2 Non-wertca ovina! tanks and ther ypes 9.4 Rectangular tanks Reclangular tanks are a common sight in towns, factories and aiields around the UK and elsewhere. They are almost always factory-manufactured in transportable modules to proprietary designs and are commonly called Braithwaite Tanks, They are restricted to quite modest capacities when compared othe ver- ‘ica eylindrical types. This has much to do with the fundamental unsuitability of the rectangular form to liquid containment. Whilst the conventional tank's shell is stressed by the liquid ‘contentsin simple tension, te stressing ofa rectangular tank is ‘more compe. The quid loading onthe at ses requires stif- ‘ned panals and often intomal bracing. tis usual fr the panls to be supplied suitable or baling together with sealing ofthese joints. For water storage anc for other products where clean- ross is Important, the panels may have a factory-appiied coat- ing on bath inner and outer surfaces. An advantage of those tanks that they are available ff the shelf and do not require particularly skiled labour for their erection. They can also be easly dismantled and re-erected elsewhere Itis usual for such tanks to be supported on elevated steel or masonry stuctures which must be suitably cesigned Tor ne loadings 9.2 Spherical tanks ‘Spheres fall more correctly nto the fold of pressure vessels. However, they are such 8 common sight that they deserve a brief mention. They are designed o pressure vessel Standards suchas ASME Vill, BS 5500 andEN 13445, The spherical form is well-suited to resist the internal pressures arising from the product liquid and the vapour. For this reason, spheres were ‘very much in evidence forthe land-based storage of products such as LPG and tis is discussed furtharin Chapter 17. Spher- ical tanks are also a common component of liquid gas cariors ‘and this i also covered in Chaptar 17. ‘The support of spherical tanks is mast commonly achlaved by the use of legs which attach tothe sphere atthe equator. tis usual for these legsto be braced together with diagonal ie rods to provide the necessary lateral supporto resist wind andsels- mic loadings. Such a sphere is shown in Figure 9.1 together ‘ith the arrangements tor access to the tp othe vessel where the pressure relief valves and the level instrumentation are lo- cated. The liquid inlet and outlet connections are tobe found in the bottom cap of the sphere, To ensure that any leakage from the sphereis contained, local bundis usually provided and an ‘ext of Unis Siow Figure 9.2 ‘There have been some spectacular accidents in the past in- volving spherical vessels storing volte an¢ inflammable prod- Ucts. Some ofthese have come about by the ignition of product leakage, possibly coming from the bottom liquid connections, which has not been able to ¢rain away from the vessel and has ‘consequently ‘cooked’ the sphere tothe point where the in- ‘creasing heat input causes the intemal pressure to increase at 2 rate thatthe pressure relief valve system cannot cope with leading to an explosive failure ofthe vessel Current thinking sto provide @ bunding system from which the Feaking liquid can be rapidly removed to a spill containment pit \where @ foam blanketing systom can hopefully prevent or at least minimise the effect of igniton, Forreasons which are obv- ‘ous, the feproofing ofthe supporting legs of spheres isa man- datory requirement. ‘The sphere illustrated in Figure 9.2 has external cladding, sug- gesting thetts an insulated sphere, possibiyfor the storage of Semi of full refigerated LPG. The application, maintenance, longevity and repair such insulation and assoniated riadding systems for spherical vessels has caused many problems for the owners of such vessels in the past. 216 STORAGE TANKS & EQUIPMENT Fre 91 Atypical sphrcal an wer coructon Fg 92 Sphacal tr wih ocal bund Courtesy of Wheesne ‘The safety problems, both real and perceived, whichhave been associatod with spherical vessels has caused them to be ess popular choice for certain ownors and in certain geographic lo ‘ations than was the case in times past ‘Abig sphore would be around 22 m in diameter which would have agrossliqud capacity of some 6575 m?. Above this diam-ter, problems of plate thickness and site stress-elie tend to provide @ size limitation ‘Aseconé means of support for spherical vesselsis to provide a cylindrical skirt ora cup ype of arrangement, This is commonly ‘knownas the*Man ype" of support ands often considered as a proprietary design, avalable only from certain designers and ‘supple. 9.3 Horizontal vessels [Above ground horizontal vessels have been used for many years forthe storage of modest quantiice of various products. ‘These range in size from the simplo gas pigs'for domestic gas supply of around 0.5 m up to vessels for high pressure gas storage or for component pats of mounded storage systerns of ‘round 4000 m for each vessel “Tne high pressure yas yess wet earn gh a ajo {928 works at one time in the UK. They were an early form of Deak shaving forthe gas network before the advent ofthe liquid natural gas tanks at strategic locations around the country for the same purpose. These vessels were builtin groups of six oF more andwore up te 6 min iamotorand 100 mleng, They wore Constructed from factory-bult units atthe maximum transport able length, which were site welded together and the closing ‘seams site strossroliaved. An example of such a facility during construction is shown in Figure 9.3. Asinilar facility forte storage of liquid propane is shown in Fig- lure 94. This consists of sixvessels, each 12(3.66m) indiam- ter and 120 ft (36.6 m) long Figure 0. Gite wet ofan pena ga eset 9 Non.voricaleyndrical tanks ae other types Favre 95 Meunded sarogo an sym under cnsrcion aunesyor Fipie $2 Nounded trge lnk eg on prepared sand beds For safety easons, such above ground facilis forthe storage of products such as LPG have become unpopular. The current ‘endfor the pressure storage of LPG is to use mounded stor ‘age systoms. Hore horizontal pressure vessels are used which fre supperted on a bed of sand or other sultable sol, and ater Construction are back filed and buried. This arrangement pro- vides protection from fire and missle damage. This arrange- ‘ent also allows forthe storage of diferent products or product ‘mixes in the separate vessels whichis convenientfor operators Of LPG terminals. Guides tothe design of mounded storage faites are provided by the UK Health and Sefety Executive and the Engineering Employers Materials Users Associaton, (EEMUA), (Refer- fences 9.1 and 9.2). Figures 9.5 and 9.6 show a typical ‘mounded etorags tank eystom under construction. In this in- stance the vessels wore 8 min dameter and because of tha re ‘mate location ofthe site inthe Philippines, were constructed in ‘modules from imported edge-propared flat plato in atemporary ‘workshop onthe jobsite, These were then laid on the prepared sand bed and wolded into the complete vessels. In-ground horizontal cylindrical storage tanks are widely used 2s garage forecourt tanks forthe storage of the various motor fuels. Af one time these were simple steel tanks buried in the ‘ground. Problems of corrasion and subsequent leakage of the products into ie suriounling sul, ad the escalating sos of emedial works and tigation has caused tis area of activity to be reconsidered and moder faclties have secondary contain- ‘ment, leak detection and anti-corrosion measures built into them. An excellent book covering the Codes, regulations and {dosign of these tanks from an American perspective is gen in Reference 9.3, STORAGE TANKS & EQUIPMENT 217