Shopping for a Storage Tank?

Consider Some Key Questions

By Mark Eklund P.E., Product Manager, Columbian TecTank

If you’re in the market for a new liquid storage tank, the selection process can be daunting. What is the
difference between a welded silo, a flange panel bolted tank and a flat panel design? Why is a tank’s
coating so important? What is the average construction timeline? How much maintenance will be
required, and how much will it cost?

The process of talking with vendors will be less daunting if you review some key questions that will help to
determine what you need (and don’t need) in a storage tank and ensure you get the best storage vessel
for your budget.

It is most important to remember that potable water, wastewater, chemicals and other liquids each have
their own specific storage requirements. Those requirements may affect the tank’s size, materials of
construction, design and coating. To determine what type of tank you need, start first with a basic
consideration – the construction material.

Materials of Construction

What is the volume and type of material to be stored?

The material of construction for a tank often will be
determined by the type and volume of material to be
stored. Composite tanks such as plastic, fiberglass and
factory welded often work well for small volumes.
Exceptionally large volumes may require field welded
steel and concrete tanks. Steel bolted tanks will
accommodate a wide range of liquid volumes and
materials.

Concrete tanks must be poured and cured. Their

construction is reliant on good weather and environmental
conditions. Concrete is porous by nature, so it is prone to
leaking. Welded steel tanks are often shipped to the site
in panels and erected by certified welders. Before use the
welds must undergo third-party inspections.
Environmental conditions and weather also play a role in a
welded tank’s construction cycle.

Bolted tanks come in two primary designs – flange panel

and flat panel. Bolted tanks are shipped to the site in
panels and erected with hardware and gaskets. A
flanged-panel design takes advantage of gravity to form a compression seal. The weight of the tank
panels and product loads compresses the gaskets to form and maintain a leak-tight seal. Flat panel

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bolted tanks (no flange) may accommodate larger volumes of liquids to be stored – up to 6 million
gallons.

Factory welded steel tanks are constructed prior to shipment. They are transported to the site in one unit
and stood upright. Their erection is quick, but they are limited in the volume they are able to
accommodate.

Size and Location

How much space can you allocate to the storage vessel? Will the tank and its construction be limited by
space requirements? A limited space will require the tank to be of smaller diameter and taller height.
Unlimited space will allow the tank to be of wider diameter and shorter height. Both designs – tall and
thin as well as short and wide – can work well to store a variety of materials when properly designed.

The Environment

Wind loads, seismic conditions and roof loads (such as snow loads) are important considerations in the
design of a storage tank. Tanks of wider diameter and shorter height are better suited for areas that
experience greater seismic activity and higher wind loads.

Think About Expansion or Moving

Will your growing business require expansion or moving of your storage vessel a few years from now?
Expansion (think upwards) is an important consideration. Expansion is only possible if the original
foundation and lower portion of the initial tank are built with the future expansion in mind. More often than
not, vertical expansion of an existing tank is more cost effective than constructing a second tank.

Concrete tanks and field-welded tanks are not easily moved and difficult to expand. Factory welded tanks
are moveable, but not easily expandable. Bolted tanks are the best choice for moving and expansion
because new panels may be installed upward with hardware and gaskets.

Coatings – Corrosion Control

What type of coating is best? Corrosion is the principal enemy of the storage tank. All liquids are
aggressive toward tanks, so the coating found on the interior is one of the most important factors you will
consider. But taken one step further, the process in which the coating is applied will be the best
determination of the quality of the coating you’re getting.

Most tank vendors offer a technologically advanced coating designed for a variety of stored liquids which
provide exceptional corrosion and chemical resistance. Some coatings are available to meet specific
design criteria, such as high heat coatings, cold weather coatings and coatings designed to withstand
high and low pH values. Commonly used are air cured liquid epoxy coatings. However, powder epoxy
coatings (such as Trico Bond EP) offer significantly better physical and chemical resistance properties
than air cured systems. On the exterior, epoxy coatings often are combined with urethane topcoats to
provide protection against environmental elements.

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Coating Application Process – The Most Important Factor to Corrosion Resistance

How is the coating applied? How is the coating tested? Corrosion takes advantage of “missed spots” in
the coating application to wreak havoc. Therefore, the key difference in coatings lies in the application
process. The highest quality coatings are applied and cured in the factory under environmentally
controlled circumstances to ensure the most consistent application. Some manufacturers apply the
coatings in the factory and then allow them to air-dry and cure with ambient heat, which exposes the cure
to environmental factors such as dust and humidity. Other manufacturers outsource the coating process
altogether. The optimal coating solution is one that is electrostatically applied and thermally cured in
controlled factory conditions, before the tank is shipped and erected in the field. High quality bolted and
factory welded tanks offer this feature.

