Storage tanks are capital-intensive installations in industries like energy, chemicals, water treatment, and food production. However, because of their contents and environmental exposures to humidity, salt-laden air, or extreme weather, deterioration occurs, maintenance costs rise, and the ecological environment or local communities may be at risk.
Recent technological developments in storage tank protection can help mitigate these risks and reduce maintenance expenditures. From internal linings to external coatings, thermal insulation, and cathodic protection, modern innovations have restructured the ways industries protect their valuable assets.
Internal Liners: Storage Tank Corrosion Protection
Internal corrosion remains one of the most important risks to storage tanks, especially to those used for products with corrosive or reactive natures. For example, #6 Fuel Oil is a particularly dense and viscous liquid that can cause slow deterioration to interior walls.. Effective storage tank corrosion protection is therefore essential in ensuring long-term reliability.
Advanced internal lining technologies like US Coatings GripLine 6700 offer robust chemical resistance, protect the interior from corrosive agents, and dramatically reduce maintenance costs. These modern linings are formulated to resist aggressive environments, while optional enhancements like glass flake can provide added strength.
These high-performance solutions minimise operational downtime and extend the service life of tanks. Advanced linings can also increase inspection intervals by five years or more, helping to reduce costs whilst improving long-term asset integrity.
External Coatings: Protection against Environmental Factors
External tank surfaces are sensitive to environmental effects caused by temperature changes, high humidity, and exposure to corrosive elements (like salt). If not treated, such conditions can bring about a loss of structural integrity, increase in maintenance, and safety concerns.
Storage tank coatings, like the wide range from Highland International, present a formidable barrier to these elements. High-adhesion primers and advanced anti-corrosion coatings together offer effective storage tank protection against moisture, contaminants, and UV exposure, even at elevated temperatures.
Formulated for the most extreme environments, these coatings serve dual purposes: protecting the storage tank whilst simultaneously maintaining its appearance, thereby minimizing the need for frequent recoating and expensive repairs.
Thermal Insulating Coatings: Maintaining Process Stability and Protecting Personnel
Temperature-sensitive materials are commonly held in storage tanks that need to maintain consistent internal temperatures. Traditional methods of insulation, such as cladding and wraps, are usually heavy, prone to moisture intrusion, and require periodic maintenance.
New solutions, like Mascoat Industrial coatings, proved much more effective and long-lasting. These storage tank coatings, applied directly to the tank’s surface, provide a continuous insulation layer that greatly reduces thermal loss or heat gain. The thickness can be adjusted for a wide range of applications, including personnel protection, condensation prevention, energy retention, prevention of flash cooling, or solar load reduction.
Mascoat Industrial coatings have been proven to provide more than 25 years of maintenance-free performance, helping industries improve energy efficiency while protecting tank exteriors from environmental wear.
Linear Anodes for Cathodic Protection
Aboveground storage tanks are susceptible to floor corrosion due to the contact of the tank floors with soil or concrete foundations. Over time, electrochemical reactions between the steel floor and its foundation can lead to corrosion failures, which can cause leaks, structural damage, and costly repairs.
To eliminate such risks, Anodeflex offers an ICCP system tailored for this purpose: the LinearFlex system. The LinearFlex is installed in a concentric ring pattern under the tank floor to provide uniform current distribution for superior storage tank corrosion protection. This can be for a new construction, floor replacement, or retrofitted CP system.
Unlike traditional cathodic protection methods that are largely field-assembled, LinearFlex is factory-assembled and pre-tested for ease of installation and reliability. This system effectively prevents floor corrosion, thus prolonging AST life while reducing maintenance costs over an extended period.
Wrapping Systems: A New Approach to Corrosion Protection
One of the major challenges asset owners face is corrosion on tank roofs and chimes due to environmental exposure, water ingress, and temperature fluctuations. Traditional coatings have a lot of surface preparation and require frequent touch-ups, making maintenance an expensive and time-consuming process.
The STOPAQ storage tank protection system is simple and high performing. The combination of Wrappingband EZ with 4200 Filler creates a seamless, self-healing corrosion barrier. Wrapband EZ is an amorphous polymer material that flows together upon application, forming a flexible, watertight seal and accommodates tank movement without aging or disbonding for long-term durability. 4200 Filler is an application for the filling of tank chimes to eliminate gaps and irregularities where moisture intrusion may lead to corrosion.
As such, STOPAQ requires very minimal surface preparation, which helps drastically reduce labor costs and application time. It also allows for easy maintenance that requires little time to repair damage without needing abrasive blasting or complicated scaffolding. The system can be painted to match aesthetic requirements, making it an environmentally friendly and cost-effective option for long-term storage tank protection.