The Problem: Corrosion, high maintenance costs, appearance.
For many years’ companies have replied to storage needs by offering concrete tanks, factory coated tanks, and field coated tanks. The flaw is that materials such as concrete do not resist corrosion of dry and liquid storage materials; therefore concrete tanks have to be coated (inside and out) in an expensive process.
In addition to that these tanks require periodical maintenance, which increase the total cost of such a tank. Now a days it is also important to consider the environment in which a structure is set. Considering, if the landscape will be disrupted by a tank structure, is important. Most concrete and coated tanks do not blend into their environment.
Example of a stainless steel storage tank
picture by American Structures, Inc, www.ameristruc.com
Goals and Objectives
To use a material, which resists corrosion, lowers maintenance cost and has a long usage life. Furthermore, this innovative type of tank would have to blend into its surrounding environment.
The Solution
Stainless steel! After years of using stainless steel on storage tank paraphernalia, some companies realized that making tanks purely out of stainless steel would solve all the mentioned problems. Why? Stainless steel is corrosion resistant (except chlorine), hence the name stainless, rust-free- or spot-free.
A few Companies started building bolted stainless steel tanks in the 1970’s and have since then specialized in it. The use of stainless steel storage tanks is growing, and the usage life of sometimes more then 100 years, makes them as sound investment. Stainless steel is also 100 percent recyclable, which results in a high residual value.
Results
Stainless steel resists corrosion, which results in virtually no maintenance costs. The long usage life makes the lifetime cost of a stainless steel storage tank very cost beneficial. The residual value of a stainless steel storage tank is noticeably higher then the one of its alternatives. Stainless steel can be re-melted to create new stainless steel, without downgrading its quality.
As for the esthetics, stainless steel storage tanks do blend into the sky or its surroundings, since their duller metal reflect its environment.