Tank Liners - A Cost Effective Risk Management Strategy

Water tanks are used widely to guarantee supplies to fire protection systems, industrial processes and irrigation systems or to provide drinking water. And each application is often critical with high risks of costly downtime in the event of a leak. The retro-fitting of flexible tank liners can minimise the risk of leaks or contamination from corroded or damaged tank walls and often increase the life expectancy of a storage tank by thirty years or more at a fraction of the cost of a new tank.

Leakage

One of the most common applications of retrofitted liners is to older corrugated steel storage tanks originally sealed with mastic. After some years the mastic can degrade and leakage is likely to occur with consequent potential damage to surrounding structures. The cost of downtime caused by unscheduled repair work can be considerable.

Flexible tank liners such as butyl rubber or EPDM are used in the installation to new and existing tanks whether constructed from concrete, aluminium or galvanised steel panels or from fiberglass; below or above ground.

New techniques have been developed for attaching liners to new and existing circular tanks by creating a fixing system tailored for each application that matches fixing points on the liner to the pinch bolts on the top rim of the tank. Not only does this system produce a much more effective lining, but it minimises stress on the lining material.

Protective Membrane

Protecting tanks against corrosion, structural deterioration and leakages has also lead to the development of custom designed one-piece geotextile protective membrane bags which are fitted between the butyl or EPDM tank liner and the metal of the tank. This development ensures that the protective matting lies flat and so can deliver optimum performance. The geotextile membrane will protect the lining material during the installation process, but also from the long-term effect of temperature extremes conducted through the tank sides and also from damage by ice expansion in prolonged cold spells.

While corrugated steel water tanks are the most widely used type of storage tank for water, there are many other shapes and sizes constructed from flat galvanised steel panels, from aluminium, concrete and GRP. The installation of liners for regularly shaped tanks can be speeded up considerably by prefabricating the liner but this is not always possible with tanks of more complicated shapes. In these cases liners can be made to measure on site.

Full Installation Service

Full site tank liner installation services are offered, including the removal of old linings, surface preparation and replacement of all gaskets, nuts and bolts to fixing flanges. On below ground concrete tanks, particularly those used for drinking water, the lining can be extended to cover the roof of the tank, effectively preventing the ingress of impurities or other foreign bodies. In order to comply with the latest Health and Safety regulations, a low-level access hatch can also be installed - a requirement for some tanks of 1000 litres capacity or more.

Russetts Developments Ltd have years of experience in supplying tank liners for a wide range of different types of tanks and the installation thereof.