Field welded and concrete tanks usually receive their coatings onsite once the tank has been erected.
Therefore field welded and concrete tanks may need to undergo a chemical process to protect the
coating while the tank is being erected (i.e., heat from welding will damage the coating). If you are
reviewing this type of tank, make sure there are adequate quality controls measures listed in the
specification, and consider third party inspections. Be aware that once a tank has been erected in the
field, there are often areas of the tank that are extremely difficult to sand blast and/or fully prepare for field
coating. Also, the thickness of coatings applied in the field cannot be controlled as closely as is possible
under ideal factory conditions, which may result in uneven application. Finally, weather and the

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environment – dust, humidity, temperature and wind – will affect the quality and timeliness of the curing
process in the field.

Testing the Coating

How is the coating tested? Because the coating is such an important consideration, make sure the
quality control tests used are up to standard. A wet sponge detector is commonly used by tank
manufacturers. A wet sponge and with an electrical charge is moved across the surface of the cured
coating. The metal behind the coating also receives a charge. Wherever the wet sponge touches a
“missed spot” or bare metal, a current is completed and the holiday is made known by either an audible or
visual indicator. However, this test is only accurate for bare spots. It does not test for thinly applied
coating. A more accurate test, the high voltage spark detector, also shows where coating does not meet
minimum thickness requirements. Both a wand and the tank wall receive a charge and where the coating
is thin or bare, a spark appears showing the exact location of the holiday. Determining thin spots in the
coating is vital because thinly applied coating may allow for premature corrosion of the tank wall.

The Safety Factor

Is the tank safe? Coatings play a role in safety. Coatings can be application specific, so be sure the
coating applied is tested and certified for the liquid to be stored. It is unsafe to use an old storage tank for
a product for which it was not designed and tested. If you are considering recycling a used tank for
storing a new product, be sure to first have the tank professionally evaluated for safety and corrosion
resistance. Incorrect use of a tank could result in premature failure of the tank, harm to the product or
serious injury to personnel.

Construction Cycle

How quickly do you need the tank in service? Small tanks that ship in one piece such as factory welded
tanks may be put in service quickly from the time of order placement. Bolted tanks also require shorter
construction timeframes because weather and the environment play no role in erection (they may even be
erected in the snow). They also require no weld inspections or time for curing. Field welded and
concrete tanks require the longest timeframes (up to 4-5 times longer than bolted or factory welded) due
to their reliance on weather, the environment, on-site coating preparation and application, and weld
inspections.

Tank Features

What features are available for my specific application? A variety of features are available for storage
vessels. These include vent(s), overflow, inlet, discharge nozzles, side and roof access manways,
ladders, perimeter guardrails, and liquid level indicators, to name a few.

Cost Review: Compare Total Life Cycles

When reviewing bids from tank manufacturers, make sure you compare apples to apples. Up front cost is
important, but maintenance requirements are also an important consideration. For example, field applied
coatings may require recoating after 10 years. A coating applied under stringent conditions in the factory
may have a higher up front cost, but offer a more durable cure and longer life cycle. A high quality
coating often provides less maintenance and recoating requirements overall, which saves time and
money in the long run.

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Locating an Experienced Vendor
How long has your vendor been in the tank business? Experience is key factor for choosing a vendor so
ask them specific questions about their experience. How long have they been manufacturing tanks? Do
they have a water or wastewater specialist with a background in your industry? What is their coating
application and testing process? Are their coatings applied at the factory or in the field? How many tanks
have they sold for applications such as yours? In your market? In your country? What are their quality
control measures? Do they offer third party accreditation, such as the API Q1 and ISO 9001 Quality
Certifications? Lastly, beware of manufacturers that do not have quality certifications, but suggest they
build to those standards. If they are not audited and certified, then the work they do is not guaranteed to
those standards.

For more information about choosing tanks and coatings, visit http://www.columbiantectank.com/

About the Author

Mark Eklund P.E. serves as a product manager for Columbian TecTank with more than 30 years of
experience. Columbian TecTank specializes in the design, fabrication, factory coating/thermally curing
and erection of tanks for liquid and dry bulk storage. The company manufactures bolted and shop-welded
tanks of carbon steel, aluminum and stainless steel featuring factory applied and thermally cured epoxy
coatings. Columbian TecTanks are manufactured at ISO 9001 Certified facilities and are found in 125
countries worldwide. Contact: [email protected] or 913-621-3700.

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