Storage Tanks

Jamie Godbold
PPM Consultants, Inc.

1
Overview (27 slides)

zTank Types
zEmission Mechanisms
{Normal Operations
{Roof Landings
{Tank Cleanings
zControls
{Physical Controls
{Operational Controls

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Tank Types

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Fixed Roof Tanks

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Fixed Roof Tanks

z Horizontal Fixed Roof

Tanks

z Vertical Fixed Roof

Tanks

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Floating Roof Tanks

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Floating Roof Tanks

z External Floating
Roof Tanks

z Internal Floating Roof

Tanks

z Domed External
Floating Roof Tanks

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Emissions Mechanisms

zNormal Operations
zFloating Roof Landings
zTank Cleaning Activities

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Normal Operations

z When product is stored inside the tank

z Is not when a tank is landed (floaters only)

z Is not when the tank is clean and empty

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Normal Operations

zEmissions during normal operations result

from:
{Working losses
{Breathing losses:
z Deck seam losses
z Rim seal losses
z Fitting losses

{Can be modeled using the EPA’s TANKS

program version 4.09d

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Normal Operations – Data Needs

zType of Tank
zDimensions, Capacity, Other Physical
Attributes of the Tank
zContents
zThroughput

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Normal Operations:
Data Needs for VFRT

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Normal Operations:
Data Needs for IFRT

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Tank Landings
z Occur when the liquid level becomes low
enough that the floating roof lands on its legs at
which point breather vents are activated to
equalize pressure
z Calculated using methodologies in API 2567
(Evaporative Losses from Storage Tank Floating
Roof Landings, April 2005) and EPA’s AP-42,
7.1 (Organic Liquid Storage Tanks, November
2006)
z Sum of standing idle losses and filling losses

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Tank Landings – Data Needs

zEmission calculations are based on tank

type and whether a heel is present upon
landing

15
Tank Landings – Data Needs

zPhysical conditions during landings:

{Height of liquid in tank
{Volume of vapor space below landed roof
zContents being removed, contents being
introduced
zNumber of days standing idle

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Tank Cleanings

zTank Cleanings occur when a tank is

landed, degassed (vapor space purge),
sludge is removed, and the tank is refilled
zEmission calculations calculated based on
methodologies in API 2568 (Evaporative
Loss from Cleaning of Storage Tanks, Nov
2007)

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Tank Cleanings

zAlso applies to fixed roof tanks

zEmissions vary by tank type and heel type
(drain dry, partial heel, or full heel)
zEmissions are affected by the process that
a company uses

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Tank Cleanings – Data Needs

zTank type
zHeel type
zProcess used (timing of events)
zHeight/Volume of vapor space
zSlope of tank bottom
zVentilation rates
zLEL readings

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Controls to Reduce Emissions

zPhysical Controls

zOperational Controls

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Physical Controls

zInstall floating roof (deck) on fixed roof

tanks
zDome external floating roof tanks
zWeld decks
zSocks on legs
zWipers, floats, and/or sleeves on
guide/gauge poles

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Physical Controls

zReduce leg heights or replace legs with

cable suspended roofs
zEquip with new or better primary and
secondary seals
zCombustion and recovery devices

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Physical Controls

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Physical Controls

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Operational Controls

zAvoid or reduce the number of landings

per year
zReduce the number of cleanings per year
zMinimize the time that the tank stands idle
(time between landing and degassing or
landing and refilling)
zAlways drain product completely when
landing (if drain dry conditions are
possible)
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Operational Controls

zDuring tank cleanings, run ventilation fans

continuously to avoid vapor build-up and
subsequent vapor space purges

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Thanks For Staying Awake!

zQuestions?

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