Storage Tank – Taking control of liquid storage

Storage Tank – Taking control of liquid storage

Storing household items is simple. They are not in bulk nor are they occupying a large space. Industrial material on the other hand needs to be stored as well. Some of it can be stored in warehouses, but what about liquid industrial produce or waste? The answer to this is a storage tank.

Storage tank is a tanks which are designed for holding large capacities of material. They are so designed that they not only can contain such large quantities of material but also allow reasonably easy access to the materials inside or allow reasonable access to depositing more material.

A storage tank may be above ground or below ground, i.e. underground. An Underground Storage Tank (UST) is a tank and any underground piping connected to the tank that has at least 10 percent of its combined volume underground. USTs are used to store gasoline at gasoline filling stations. They used to be made of steel, but due to corrosion resulted in damage to environment due to leakage. Now UST’s consist of the installation of corrosion control, overfill protection, spill containment (to catch spills when filling), and leak detection for both the tank and piping. They are now made of fiberglass or other such materials and are double walled to contain leaks. Many sites which previously stored fuel in underground tanks now store it in above ground tanks to enable closer environmental monitoring of fuel storage and to reduce costs. Above ground tanks are easier to manage but take up land space and thus reduce built up area for other structures.

Tanks can be used for storing liquids or dry bulk. Water Storage Tanks are used for storing potable water. These are used by households and by municipal corporations too. Chemical Storage Tanks are made out of material that resists chemical reaction by that particular chemical. Fire Protection Water Tanks, Wastewater Tanks, Oil Field Tanks, Demineralized Water Tanks, etc are some examples of liquid storage tanks. Dry Bulk Storage Tanks include Food Storage Tanks, Grain and Seed Storage Tanks, Mineral Storage Silos, Fly Ash Silos, Coal Bunkers, etc.

Due to environmental and other hazard protection measures if you own or operate a facility that has a storage tank which contains a regulated substance, such as petroleum, you must register the tank with the department. Certain types of tanks, such as heating oil tanks, are exempt from regulation. These regulations are based on material stored, tank material, tank parameters, etc.

Storage tanks are useful but can be cumbersome as well. If they are underground, it helps as the space above can be utilized, as is the case in septic tanks. However, if they are above ground, they can be an obstacle.

There are many more articles in our Appliances, Garage, and Fixtures sections.