How To Choose The Right Stainless Steel Tank For Your Application: Part 1 &#; Space & Shape

April 12, -

• Food Processing
• Stainless Steel Tanks

One of the most common questions we get at Zwirner Equipment is &#;which tank do I need?&#; To help answer this question for our customers, we decided to start a 3-part blog series where we will break down the different questions that need answered to determine which tank is the right tank for your application. We will touch on the space and shape of a tank, the heating and cooling aspects, and your agitation needs. In this blog post, we will discuss how to determine the right stainless steel tank for your application based on space and shape requirements.

Are You Processing or Storing Your Product?

The first step to choosing the right tank is determining what you plan on using it for. Processing is done in smaller batches and storing is done in larger batches. This aspect will determine whether you need a processing tank or a storage tank.

View Our Inventory of Stainless Steel Equipment

For more information, please visit our website.

Browse Products

What&#;s Next?

Space and shape are big factors in selecting the right tank for your application. In order to choose the right tank, you first must decide if you plan to use it for processing or storage. Once that has been determined, you then must evaluate the space you have to house this tank. While reading about vertical and horizontal storage tanks, you may have asked yourself if it is important to efficiently heat or cool your product. Well if so, stay tuned in for

One of the most common questions we get at Zwirner Equipment is &#;which tank do I need?&#; To help answer this question for our customers, we decided to start a 3-part blog series where we will break down the different questions that need answered to determine which tank is the right tank for your application. We will touch on the space and shape of a tank, the heating and cooling aspects, and your agitation needs. In this blog post, we will discuss how to determine the right stainless steel tank for your application based on space and shape requirements.The first step to choosing the right tank is determining what you plan on using it for. Processing is done in smaller batches and storing is done in larger batches. This aspect will determine whether you need a processing tank or a storage tank. Processing tanks are most commonly used for&#;wait for it&#;processing! They are the best option for processing purposes because of their bottom shape. They come with either a cone, dish, reverse dish or slope bottom. Vertical and horizontal stainless steel tanks can be used for processing but we highly recommend using a processing tank if you are processing a heavy product. Vertical and horizontal tanks have a sloped bottom of approximately ¾ of an inch per foot. However, this slope limits you to lower viscosity products only. Therefore, if you have a thicker product, you will need a cone or dish bottom processing tank. Vertical and horizontal tanks are most commonly used for storage. Vertical tanks are difficult to find with vertical agitation. Most often they have horizontal mechanical agitators due to cost. However, they are the most common orientation used. We often find that customers avoid horizontal tanks due to space limitations. Vertical silos require much less space than a horizontal tank. If you are limited on space, a vertical silo is your best choice. Horizontal tanks are most cost effective and work best if you need to heat or cool your product efficiently. Horizontal tanks have more surface area coverage, which means they can move product more easily because of its orientation. They are much more cost effective because it is a lot easier add vertical agitation and less expensive to transport. If you are looking for a stainless steel tank that is cost effective and highly efficient, a horizontal tank is your best choice.Space and shape are big factors in selecting the right tank for your application. In order to choose the right tank, you first must decide if you plan to use it for processing or storage. Once that has been determined, you then must evaluate the space you have to house this tank. While reading about vertical and horizontal storage tanks, you may have asked yourself if it is important to efficiently heat or cool your product. Well if so, stay tuned in for Part 2 of our series where we will discuss how to choose the right stainless steel tank for your application based on heating and cooling requirements. Call Today

Types of Tank Materials

Once you understand your chemical&#;s unique characteristics, you&#;ll be able to identify the best type of tank materials to meet your storage needs. If you&#;re storing water, just about any tank will do. If you&#;re dealing with highly oxidizing chemicals, you&#;ll need to eliminate certain options.

Let&#;s take a look at the most common types of chemical storage tank materials.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel tanks can be used for high-pressure, high-volume and high-temperature applications. Stainless steel storage tanks look nice, too. Many facilities automatically choose stainless steel simply because the tanks have a good reputation and they are found in every industry. However, that&#;s not always a strong business decision.

Stainless steel tanks have their drawbacks&#;most notably, the price tag. Stainless steel tanks are the most expensive storage system on the market. If you purchase a stainless steel chemical storage tank, you should expect to pay five times as much, or more, than you would for other solutions.

As durable as stainless steel tanks are, they don&#;t handle acids well. To store aggressive chemicals such as sulfuric acid, you will need to add an extra layer of lining to protect the stainless steel tank.

Portability can also be an issue. Stainless steel tanks are heavy and difficult to move. If your business is scaling up or you&#;re upgrading your facility, you may not have the flexibility to move your tanks. Be prepared to sacrifice a degree of flexibility and optimization in your operations as a result.

If you order a stainless steel tank, you could be waiting for five months or longer. If you need the tanks sooner than that, you may need to consider other options.

