Thursday, October 17, 2013

Factors To Consider For Tank Construction

By Megan Landry


Tank construction entails a lot of details that needs to be factor in for it to be successful. One of the things that must be considered is the location and the size of the tank. You may be willing to build a vessel that is large in size and in a location of your will. However, the space adequate for the size the tank you are willing to establish may not be available. If your space is limited, you are supposed to establish a small vessel in diameter yet of a height that is quite tall.

Another factor that should be considered is the materials for constructing the vessel. Depending on the volume of the commodity you are willing to store and its type, you will decide on the material to use for your vessel. For instance, concrete and field welded steel are best suited for large tanks. However, small tanks may be built using fiberglass, plastic or even factory welded steel.

The weather conditions of a certain area will also have impact on the tanks that can be brought up. How strong wind loads, roof loads, and seismic conditions are really matters while you are constructing tanks. If your tanks are to be established in regions where wind loads are high and seismic activity is greater, they need be shorter and wide in height and diameter respectively.

Another factor to consider while constructing this vessel is the growth aspect of your business. If the growth of your business will relatively call for the expansion of the vessel or its movement, then you should accommodate for it. In this case, you are supposed to establish a foundation that accommodates an extra vertical extension of the tank. The lower portion of your vessel should also be strong enough for the extension. If it will be moved as the business grows, then you should use bolted tanks.

The other thing that should be considered is the coating of the vessel. There are many reasons why a vessel should be coated. Some vessels are coated to improve its temperature in both cold and warm areas. Sometimes the coating of tanks is to regulate the PH values. More importantly, coating is recommended to prevent corrosion of the tanks and it is important to ensure that it is thoroughly applied. You should ensure that the chemicals used for coating cannot contaminate your stored commodity.

The other important factor to put into consideration is the cost review of the tanks. Needless to say, a person is supposed to compare the upfront cost of establishing the vessel. This will include the cost of material used for construction, labor, roofing and coating. However, a complete review of cost will also cater for maintenance and the construction cycle. In most cases, those tanks that require a huge amount of capital will not necessitate a lot of maintenance cost in the future.

The experience of a contractor is something else you need to brace yourself with. A person with vast experience on construction of tanks is the right person to go for. Such a person is well versed with how the vessel should be brought up.

Other features during tank construction will also need to be considered. These will include the roofing type, vents, inlet, outlet, discharges nozzles, and the roofing. Man ways for the side and roof, liquid indicators, perimeter guardrails, liquid indicators, ladders and more need be considered too.




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