According to Water and Wastes Digest, “When buying a water storage tank, the configuration and selection process often is something that needs to be done in the early stages of project design. To apply for and secure funding that may be available, the timing of construction and overall project costs will play a factor in the determination. Because many municipalities have a single source of water storage, the tank design plays a crucial role in meeting the current and future needs of a community.
Some of the key details essential to the ultimate selection of the tank configuration process are an assessment of community demands for current and anticipated water supply, site conditions, pressure requirements, long-term maintenance, ease of access and overall costs.”
Manufacturing Process
The technology and manufacturing process of this equipment distinguish it from painted steel or concrete structures. Uncontrolled variables are eliminated when using the factory manufacturing process, as opposed to field-manufactured products such as painted steel or concrete tanks. Worker experience and extreme climatic environmental conditions, which have been shown to have a significant impact on in-field manufactured products, have a negligible impact on the glassing process. Furthermore, because the tanks are manufactured in the factory and only the components need to be assembled in the field, they can be erected all year.
Coating
All storage tanks are coated. Coatings available today are made of paint, concrete, or glass. The impermeability and properties of glass are advantageous.
The glass coating process starts with a glass frit, which is combined with other minerals and water to form a liquid slurry. This glass slurry is then robotically sprayed in precise amounts and thicknesses onto steel sheet panels that have already been cut and rolled, punched, grit-blasted, and cleaned. This heat melts the silica glass slip into the grit-blasted steel surface. This completes both the mechanical and chemical bonds between the steel and the silica glass.
Different coatings for other storage tanks rely on a mechanical bond between the coating and the underlying material. The chemical bond strength is many times that of a conventional mechanical bond and prevents undercutting of the coating, which could allow corrosion to spread on the primary steel material. Imagine a scratch on your car to better understand this benefit. Because that coating only has a mechanical bond, corrosion will occur if the steel is exposed. If left untreated, the corrosion will spread and creep beneath the surrounding painted surface, jeopardizing the remaining coating.
This is frequently seen with raised bubbles, spreading rust, and weakened substrate. The chemical bond of the glass-fused-to-steel coating prevents corrosion from spreading if the coating is compromised.
Maintenance
Tanks made of glass-coated bolted steel have a long lifespan. Because glass coating is permanent, it never needs to be painted. Glass-coated tanks are frequently used in areas where a long-term pleasing visual appearance is desired.
Flexibility
This product’s bolted design and erection provide flexibility. Large staging areas required when a product is manufactured onsite are eliminated because manufacturing is completed in a factory. The tank’s construction can usually be completed with a cleared area of 6 to 10 feet around the tank’s diameter. This small footprint can save thousands of dollars on the overall project, in addition to the cost of the tank. The panels themselves are hand-carried and easily assembled without cranes or special equipment, allowing this tank to be installed in many locations where other tank types would be impossible.
Expandability
The glass-coated bolted tank design allows for vertical expansion. If a community or industry expands and more capacity is required, the tanks’ jacking process allows the end user to gain capacity quickly and affordably. The factory-trained professional construction crew removes the bottom ring from the original starter sheet, jacks up the tank, and adds the number of rings required to achieve the new capacity. When these tanks are expanded, there is no visible difference between the original and new panels.
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Our friendly and experienced customer service team is here to help you! Contact Raven Tanks at 1800 907 834 or [email protected].