Secondary containment systems — a.k.a a tank within a tank — are recommended safeguards that can prevent costly damage to equipment and risk to employees in the event of a leak or failure of the primary storage vessel.
There are several secondary containment options with varying costs available to tank owners. Let’s compare a traditional permanent concrete structure to a sophisticated, integrated double-wall tank containment system. The cost analysis may surprise you.
Traditionally, chemical containment systems are composed of large, concrete basins that surround a primary storage tank. While this solution adds a layer of protection, it also adds costs, square footage, and high-maintenance complications. If a spill occurs in a concrete secondary containment, the spilled chemical is usually unrecoverable because of contamination. You’ll need to clean out the containment area, replace the lost product, and possibly recoat the concrete basin.
Unfortunately there are several costs that are specifically involved with concrete containment structures. First, the cost of the concrete itself has to be accounted for. Building vertical walls of concrete is expensive, especially when it is reinforced with rebar.
Second, consider the cost of coating the concrete with an anti-corrosive material that will protect its integrity in the event of a spill. There’s also the ongoing maintenance of the concrete itself.
If a chemical spill does happen, the chemicals that spill must be disposed of, since they will be contaminated by the dirt and debris that has built up in the containment area. Also, you will need to clean out the containment structure and then re-coat the concrete with the protective substance before you can use the tank again, since this coating normally only protects the concrete from spills one time.
The SAFE-Tank is a double wall plastic storage tank that provides a “tank-within-a-tank” to safely store chemicals. The system prevents damage and injury from chemical exposure without the need for an additional containment unit.
Double wall tanks offer superior protection against hazardous chemical spills for personnel and the environment. The SAFE-Tank provides a minimum of 110% secondary containment by enclosing the primary storage tank within a properly designed outer tank. Any chemical leak in the inner tank is fully contained in the outer shell.
The inner tank dome overlaps the outer tank sidewall to help prevent rainwater, debris, and other contaminants from entering the containment area. You can continue to use the chemical until the primary tank is drained and an inspection is performed to find the source of a possible leak.
Because of the double wall configuration, the SAFE-Tank requires a specialized fitting to ensure that your chemical doesn’t leak when it’s discharged. A unique bellows transition fitting enables the liquid to discharge at the bottom of the tank while maintaining the integrity of the containment. With the bellows transition fitting, safe chemical discharge from the primary tank occurs, allowing for tank expansion and contraction.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW TO SEE HOW THE SAFE-TANK® SYSTEM WORKS.
The SAFE-Tank system offers safe storage of a wide variety of chemicals without the expense of needing to construct permanent containment, such as a concrete basin or vessel. This gives you cost effective flexibility for changing industrial applications. As chemical storage configurations may change to meet dynamic needs, you can move chemical storage without incurring the expense of additional containment structures.
SAFE-Tanks also provide the following advantages for your business:
The SAFE-Tank is designed with wall thicknesses equal to or greater than that required by ASTM D-1998 standards.
Poly Processing’s double wall tanks can be customized by adding accessories to fit your specific needs. Some of our most popular double wall tank accessories include:
Safe chemical storage is smart chemical storage. The costs associated with damage from a chemical leak or spill are serious for any business. In addition, it is expensive to take a tank offline and interrupt operations for repair. The SAFE-Tank system eliminates these costs, maintenance and safety concerns while reducing the footprint to the area of a standard upright storage tank.
Discover more benefits of a SAFE-Tank, download our guide today.