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Low Pressure Storage Tank
2

Low Pressure Storage Tank

Low Pressure Storage Tank

(OP)
Can anyone recommend a text for the design of steel low pressure storage tanks? I have access to the API publications, already.

Dik

RE: Low Pressure Storage Tank

What size, what pressure, and what stored product are you dealing with?

RE: Low Pressure Storage Tank

(OP)
50' dia x 25' high sort of size... just a normal head of fluid similar to water... Likely a flat 'roof' with a centre support. It's the methodology I'm looking at... strength, stability, recommendations for welding etc. Some of this is covered by the API... but, looking for supplemental mat'l hoping someone could recommend a good text that covered tanks.

Dik

RE: Low Pressure Storage Tank

(OP)
...also designing sheathing as membrane and not as a flexural item...

Dik

RE: Low Pressure Storage Tank

Dik:
1.) The American Water Works Assoc. (AWWA) has some specs. and design guides.
2.) Several of the Civil & Structural Handbooks have some material on the subject.
3.) Any Tanks and Shells, or Plate Structures text. Don’t have one in particular.
4.) Tubular Steel Structures, Theory and Design, by M.S. Troitsky, Pub. by Lincoln Arc Welding Foundation. Good general coverage on many subjects, and inexpensive too.
5.) There are several large manufacturers who design, fab and erect these types of tanks, maybe some of there literature would be helpful for ideas and general details and methods. I’d guess water, sewerage treatment, petroleum, and bulk storage.

RE: Low Pressure Storage Tank

I'm looking too but I haven't been able to find much. I have seen a training seminar that I might attend. Also the Troitsky publication looks promising.

RE: Low Pressure Storage Tank

I am not aware of a single reference that does a really good job of telling you all the details of tank design.

Most of the tanks built are built by specialized contractors who have their own engineering capabilities. So as an owner, you can furnish a pretty minimal amount of information and the contractor can furnish the rest. When you get into some very specific details, you may find those details vary from contractor to contractor as well.

The best reference that I have actually seen is "Steel Plate Engineering Data: Volume 1 & Volume 2" (actually in one volume), published by the Steel Plate Fabricators/ American Iron & Steel Institute. The version I have is badly dated. I see listed here a more recently revised version, but I haven't actually seen it, so I don't know how it differs from the one I have. At $75, it seems considerably overpriced to me. Anyway, listed here:
https://www.steeltank.com/Publications/Publication...

Go to Amazon.com, put "steel storage tank book", and it pulls up several promising titles. However, out of the list, there is only one I have actually perused, and it relates more to the regulatory end of tanks.

The Structural Engineering Handbook by Gaylord & Gaylord has some information on tank design and foundation design- I'm not sure if it's worthwhile to buy the book just for that, but if you have a copy available, look into it.

A quick rundown of how tanks are designed:
Flat bottom- is specified, not designed.
Shell- checked for hoop tension due to hydrostatic pressure by simple t=2.6HD/sE type formulas in the standards.
Also checked for blow-in using equations for maximum height of unstiffened shell, usually wouldn't control design on that size tank.
Roof plate- will actually be a low cone, never flat- use radial rafters designed as simply-supported beams. Tank codes give maximum rafter spacing. Friction with the roof may be used for lateral stability of the rafters, depending on the code used.
Center column designed as a pinned-pinned column, may include eccentric loading due to unbalanced snow or erection loading.
If the tank is anything but atmospheric, then some complications arise, refer to App. F of API-650.
Overturning of the tank due to wind varies depending on the design code used.
Seismic design is covered in the design codes- App. E of API-650.

Welding procedures are usually ASME procedures, but AWS can also be used. Actual procedures will vary depending on the contractor. Roofs and bottoms are generally lap-welded from the top-side only, shells are butt-welded.

If the tank is storing anything but water, you may need to look into using floating roofs or other emission control equipment, secondary containment, leak-detection, etc.

I'm not sure what you mean about "...also designing sheathing as membrane and not as a flexural item...". If you mean the roof plate, see the provisions in the standards that give maximum rafter spacing as a function of roof thickness, which is how bending or strength of a rafter-supported roof is considered.

RE: Low Pressure Storage Tank

I had, many years ago, a tank design booklet published by Bethlehem Steel. Had good info and worked examples. I might still have it somewhere. I'll look.

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