Looks Can Be Deceiving; Tank Inspectors Need a Big Toolkit
Tanks can look great on the outside, but the inside is what counts. By the time a leak sprouts through a tank wall, the interior steel throughout the tank can be severely corroded—adding unnecessary cost, down time, and liabilities that could have been prevented with a thorough inspection.
Goodwest offers tank and pressure vessel inspection that includes the use of spark testing for lining discontinuities, ultrasonic thickness readings, lining failure and corrosion analysis, and recommendations for long-term solutions. Comprehensive reports allow facility managers to properly evaluate critical equipment life cycles and budget for repair or replacement.
Tank Inspection Devices
Armed with this data, Goodwest can provide a long-term solution by repairing the tanks with the materials best-suited for the situation. And as a full-service lining company, Goodwest can handle the complete project from start to finish including the following:
- Confined space safety and hazard analysis
- Lining and steel inspection
- Scaffold erection
- Environmental controls
- Hydrostripping and steel decontamination
- Steel resurfacing and weld repair
- Abrasive blasting
- Application of wide range of materials
- Pipe refurbishment/replacement and installation
Five Tanks, Five Materials, Seven Days
A major mining operation in the western United States had a significant problem on its hands: five of their tanks were in decrepit condition. A few of the tanks could only be repaired during a short window when the power plant was down, and they wouldn’t get another chance for at least three more years.
With no room for error in the schedule or quality of work performed, they called the lining company with the expertise and staffing to handle any problem that might arise—Goodwest Linings and Coatings.
Four of the tanks needed to be inspected, repaired, and relined within a seven day time frame, and each tank had a different situation. The inspections (see article above) yielded critical information. Goodwest implemented an on-the-spot solution that involved more than 15 workers at various locations. They applied some of the industry’s most exotic lining materials, which can withstand high temperatures and abrasive chemical environments.
- Ceilcote® 242 flake filled vinyl ester — 40 mils thick on 42’ dia. process tank
- Blair C623BC chlorobutyl rubber lining — ¼” thick on ceiling of 20’ diameter high-temp. process tank
- Enduraflex® 1988 elastomeric polyurethane — 100 mils thick on brine tank, plus floor of another tank
- Belzona® 1341 ceramic epoxy — applied on fan wheel of boiler air intake at power plant
- Enviroline® 290 phenolic epoxy — 40 mils thick applied on instrument and plant air pressure vessels
Goodwest accomplished all of this without any safety violations, incidents, or injuries. The plants are operating again, with their critical equipment refurbished, and are ready for many more years of continual use.
To subscribe to this newsletter, CLICK HERE