When you have larger tank needs, the vertical tank-style should be the first one on your consideration list. These types of tanks have a lot of upsides, including their clever design and their low production cost. A horizontal tank has its role as well, but that type of tank usually has greater material and cost requirements than the vertical style. As you plan your next project, consider the following benefits of using a stainless steel vertical storage tank.
It provides more even stress distribution
Square and horizontal tanks, by the nature of their design, have stress points that do not affect vertical tanks. The pressure distribution is more even in a vertical tank, and that makes a vertical tank stronger and capable of holding more product when compared to a horizontal tank.
Vertical tanks offer greater stability
With a vertical storage tank, you can place the cylinder base right onto a flat, solid surface. Naturally, this provides the tank with more stability, and it typically does not need the special supports underneath it that a horizontal tank would need. This is a significant benefit because additional supports mean more potential failure points. Added stability is a plus for any storage tank, and this is especially true for a tank holding liquid fuel such as petroleum.
Construction and material cost savings
The larger the diameter of a tank, the thicker the walls must be to handle the pressure. Since a vertical storage tank is usually designed to be larger than the diameter, the tank walls are often less thick as a result. Because of this, fewer materials are needed to design and produce the vertical tank, and it is less expensive to manufacture. In these types of tanks, only the bottom plate needs to be thicker than the walls. By comparison, a horizontal tank requires a thickness that is equal to its baseplate throughout.
Vertical tanks offer more efficient operations
The height of a vertical tank simply has more energy potential. This can help reduce the cost of pumping via gravity, making your operation more efficient overall.
Smaller overall footprint for petroleum vertical tanks
A vertical storage tank takes up a smaller footprint than some other common tank types, giving you more room in your workspace. If your premises can support a vertical storage tank, you will be left with more available space for other pieces of equipment and workstations.
Wrapping Up
While your space and project requirements and goals will ultimately help determine which tank type you should use in your next petroleum project, a vertical storage tank is certainly worth considering. These types of tanks offer cost, design, and efficiency benefits that simply cannot be overlooked. If you are interested in installing a vertical storage tank for your fuel needs or are not sure which type of tank you need, reach out to an experienced fuel service contractor today. An experienced provider will be able to help you plan your next fuel project and identify potential problem areas you may have overlooked in the initial planning stages.