drials2
Mechanical
- Nov 21, 2013
- 9
Guys,
We have an API 620 tank out it West Texas. The intent of the tank was to gather light condensate (RVP 18 or so) and send it over to our crude stabilizer. I got a question from our pipeline group about the operation of the tank and have been unable to find an answer. I am wondering if there is a requirement that these tanks have a blanket gas system? Currently during the winter the tank hardly produces any vapors so they rigged up a propane system to make up the vapor space and keep some head pressure on the tank. However, we are just condensing the propane into the condensate thereby using alot of propane (and paying retail price for the liquid propane is killing us). My question is around operation of the tank. If we draw the tank down and the vacuum breaker opens, air will enter, but from where I stand it would just burp the tank so you would not deform the walls and we would not enter an LEL situation. I'm curious to know if others have had similar operating scenarios and what was done to remedy. I'm looking at switching to nitrogen but I want to know if I can get ride of the blanket gas system all together.
Thanks,
DR.
We have an API 620 tank out it West Texas. The intent of the tank was to gather light condensate (RVP 18 or so) and send it over to our crude stabilizer. I got a question from our pipeline group about the operation of the tank and have been unable to find an answer. I am wondering if there is a requirement that these tanks have a blanket gas system? Currently during the winter the tank hardly produces any vapors so they rigged up a propane system to make up the vapor space and keep some head pressure on the tank. However, we are just condensing the propane into the condensate thereby using alot of propane (and paying retail price for the liquid propane is killing us). My question is around operation of the tank. If we draw the tank down and the vacuum breaker opens, air will enter, but from where I stand it would just burp the tank so you would not deform the walls and we would not enter an LEL situation. I'm curious to know if others have had similar operating scenarios and what was done to remedy. I'm looking at switching to nitrogen but I want to know if I can get ride of the blanket gas system all together.
Thanks,
DR.