Storage Tanks Key Terms

Stock up on the right vocabulary to understand storage tanks
By Lisa Maloney Storage tanks may contain liquid supplies, dry supplies or both. In many cases, the structural integrity of storage tanks is critical to a community's survival because the tank may hold water or food supplies, or be used to stockpile viable economic commodities such as grain.
 

While the concept behind storage tanks - large vessels to hold something - is simple, there are sophisticated storage units with numerous special features. These tanks better protect the stored items from environmental concerns, pests and leakage. The following terms will get you started on storage tank specific vocabulary.

Bitumen

Bitumen is a sticky, naturally occurring blend of hydrocarbons that ranges from solid to semi-solid and brown to black in color. Bitumen is used to help create a dirt, sand, water and insect-proof material for sealing water tanks called presstite.
Try: Planete-energies.com explains how bitumen is mined and, in some cases, extracted from crude oil.

Pillow tanks

Pillow tanks are collapsible storage tanks that are suitable for short- or long-term storage of liquids, including water, juice, gasoline, waste water and more.
Try: Elastec/American Marine gives technical specifications for pillow tanks and explains their suitability for varied uses, particularly in the field of disaster relief.

PSI

Some liquids, such as ammonia, may be so dense that they exert pressure from the inside out in storage tanks. This pressure is measured in PSI or pounds per square inch, and storage tanks should be rated to a minimum level for certain liquids. For example, ammonia should be stored in a tank with a rating of 30 PSI or better.
Try: Tanner Industries offers advice for the proper storage of ammonia in tanks, including how to manage the PSI with safety release valves and proper ventilation.

Federal UST program

The Federal Underground Storage Tank (UST) program dictates the handling of underground storage tanks holding petroleum products and other hazardous substances.
Try: The U.S Environmental Protection Agency explains the purpose of the UST program, which tanks it applies to, and offers links to the relevant statutes.

Filament winding

Filament winding is one process by which fiberglass storage tanks are constructed. In this process, multiple continuous fiberglass strands are wrapped around a mold with resin then brushed, poured or sprayed on.
Try: Arrowhead Plastic Engineering explains the filament winding process, as well as the hands lay-up and spray-up processes.

Tank access

Ladders, hatches and platforms are just a few of the methods used to gain access to storage tanks.
Try: Grain Systems displays different versions of tank access for both hopper (dry goods storage) and liquid storage tanks.