Innovative Tank Refurbishment

Overview

iasgroup was engaged to develop and deliver a tank failure control mechanism for nine Nickel tanks at a mine and processing facility in the south of Western Australia.

The unique project required reinstating the structural integrity as the tanks were at risk of splitting from substantial expansion, which had the potential to result in rapid loss of containment.

Scope

The project had the following specifications:

Structure	Steel tanks
Application Type	Carbon Fibre Banding
Operating Environment	Remote Mine Site
Quantity	9
Tank Diameter	9.26-14.10m
Tank Height	8.35-13.80m
Design Stress	1,500 MPa

Solution

• Innovative engineered design specific for each tank
• Carbon fibre bands formed from 100mm wide and 1.4mm thick strips
• Supporting shelves bonded around the circumference of tanks to support installation of CFRP bands
• Self adhesive decouplers bonded directly to surface to mitigate galvanic corrosion of the carbon strips from the metal surface
• CFRP bands installed around perimeter of tank while the tanks were hot and full, to maintain containment in their expanded condition

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Benefits

• Substantially lower dead weight added to the tank (when compared to alternative steel solutions)
• Fabricated on site to ensure that it can fit the tank regardless of ovalising, welds etc
• No requirement for heavy lifting of materials or components to complete the works which improves installation speed, safety and cost
• Multiple work crews enabled short schedule for installation
• No requirement for cranage or for the transport of large steel sections
• Minimal disruption to site operations