Saturday 15 February 2014

Using An Above Ground Storage Tank

By Krystal Branch


An above ground storage tank are one of the two types of storage tanks. These tanks are situated either on the ground or on a slightly raised ground. Their capacity is regulated to 10,000 litres for those whose contents are any other liquids other than water. One thing to note is that they both have advantages and disadvantages over the other designs.

The reasons for the choice of these designs are numerous. One of these is that they are relatively cheap when it comes to installation costs because it involves fewer activities. One needs to find a space where to construct their tanks of which the only costs involved include construction of a foundation of which it is not a must for those placing their tanks above their houses. This mostly applies to water tanks. For those that require raising the grounds, less cost is involved because there is no excavation cost.

Minimal excavation is required when establishing these designs thus making it relatively cheaper. The only excavation required is for foundation only for the support. They are mostly raised slightly above while there are some which are raised high above the ground. In both situations the excavation required is very minimal slightly less expensive installation. In case where excavation is mandatory for underground tanks is in case of problems calling for repairs.

They can be strategically placed in a safe and secure place free from interference and pollution. This not only secures the contents but also protects the users from harmful and malicious contamination. In case of any unforeseen dangers, these designs can easily be relocated to a better place. This is because moving and setting it up in a different place does not involve many processes like excavation.

Another advantage worth mentioning is the fact that these tanks do not require energy to pump the stored content. The material can be easily extracted without energy because the tanks are set up the ground and thus can flow downwards naturally. All that one needs to do is set the extraction pipes bellow the tank. This is also an advantage as it contributes to the low costs required to establish and use such tanks.

Apart from the effect of weather conditions, these tanks are also susceptibility to accidents. They are constructed above grounds and that means they can be accessed easily by various individuals who may cause various forms of accidents on the tanks. An example is whereby individuals working around the tanks leave oil tanks running and accidents of fire result in one way or another. These not only results to accidents to the tanks but also extends to those situated close.

It is also disadvantageous to use these designs because one will have to incur an extra cost to acquire additional space to establish them. The tanks are built above grounds and that means one is expected to use an extra space. If there are many tanks especially for companies dealing with liquid products, it will be way too much. One can save space by constructing underground tanks.

In conclusion above ground storage tanks have various pros and cons and needs critical analysis when deciding on their use. One will have to analyze both the advantages and the disadvantages and weigh the two so as to come up with a conclusive decision on whether to adopt it or not.




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