What are aboveground storage tanks AST’s, and how can you clean them without hurting yourself or other people around you? Why do you need to clean your aboveground storage tanks, and what are the usual procedures for cleaning them? In this article, I will be focusing on aboveground storage tank cleaning to equip you and your team for your next tank cleaning task.
What Is An Aboveground Storage Tank?
Aboveground storage tanks (AST’s) are large steel cylinders primarily used to store petroleum products or other liquid material. These containers serve many purposes which include the storage of oil for current and future use and further distribution in commerce. Also, they usually have secondary means of containment for discharged oil.
Reasons For Aboveground Storage Tank Cleaning
The reasons for aboveground storage tank cleaning include preparation for internal inspection, changing of stock/product, and preparation for tanks maintenance. Let me explain further.
The first reason I will like to talk about is internal inspections. Your tank must be clean for you to be able to carry out a proper check on your tank. In other words, when planning to inspect your tanks, make sure you wash them, prepare them, and keep them out serviced.
Tank cleaning is needful for a change of products. Cleaning of a tank is not limited to dirt removal as other instances such as product change warrants washing of your storage reservoir. For example, if you intend to use a crude oil tank for diesel storage, you need to wash off the residue of the crude oil before discharging the diesel into it to avoid contamination.
You need tank cleaning to fix reservoir issues. To be able to repair faulty tanks, it has to be out serviced, cleaned and vapour free. Also, washing of the reservoir is essential to make the tank conducive for the repairers, inspectors, and ingoers.
Keeping up withgovernment rules and regulations. Cleaning your tank is also essential as it is a way of complying with government rules and regulations on protecting the environment.
What Are The Key Steps To Tank Cleaning
An aboveground tank cleaning involves some steps including job area assessment, product removal, tank ventilation, atmospheric evaluation, equipment set up, electrical connection lockout, washing and residual removal, and final result.
Job area assessment. Before you carry out tank cleaning, you need to evaluate the job area thoroughly for possible hazards, tank entry, manways size, and the likes.
Product Removal. You will need to remove product leftover from the tank before starting the washing. What do I mean by product leftover? I mean those little quantities of oil remaining below the suction line, and often filled with debris.
Tank Ventilation. You need to provide and maintain enough ventilation before entry and during the washing period to avoid disasters.
Atmospheric Evaluation: The need to provide an approved air monitoring metre is essential for proper evaluation of the atmosphere in the tank. Moreover, you don’t want any form of casualty during cleaning.
Equipment and Setup. After certifying the atmosphere okay, the next step is to set up all the necessary equipment and tools for the cleaning exercise. It is time to take off.
Time to disconnect all mechanical equipment. For safety purposes, detach all electrical connections to pumps, mixers, and similar mechanical equipment.
Entry and fulfilling early goals. It is time for you or your crew members to enter into the tank and commence work. However, the starting point is the removing of sludge and possible products from the tank bottom, using squeegees to push the products to a collection point.
Washing and Removing Residual: After removing the sludge and other debris, washing commences with the scrapping of the floor, steam washing of surface, and removal of residue.
Final Result: At this point, your tank would be sparkling clean and fresh.
Few Issues That Could Arise During Tank Cleaning.
There are possible issues that could arise during tank cleanings such as bad weather conditions, accidents and improper draining. Allow me to give brief explanations here.
Bad Weather conditions. Washing of tanks when the weather is hot could be risky. That will affect the atmosphere and make the environment inconducive for the enterer. Also, lightening when it is raining may pose threats to the ingoer.
Accidents resulting from negligence. Hazard may arise due to negligence such as failure or improper use of personal protective equipment.
Check out another article on how to get rid of contaminated diesel from your fuel tank