Steel Double Bottom Tanks Provide Safe Oil Heat Storage
LAKE ZURICH, IL, JULY 21, 2006: After several years of collaboration between Steel Tank Institute, Granby Steel Tanks, and the oil heat industry, steel tank producers have developed a new design that enhances the safe storage of oil heat for homeowners and small businesses. Obround oil heat tanks will be available with double bottoms.
Oil heat tanks are often installed today in basements or immediately outside structures with secondary containment around the entire tank structure. The double bottom provides environmental equivalency by placing the containment under the areas where tanks are most vulnerable to leakage when tanks have not been properly maintained.
The oil heat industry has observed that most tank related oil heat releases occurred at the bottom of the tank. These observations were recently substantiated in a study performed by Granby Steel Tanks. "We examined years of internal tank performance records, and we found that 100% of all the tank related releases occurred within 6" of the centerline of the vertical obround tank's bottom," says Jacques Lacroix, Director of R&D of Granby Steel Tanks.
The sleek double bottom design, built to Steel Tank Institute standards, will contain such incidents while providing simple monitoring methods. The design enables simple replacement of the existing tank due to its reduced weight versus heavier full containment systems. Its shape is identical to existing tanks, making replacement a non-issue. The new tank can be easily transported through doorways and installed in tight spots. No containment tubs are necessary. "Homeowners are seeking low-cost, but reliable storage solutions to their oil heat needs that will assure safety/' stated John Levey.
Per Wayne Geyer, Executive Vice-President of the Steel Tank Institute, 'The double bottom steel tank design not only provides safety for the environment, but offers the additional benefit of fire resistance that non-metallic containers cannot always provide. Plus the steel tank offers long term structural benefits that cannot be surpassed with the fuels of today and tomorrow."
The Steel Tank Institute and the Steel Plate Fabricators Association are Divisions of STI/SPFA, an association serving companies in the business of fabricating steel tanks, piping and pressure vessels for use in the petroleum, food, water and chemical processing industries. STI/SPFA provides certification and training courses for steel tank and piping, performs quality assurance inspections, develops industry standards and specifications, produces safety manuals, and serves as a liaison to regulatory and code authorities. For more information please contact Lorri Grainawi, (847) 438-8265 ext. 244.
