Testing and Inspection of Old Tanks

Contents1 Introduction................................................................................................................42 Background ...............................................................................................................53 Definitions and Standards .........................................................................................6Table 1.......................................................................................................................6Table 2.......................................................................................................................7Sources: ....................................................................................................................74 Scope and Frequency ...............................................................................................8Table 3 Carriage by road...........................................................................................8Table 4 Carriage by rail.............................................................................................85 Tank record and Certificates .....................................................................................9Type Certificate .........................................................................................................96 Inspection Requirements ........................................................................................10Table 5.....................................................................................................................10Exceptional checks..................................................................................................12Table 7.....................................................................................................................127 Tank Inspection Procedures ...................................................................................137.1 General....................................................................................................................137.2 Check of the design characteristics ........................................................................13Inspection of the materials and wall thicknesses....................................................13Examination of the manufacturing methods............................................................13Inspection of the condition of the tank ....................................................................13Inspection of main dimensions................................................................................14Non-destructive testing of the welds .......................................................................14Table 8.....................................................................................................................15[7.3 Testing of test plates] ..............................................................................................157.4 Inspection of the tank interior ..................................................................................15Inspection of protective lining or coating.................................................................167.5 Inspection of the tank exterior .................................................................................16Inspection of the condition of the tank ....................................................................16Inspection of the fastenings of the tank and its structural equipment.....................17Inspection of marking ..............................................................................................17Inspection of earthing terminal ................................................................................177.6 Hydraulic pressure test including alternative methods ...........................................17General....................................................................................................................17Extent of test ...........................................................................................................18Test pressure ..........................................................................................................18Alternatives to hydraulic testing ..............................................................................20Table 9 - Standards for NDT ...................................................................................207.7 Vacuum testing........................................................................................................21Test procedure ........................................................................................................217.8 Leakproofness test ..................................................................................................21General....................................................................................................................21Extent of test ...........................................................................................................21Leakproofness test pressure...................................................................................222