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Preserving liquid fertilizer quality requires maintaining storage tanks that provide the best opportunity to maximize product shelf-life while meeting most state and national guidelines. “All liquid fertilizers are different, but can be managed appropriately. Retailers should be careful not to use liquid storage tanks originally designed for oil or water. Such tanks will not handle a full fill with the weight (specific gravity) of most fertilizers,” said Brian Hasselbring, Midwest project manager, The Heartland Tank Companies, which builds field-erected liquid fertilizer storage tanks for 100,000 to four million gallon capacities. “We recommend stainless steel, carbon

Just like a car, house, or any other structure, regular inspection and maintenance is critical to obtain the longest lifespan of your fertilizer storage tank. Other reasons to regularly inspect your tank are: Establish Baseline of Tank Condition and Corrosion Rates Identify Problems and Needed Repairs before Significant Leak or Release Occurs Prevent Leaks into Secondary Containment and/or Groundwater Maintain Safe Operating Conditions Minimize Chance of Catastrophic Tank Failure The API 653 Standard is the API 650’s counterpart for inspection of above ground storage tanks (ASTs). Thus, just like API 650 used for construction of ASTs, API 653 is also

Heartland Tank’s Chris Brooks was featured in an article by AgPro: Chris Brooks, president of Heartland Tank Services, Inc. stressed the type of inspection routinely needed for large storage tanks that have been in service for a few years during the 2011 National Agronomic, Environmental, Health and Safety School. Brooks said, “Due to the corrosive nature of most liquid fertilizer solutions and weight (specific gravity) of those solutions, liquid fertilizer storage tanks require routine and qualified mechanical integrity practices to maintain a safe storage environment.”  A major concern in storing liquid fertilizer he explained is having a tank that

Have you ever wrestled with remembering when a liquid fertilizer tank needs to be inspected next or had a debate in the office as to how often the liquid storage tanks need to be inspected?   With no federal regulations on liquid fertilizer tank inspections, inspection timing can be confusing.  The Fertilizer Institute, individual state statutes and regulations, and insurance policies are sources that provide guidance on the types of inspections to be completed and the timing for each type. The Fertilizer Institute recommends above ground fertilizer tanks (ASTs) be inspected according to the risk-based inspection Standard of

Agricultural liners are an effective and less expensive method for secondary containment compared to standard options. If you're looking for the most efficient and cost-effective way to configure a new or used above-ground liquid fertilizer storage tank, this article explains why agricultural PVC tank liners are often the best choice. Agricultural liner systems use an internal flexible membrane made from radio frequency sealed virgin polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material. This membrane creates a barrier between the liquid being stored and the tank floor and wall. As seen in the picture, a PVC liner sits inside the steel storage

The API 650 Standard was first published in 1961 by the American Petroleum Institute to create a consistent methodology by which tanks for the oil and gas industry are built.  For industries that use above ground storage tanks for fertilizer, water, chemicals, food products, etc., there is no federal law requiring the use of API 650 Standard for building storage tanks.  On the state level, some but not all states require the API Standards in building and maintaining above ground storage tanks.  This leaves some business owners with the choice of whether to build an API tank for storing liquid

For decades, the construction of above ground storage tanks has relied on butt welded steel tanks as a mainstay. Around 1936, welded steel tanks replaced riveted tanks in new above ground storage tank construction. With this change, API standards were introduced to guide construction for safety and economy. API 650, now in its thirteenth edition, sets the standard for welded steel tanks, covering materials, design, fabrication, erection, welding, and inspection. Between 1960 and 1990, older riveted tanks transitioned to welded tanks. However, after a catastrophic failure in 1986, the economic appeal waned. In 1991, the API 653 Standard

If you’re an owner of an aboveground liquid fertilizer storage tank, you’ve likely become familiar with the API 653 Standard. The API 653 standard serves as the globally recognized standard for API 653 inspections for aboveground welded storage tanks that store products such as liquid fertilizer at atmospheric pressure. It is based on the knowledge and experience of the world’s best tank industry engineering experts and tank owners. All tanks will require maintenance and attention throughout their lifetimes. The API 653 Standard addresses the repair, alteration, relocation, and reconstruction of existing tanks built to the API 650 Standard. Regular

Aboveground storage tanks are essential to life as we know it.  So many products that we use in our daily life relied in some part on an aboveground storage tank that contained fertilizer, water, oil, a processing chemical, or some other liquid. While the purpose and concept are exactly the same, there are two ways that vertical aboveground storage tanks can be built: shop-built and field erected.  The main determination of which method to use is based on the end capacity of the aboveground storage tank.  However, the tools and manner in which the tank is constructed varies between

The liquid fertilizer industry commonly uses Flexible Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Secondary Containment Liners to meet state requirements for aboveground storage tanks. Most secondary containment methods act as catch containers, only contacting the product when it leaks from the tank. In contrast, a flexible internal PVC tank liner offers a different approach with added benefits. Tank Liners are Primary Containment PVC tank liners sit inside the aboveground storage tank, unlike most other secondary containment methods that are outside. Because the tank liner holds the product, the PVC liner serves as the primary containment, while the tank acts