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A question of tank lining

Steve-King-2013
Steve King – KingTankTechnic would never line a tank of poor integrity which has failed the Engineering Equipment and Materials Users’ Association (EEMUA) guidelines
King Tanktechnic was one of the sixty plus exhibitors at the 2013 Tank Storage Association (TSA) exhibition
Director Steve King who also attended the TSA conference (reviewed in the November 2013 issue of Fuel Oil News) said: “Several of the questions asked at the conference, made it clear to me that many in the bulk storage sector don’t perhaps realise the benefit of lining their tanks.”
Based at Droylsden near Manchester, King Tanktechnic has 22 years of experience in tank lining and coatings which ensure the safe storage of millions of litres of hydrocarbons among many other substances.
“Lining tank bottoms is good housekeeping,” added Steve. “Ninety-five per cent of all the tanks we’ve cleaned and inspected have proven to be corroding from the internal surface, rather than the exterior, with corrosion usually resulting from moisture contamination and microbes producing corrosive bi-products.”
Below Steve provides answers to some of the queries that were raised at both the conference and at King Tanktechnic’s exhibition stand

2 min read

Having lined a flat bottom tank how does an operator check the status of its steel floor?
With a double tank lining system, the tank is being continuously checked by the system’s constant monitoring. Ours is a continuous vacuum with an audible and visual alarm.

How does an operator know a double skin lined tank is sound?
If there is a perforation, the lining system’s audible and visual alarm will sound.

When the alarms sound does this mean the lining has failed?
No, it means the lining has worked correctly and detected a loss of vacuum, alerting the operator to a problem whilst keeping the tank’s contents contained. If necessary, this gives time to remove the contents and source the reason for the alarm. The double skin system is designed to contain product while the alarm source is identified. From experience the alarm is rarely raised; when it does happen it’s usually as a result of interference to the system and not failure of the tank/lining system itself.

Can a new tank be lined?
Yes, there’s no reason why not, prevention is better than cure.

The lining material is resistant to corrosion therefore with the lining in place the steel is as good as when we lined it – if not better – as once the tank bottom is lined the steel interior surface is protected from further corrosion. A newly lined tank bottom is at no risk of corrosion from the tank contents at its internal surface. See also page 18.

www.kingtanktechnic.co.uk/services/chemical-tank-lining.shtml