spot.
Once you've identified a good location, you will need to pour a level foundation for the tank. If the tank is going into the ground, you may still need to prepare the area to prevent shifting.