Monday 17 February 2014

Merits And Demerits Of An Above Ground Storage Tank

By Krystal Branch


You should note that there are two types of storage tanks and one of them is the above ground storage tank. These are installed above unlike the underground tanks which are constructed below the ground and calls for excavation. They have a restriction on the capacity when it comes to none water content. This was set at 10,000 liters to reduce accidents. They have both the pros and cons.

They can be easily monitored for leaks and corrosion thus making it better than the underground tanks. They are mostly used to store liquids such as oil and water and thus susceptible to pressure which may cause breakages. The fact that they are above the ground makes it easy to notice whenever there are such problems in the tanks which calls for repairs. This will reduce the losses that may occur from losses from leaks.

Like any other tanks, they are prone to damages through corrosion and physical damage by individuals, animals or natural calamities. The good thing with these designs is that they are exposed to observation and inspection. This enables early detection of damages and easy repair as it is accessible. This results into minimization of losses as a result of leakages and spillage.

The third advantage is that they can be easily monitored. They are visible and thus the owner can easily monitor any changes which may either call for repairs. This makes this type of tanks easy to maintain and also easy to use. This also ensures there is continuous maintenance process which increases the economic life of the tanks.

In as much as these designs are considered to be generally advantageous, the do however have their own set of disadvantages. The major challenge facing these tanks is their exposure to unfavorable climatic conditions. They are exposed to excessive heat conditions during the day and too low temperatures in the nights. These diverse weather conditions promote corrosion which eventually erodes the surfaces and materials used to make these tanks. This is the major reason for the frequent bursts and leakages often experienced by the owners of these tanks.

These tanks also have their disadvantages for example they require additional space. To establish these tanks one needs to have an additional space because they cannot be constructed in open air but in a piece of land or above a building. For oil tanks they are constructed in a field and thus taking up space that could have been used for better purposes. Unlike with underground one cannot use the same space for two purposes because when set up, that space is completely out of use.

They are also affected negatively by adverse weather conditions such as too much solar or high temperature conditions. Such conditions may result to corrosion of the tanks and in other situations they may even cause them to burst especially in the case of plastic tanks. For one to avoid such situation it means construction of a structure that will protect the tanks from such effects. This will call for additional costs which will make the whole project expensive.

It is therefore clear that above ground storage tank are more effective than the other type of tanks as it has many advantages. Despite this fact, it is necessary for one to analyze all the reasons for and against these types of tanks depending on the preference and priorities.




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