Tank Lining

Protective Coatings
Ashdod Refinery
Tank Lining Seminar – September 2007

Protective Coatings
Reasons for Using Tank Linings

• Asset Protection
• Prolonging life of vessel
• Ecological
• Preventing environmental damage due to tank
leakage
• Cargo Protection
• Steel corrosion products may affect the
specification of stored products.

Protective Coatings
 Reasons for Using Tank Linings

• The rate of corrosion of steel in tanks can be affected by:-

• Internal Steel
• Presence of “water bottoms”
• Acidic media (Crude Oil, Waste Water)
• Bacterial attack
• Differential Aeration
• Elevated temperature

Protective Coatings
 Tank Lining Selection – Important
Considerations

• Steel condition
• New Construction or Refurbishment
• Stored material (Cargo)
• Chemical composition
• Operating temperature
• Life expectancy
• Envisaged time to next major maintenance
• Physical considerations
• Type of storage tank
• Access to the site

Protective Coatings
 Tank Lining Selection – Steel
Condition
• New Construction (Zero pitting)
• Thin Film Lining
• Up to 8 years until first
maintenance

• Heavy Duty Lining

• Up to 10 years until first
maintenance

• Glass Reinforced Laminate

• Upwards of 15 years until
first maintenance

Protective Coatings
 Tank Lining Selection – Steel
Condition
• Refurbishment (Light pitting)
• Thin Film Lining
• Up to 5 years until first
maintenance

• Heavy Duty Lining

• Up to 10 years until first
maintenance

• Glass Reinforced Laminate

• Upwards of 15 years until
first maintenance

Protective Coatings
 Tank Lining Selection – Steel
Condition
• Refurbishment (Moderate pitting)
• Thin Film Lining
• Not recommended

• Heavy Duty Lining

• Up to 10 years until first
maintenance

• Glass Reinforced Laminate

• Upwards of 15 years until
first maintenance

Protective Coatings
 Tank Lining Selection – Steel
Condition
• Refurbishment (Severe pitting)
• Thin Film Lining
• Not recommended

• Heavy Duty Lining

• Not recommended

• Glass Reinforced Laminate

• Upwards of 15 years until first
maintenance

NOTE: All tanks MUST be confirmed to be structurally sound

before lining operations can commence.

Protective Coatings
 Tank Lining Selection – Steel
Condition
Thin Film Glass
Heavy Duty
Steel Condition Reinforced
Coating Coating
Coating

New Steel / Zero Pitting   

Light Pitting   

Moderate Pitting X  

Severe Pitting
X X 
(Structurally Sound)
Severe Pitting
X X X
(Structurally Weak)
Protective Coatings
 Tank Lining Selection – Stored
Material (Cargo)

Selected coating system must:-

• Resist the stored material (cargo)
– Data established by internal laboratory immersion testing.
– Verified by independent 3rd party tests if required.
• Not adversely affect the stored material
– Approval procedures to validate product suitability, e.g.
Drinking Water, Jet Fuel
– Certification may be required

Protective Coatings
 Tank Lining Selection – Stored
Material (Cargo)

Other Considerations:-
• Temperature
• Coating must resist material at storage temperature
• Vessel insulation may be required at higher temperatures to
avoid “cold wall effects”.
• Pressure
• Specialised coatings may be required for pressure vessels.
• pH
• Coating selection is influenced by variations in cargo acidity
(e.g. Hydro-flouric Acid additions from Catalytic Cracker in
refined products)

Protective Coatings
 Tank Lining Selection – Physical
Considerations

• Type of Storage tank

• Type of construction may influence requirements for control of
environmental conditions during application e.g configuration of
floating roof, cone roof, bullet tanks etc.
• Presence of internal structures e.g. heating coils, support posts etc.
may cause logistical problems to coating application.
• Size of Vessel
• Small tanks may prove difficult to coat.
• Restricted access to the entrance / internal of the vessel may
inhibit coating activities.
• Access to the Site
• Site restrictions may preclude the use of sophisticated application
equipment e.g. plural component airless spray.

Protective Coatings
 Tank Linings – Product Range

• The Interline product range is targeted towards bulk storage of

crude oils, refined products & petrochemicals in land based tank
farms.

