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Tank integrity - non-invasive monitoring of storage tanks

The Tank Integrity Monitoring (TIM) project is working to develop a low frequency ultrasonic technique for the non-invasive condition monitoring of tank floors to detect corrosion or cracking degradation.

Leakage from corroded storage tanks, especially their floors, is a major environmental, economic and safety hazard for the UK and Europe. Tank farms are normally coastal and close to large population centres so the risk of tank failure and the potential risk of fire and explosion at adjacent petrochemical plants is unacceptable.

In-service inspection normally requires taking tanks out of service and emptying, cleaning and going into the tank to perform the inspection tasks. This is costly, time consuming and, since it is carried out on a fixed time interval, there is no prioritisation given to the tanks requiring the most urgent attention.

The wider objectives of this project are, therefore, to:

  • Make out of service  inspection obsolete, or at least:
  • Show that specific tanks need to be taken out of service for more detailed inspection

The project is aligned to Technology Strategy Board's High Value Manufacturing (HVM) key technology area in that it creates a high value product (in-situ tester) will allow UK businesses to offer a service to owner/operators of large storage tanks. A minimum 30% 'Step Change Reduction' in Whole Life-Cycle Costs, Whole Life Environmental Impact and Whole Life Product Reliability will result from the project.

For more information on this project, please email contactus@twi.co.uk.

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