Bunker Fuel 100' storage tank design help

[lpfaustini]

Dear community,

Does anyone have an advice for designing a Bunker Fuel (IFO 180) Storage Tank with 100' DIA?

Thanks in advance,
Faustini

 

[fegenbush]

Read and understand API 650 in addition to your local building and fire codes. I also recommend Foundation Design and Analysis by Joseph Bowles for the foundation of the tank and a good steel design book for any roof structure that you plan to design.

The general advice is to determine the required capacity of your tank with the maximum height and diameter and submit an inquiry to an experienced tank fabrication firm. There are several (in the USA) that deal in tanks this size. These firms can do a complete design and minimize the chance for errors resulting in injuries or product loss.

 

[lpfaustini]

Hi fegenbush,

Thank you for the quick response. Your recommendation is noted.

 

[Duwe6]

Be sure to include a water-draw-off nozzle, or a sump with nozzle to remove settled water.

 

[IFRs]

Designing this tank is standard plain-Jane API 650. Have at it or fill in the API data sheet and go to tank manufacturers or consulting engineers.

 

[MJCronin]

Consider the special problems unique to the storage of Bunker Fuel,....

You must consider:

- In-tank steam heaters
- Steam heated discharge nozzles
- Condensate collecting systems
- Venting of light hydrocarbons
- Insulation selection/supporting
- Corrosion allowance on tank wall
- Under tank bottom insulation
- Problems with tank internal circulation

This massive tank size seems to make little sense....Why are you storing such a large volume ?
Do you have many, many boilers to fuel for weeks at a time ?
Somehow, was there an MBA involved in the tank sizing decision ?

Will the pumps used to fill this tank be able to meet the high Head/SG requirements ?

 

[IFRs]

In my experience this is not a large tank for such storage. MJCronin has illuminated most major considerations, but I don't usually see under bottom insulation - the temperatures I am used to is between 140 and 160 F. I would add corrosion allowance on the underside of the cone roof.

 

[MJCronin]

I guess that I wasn't very clear...... I assumed a shell height of 40-50 ft.

You must be designing this tank for storage of bunker fuel at a refinery, not at a user installation.

A full tank of this size represents a fairly large amount of money. Hence, I was a bit curious about the size

 

[lpfaustini]

Duwe6

Be sure to include a water-draw-off nozzle, or a sump with nozzle to remove settled water.

I'm considering the draw-off sump. Thank you.

MJCronin

- Venting of light hydrocarbons

I suppose you're talking about a circulation vent? What about an IFR along with a cone structure supported roof?

This massive tank size seems to make little sense....Why are you storing such a large volume ?
Do you have many, many boilers to fuel for weeks at a time ?
Somehow, was there an MBA involved in the tank sizing decision ?

Will the pumps used to fill this tank be able to meet the high Head/SG requirements ?

The tank will storage 62,900 barrels (10.000 m³) and will supply ships that enters the Amazon River.

About your last two questions, I'm sorry but, what is an MBA? Our main shareholder said to me to design 5 tanks, I suggested him that is more economical to design only one. And about the pumps, could you explain clearly? We have a plain area near the river.

Thanks in advance,
Faustini

 

[MJCronin]

My statement about the pumps was not complete. Your massive tank will require continuous and complete circulation of Bunker fuel

Not an easy task for a single tank of this size. This is the single biggest advantage to multiple smaller tanks.....

What I meant to say about the pumps was:

"Will the pumps used to fill this tank be able to meet the high Head/SG requirements at the range of viscosities expected for your installation ?"

You may require large PD pumps instead of centrifugal pumps because of your combination of head and viscosity

With regard to tank venting, it is not unusual for the headspace of a bunker fuel tank to develop a high/toxic concentration of H2S......

http://www.countrymark.com/countrymark/Portals/0/Number 6 Fuel Oil - Dec 2012.pdf

You must consider the use of commercially available additives to defeat the biodegradation and sludge formation in the water layer at the tank bottom.

http://www.guardiancsc.com/pdf/fuel_oil_treatment.pdf

I believe that you should consider multiple Bunker Fuel tanks (at least two) to allow for storage and delivery during the inevitable repairs, cleaning and inspections necessary for this type of tank.......

Anyone else have thoughts on this ??????????

 

[lpfaustini]

MJCronin

Your massive tank will require continuous and complete circulation of Bunker fuel

It means if I split the tank, agitators are not needed (?)

 

[IFRs]

We typically use liquid recirculation, air spargers and/or mechanical mixers to keep the warm liquid from stratifying or becoming too thick to pump.

 

[lgwsaw]

I know this thread is a little old now---But if the price is right-- Just about anything can be built.
We just recently had had a customer call up and request a cost for a field erected Froth Tank. I designed the tank at 36.5 meters in diameter and 30.4 meters tall with a internal cone. The cone itself was 24.3 meter long (tall).
Shipping weight for this monster was at about 3 million lbs.
7 million dollars is just a drop in the bucket for the big boy oil company's.

Cheers,
LGW

 

[lpfaustini]

Gentlemen, I would like to appeal to your experience.

Which arrangement is best choice for the tank heating system?

Arrangement 1:

Heat exchanger (TEMA type BEU) inside the tank,
Water boiler (water from the nearby river) using the same bunker fuel as combustible;

Arrangement 2:

Pipe insert heaters
Mechanical mixer for temperature uniformity purposes