• Products are is divided into 3 main categories:-

• Thin Film Linings

• Heavy Duty / Solvent Free Linings

• Glass Reinforced Linings

Protective Coatings
 Interline Product Overview

Ethyl Zinc Silicate

Thin Film Linings Epoxy Phenolic

Epoxy Novolac

Abrasion Resistant Epoxy

Solvent Free Drinking Water Coating

Heavy Duty / Solvent
Free Linings Solvent Free Epoxy Phenolic

Solvent Free Epoxy Laminate System

Glass Reinforced
Linings
Solvent Free Epoxy “Matcote” System

Protective Coatings
 Thin Film Linings

Typical maximum d.f.t. (system) : 200-300 microns (8-12 mils)

• Zinc Silicate  Hydrocarbon Solvents

• Epoxy Phenolic  Crude Oils

 White Oils
 Jet Fuel
 Refined Petrochemicals
 Solvents
• Epoxy Novalac
 Elevated Temperature
Materials

Protective Coatings
 Thin Film Linings

• Advantages
• Extensive track record (Marine and PC)
• Broad chemical resistance characteristics
• Suitable materials for Hot Products including Water
• Relatively low installed cost

• Disadvantages
• Life expectancy typically <8 years
• Not suitable for heavily corroded / pitted steelwork
• Potential explosion / Health & Safety risk due to solvents
• Film thickness control critical (avoidance of solvent entrapment)
• Multiple coat application generally required
• Potential for contamination of cargo from retained solvent

Protective Coatings
 Heavy Duty Linings – 100% SBV

Typical thickness : 400-1000 microns (16 – 40 mils)

• Solvent Free Coatings

– Slurries
– Refined Petrochemicals
– Drinking Water

Note: All systems can be applied by standard Airless Spray equipment

Protective Coatings
 Heavy Duty Tank Linings

• Advantages
• Elevated service temperature possible up to 95ºC (203°F)
• Substantially reduced explosion risk
• One coat application possible
• Over-application of dft is less critical
• Suitable for application to pitted steel
• Reduced likelihood of cargo contamination

• Disadvantages
• Climatic conditions during application can influence final film
properties. (Refer to International Protective Coatings for
specific details)

Protective Coatings
 American Petroleum Institute 652
Standard

• Thick Film Linings

• 1500µ -1625µ (60-65 mils) DFT

• Glass Fibre Reinforced Systems

• Tank Refurbishment

Protective Coatings
 Glass Reinforced Linings

• Solvent Free Epoxy Laminates (Spray applied)

• Typical system thickness 1500-2000µm (60-80 mils)
• Materials available suitable for
• Crude Oil -
• Refined Products
• Petrochemicals
• Features
• Flexible (can withstand all tank flexing)
• Excellent adhesion to substrate
• Able to bridge small perforations
• Relatively easy application

Protective Coatings
 Glass Reinforced Linings

• Application of Glass Reinforced Lining

• Spray applied caulk (to allow smooth transition)
• Laminate applied by simultaneous spray
application of chopped glass fibre roving and
Solvent Free Epoxy
• Rolled to ensure full wetting of glass fibre
• Cured laminate abraded to remove “wicks”
• System sealed with gel coat of Solvent Free Epoxy

Protective Coatings
 Glass Reinforced Linings

• Advantages
• Low cost alternative to steel replacement
• Effective leak prevention system
• Proven track record - Over 40 years !!!!!!
• Wide resistance range
• 100% spray application
• Rapid installation

• Disadvantages
• Application/cure conditions critical
• Will not repair structurally unsound damaged tanks
• Specialist application equipment required (Matcote)

Protective Coatings
 System Selection – Summary

• Interline tank linings offer the following benefits :-

• Increased life expectancy of tank storage facilities through
mitigation of corrosion / steel thickness loss.
• A range of cost effective refurbishment solutions, depending
upon the age, condition, and life expectancy of the existing
tank structure.
• Wide range of chemical resistance including 3rd party
approvals for:-
• Aviation fuels
• Drinking water
• Reduced explosion risk from solvent free materials
• World-wide availability with extensive, proven track record of
product performance.

Protective Coatings
Any Questions?

www.akzonobel.com/protective
Protective Coatings
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Protective Coatings
Protective Coatings
Protective Coatings
Protective Coatings
Any Questions?

www.akzonobel.com/protective
Protective Coatings