Technical Committee Environment

Documentation of the condition of the underside of the tank bottom of flat-bottmed tan ks

Within the context of a mineral oil tank depot which had been in use for 25 years closing down, the opportunity arose to investigate the condition of the underside of the tank bottom of the flat-bottomed tanks.
29 tank bottom undersides of tanks of different sizes and ages were evaluated.
The most importance factors to influence the corrosion of the tank bottom underside are the tank foundation and its protective coatings as well as the connection of the edge of the tank bottom with the protective coating underneath.
The least corrosion was to be found on tank bottoms which were placed on protective coatings of asphalt or on gravel sprayed with bituminous emultion. Significant here was the liquid-proof sealing of the joint between the edge of the tank bottom and the protective coating underneath.