OIL STORAGE
A oil storage tank is a container for storing crude oil or other petroleum products, usually can be found in refineries, oil fields, oil depots, and other industries.
Crude oil storage tanks Types
In general, crude oil storage tank has two kinds, fixed roof tank and floating roof tank. Fixed roof tank is usually used when the quantity of crude oil is not too much. While, floating roof tank is the optimum selection for storing larger quantities of crude oil.
For refineries
Tanks for a particular fluid are chosen according to the flash-point of that substance. Generally in refineries and especially for liquid fuels, there are fixed roof tanks, and floating roof tanks.
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Fixed roof tanks are meant for liquids with very high flash points, (e.g. fuel oil, water, bitumen etc.) Cone roofs, dome roofs and umbrella roofs are usual. These are insulated to prevent the clogging of certain materials, wherein the heat is provided by steam coils within the tanks. Dome roof tanks are meant for tanks having slightly higher storage pressure than that of atmosphere (e.g. slop oil).
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Floating roof tanks are broadly divided into external floating roof tanks (usually called floating roof tanks: FR Tanks) and internal floating roof types (IFR Tanks).
IFR tanks are used for liquids with low flash-points (e.g., ATF, MS. gasoline, ethanol). These tanks are nothing but cone roof tanks with a floating roof inside which travels up and down along with the liquid level. This floating roof traps the vapor from low flash-point fuels. Floating roofs are supported with legs or cables on which they rest. FR tanks do not have a fixed roof (it is open in the top) and has a floating roof only. Medium flash point liquids such as naphtha, kerosene, diesel, and crude oil are stored in these tanks.
One of the best types found in mining areas is the open roof type tank, usually to store ore slurries. These are the easiest storage tanks to build.