Tank Storage
Tank Storage and Terminals
Tank terminals are facilities where petroleum products, chemicals, gases and other liquid products – i.e. liquid or gaseous substances – can be stored and handled. Tank terminals consist of a number of individual tanks, generally above ground, that are usually cylindrical
Materials used in tank storage
Tanks can be made of different materials. The materials most commonly used in tank storage are steel, concrete in combination with plastic, fiberglass-reinforced plastic, nylon, and polyethylene. Oil is usually stored in vertical cylindrical tanks made of steel. The appropriate type of construction and materials for storing these products is defined by DIN standards. Beyond this, the respective federal state building regulations based on the Construction Products Act, and all applicable fire protection regulations must also be observed when constructing a tank terminal.
Tank storage design and equipment
Apart from materials and shape, tanks also vary in their design and equipment. The most common types of tank are fixed-roof tanks with and without an internal floating roof, external floating-roof tanks, cup tanks, and cryogenic tanks. The type of construction used also depends on the properties of the products to be stored in them. Cryogenic tanks, for example, are used for materials that have to be stored in liquefied form at very low temperatures. At ambient temperature, these products would be gaseous.
The paint used on the tanks also has an effect on the emission values of a given tank type; the goal in tank storage is to reduce emissions wherever possible. Crude oil tanks are also often equipped with stirrers at the bottom tank shell, or mixer jets, to be able to homogenize and mix the oil.
Access types in tank storage
As tank terminals are transshipment centers for raw materials and products, they have various options available for loading and unloading, as well as onward transport. The most common facilities are jetties, pipeline connections, rail cars and tank truck platforms. As sea routes via vessels or barges and pipeline are usually the preferred method of transport for many products, tank terminals are often located along waterways.