Fiberglass-Reinforced Plastic Tanks

Fiberglass-reinforced plastic tanks (FRP) tanks are coated with an interior chemical resin and a structural layer comprised of chopped glass fiber or filament wound fibers and resin. They&#;re often found in facilities that need to consider tank pressure and volume. But many companies purchase expensive fiberglass tanks for applications that FRP solutions aren&#;t ideally suited for. Be sure to consider the following issues when you make your tank buying decision.

Several factors could influence your decision to purchase a fiberglass storage tank, including:

• Cost: Because FRP tanks are normally handcrafted, it&#;s an expensive material. If your application calls for resin-rich corrosion barriers (often required for even common chemicals), your costs can increase significantly.

• Manufacturing: FRP storage tanks are not one-piece vessels. They are filament wound or hand laid up. Fiberglass tanks are constructed with seams, which means they inherently contain weak points that are vulnerable to leaks.

• Tank life: Because of the structure of fiberglass, harsh chemicals can wick into the tank walls over time, compromising the tank life. Eventually, the chemical resin barrier on the interior wall is compromised and the chemical makes its way into the structural area of the tank. The fibers begin to break down, and eventually, the tank fails.

  senlyon supply professional and honest service.

  Additional reading:
  How Much Is a Conveyor Belt: Cost of Conveyor Belt
• 
  Top 5 Pressure Vessels for Oil Refining and Chemical Processes

  Maintenance: Since FRP storage tanks are subject to leaks at seams and wicking over time, careful maintenance and inspection are necessary. Often this requires confined space entry. Also, because FRP tanks are painted or have a gel coat on the outside of the tanks, they need to be recoated on a regular basis in most cases. This is especially true for outdoor tanks, which need to withstand UV attack.

• Special handling: Fiberglass tanks are inflexible, which makes them vulnerable to point load stresses, and if not avoided a crack. This is why they are delivered in special saddle handling trucks. Extreme care must be taken anytime you move an FRP tank, especially during installation.

Linear Polyethylene

Linear polyethylene is created when a thermoplastic resin is heated to create a fluid plastic. The plastic is hardened and cured into a linear, high-density polyethylene surface. Envision a rope where the individual threads of fiber are mashed together, but not tied. The result is a linear resin that has polymer chains &#;tangled&#; together.

Linear polyethylene is cost-efficient and suitable for storage of benign and non-corrosive chemicals. Some may have you believe that an added benefit is that it is recyclable. However, the truth is that all plastic ends up in the landfill after the useful life of the tank.

The lower price point can be attractive but remember, a low upfront cost can be a high longterm expense. Before you purchase a linear polyethylene tank, be sure it will meet your storage needs. Many companies have invested in linear polyethylene tanks because of the price, only to regret the decision later on.

When a linear polyethylene tank is used to store corrosive materials, the system doesn&#;t simply develop a pinhole leak&#;it can fail catastrophically. These chemical storage tanks can&#;t stop cracking once it begins, because the molecular bonds are like that rope of meshed fibers&#;pull the right way and it comes undone. Eventually, the tank &#;unzips&#; itself and the entire sidewall can rip open.

Cross-Linked Polyethylene

Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) is high-density polyethylene that is manufactured by adding a catalyst to the thermoplastic resin which turns it into a thermoset. The catalyst causes a covalent bond that links the molecules together. Picture a chain linked fence where the metal is actually linked together. The result is a plastic that possesses greater impact durability, tensile strength, and resistance to fracture that makes cross-linked polyethylene an excellent choice when tank integrity is of utmost importance. The chemical resistance, heat resistance, and dimensional stability are unparalleled.

In order to create very safe, long-lasting storage tanks, cross-linked polyethylene has become a desirable material to be used in chemical storage vessels. There are a few key reasons why XLPE is a highly desirable material for tanks that need to last as long as possible.

There are a few key reasons why XLPE is a highly desirable material for tanks that need to last as long as possible.

• Safety in strength: They are much safer and stronger. Due to the molecular bonding of the polymers within the tank system, it will not tear or unzip catastrophically like high-density linear polyethylene tanks have a tendency to do. XLPE tanks are manufactured to provide the highest possible personnel safety and environmental care that is available on the market today.

• Cost: If you look the entire picture, XLPE tanks are one of the most affordable on the market. While the upfront cost is slightly more than linear polyethylene, the life cycle costs are far less than linear tanks. Cross-linked tanks have a longer useful life and require less maintenance, making them less expensive than other types of tanks.

• Durability: XLPE storage tanks are leak resistant because they are molded as one piece (monolithic), without seams. The cross-linked resin stands up to the harshest chemicals.

• Longevity: Cross-linked polyethylene storage tanks last longer than linear and fiberglass tanks, often exceeding two decades of useful life.

• Maintenance: They require almost no maintenance and rarely need an internal inspection for leaks and cracks.

• Portability: Since XLPE tanks are relatively lightweight and are extremely durable, transporting them is easy and cost-efficient. They can also be maneuvered multiple times without fear of damage.

  The company is the world’s best Custom Storage Tanks supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.