Risk Management for Empty Steel Tank
Risk Management for Empty Steel Tank
(OP)
Is anyone aware of best pracitces, publications, standars, or anything that addresses risk managment strategies against wind damage for large welded steel tanks that are sitting empty (or near empty). We are in an area that produces a lot of ethanol and current market conditions have been such that ethanol production is down. Way down. So we have many customers that have large welded steel storage tanks for ethanol that are currenlty sitting empty or nearly empty. One of out customers actually sustained damage to the sidewall of one of their large welded steel tanks yesterday during a windstorm (tank is 2 million gal capacity, 120' diameter, 9 years old). The wind pushed in the sidewall.
I know little about how these large welded steel tanks are typically designed. Does the floating roof mechanism in these sort of tanks normally have a device that keeps the floating roof from going lower than 1/2 the sidewall height to help stiffen the sidewall of an empty tank?
Also, if anyone would like to additionally comment of methods to repair tanks with sidewall damage, I'd appreciate your thoughts on that too.
I know little about how these large welded steel tanks are typically designed. Does the floating roof mechanism in these sort of tanks normally have a device that keeps the floating roof from going lower than 1/2 the sidewall height to help stiffen the sidewall of an empty tank?
Also, if anyone would like to additionally comment of methods to repair tanks with sidewall damage, I'd appreciate your thoughts on that too.





RE: Risk Management for Empty Steel Tank
RE: Risk Management for Empty Steel Tank
RE: Risk Management for Empty Steel Tank
RE: Risk Management for Empty Steel Tank
RE: Risk Management for Empty Steel Tank
RE: Risk Management for Empty Steel Tank
I'm looking thorugh API 650 now and the requirements for when a tank is required to have stiffening rings (this tank does not have them installed). Section 5.9.7 speaks to maximum heights of unstiffened shells. If I'm applying the equation at 5.9.7.1 correctly, I'm getting a maximum height of about 25' with t=1/4", D=120', and V=90 mph.
Anyone agrre/disagree that this tank should have been designed to include wind girders? Or are there additional criteria within this code that also apply to the requirment of stiffening rings?
Thanks!
RE: Risk Management for Empty Steel Tank
RE: Risk Management for Empty Steel Tank