What is a water storage tank and how does it work

23 Dec.,2024

 

What is a water storage tank and how does it work

Water storage tanks are used to store and supply water for various purposes, such as drinking, irrigation, fire protection, and industrial processes. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials, and can be installed above or below ground. In this article, we will explore what a water storage tank is, how it works, and its different components.

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What is a Water Storage Tank?

A water storage tank is a container that stores and holds water. It is usually made of materials such as steel, concrete, or plastic and is designed to withstand the weight of the water it contains, as well as any external forces, such as wind or seismic activity. Water storage tanks are available in different sizes and shapes, ranging from small household tanks to large industrial tanks that can hold millions of gallons of water.

How Does It Work?

Water storage tanks work by collecting and storing water from various sources, such as rainwater, well water, or municipal water. The water is then used for various purposes, depending on the needs of the user. The tank can be filled either by gravity, where the water flows from a higher elevation, or by using a pump to transfer the water from the source to the tank.

The water storage tank works by maintaining a constant water level within the tank, which is achieved by a combination of an inlet valve, an overflow valve, and an outlet valve. The inlet valve allows water to enter the tank, while the overflow valve prevents the tank from overflowing. The outlet valve, on the other hand, releases water from the tank to the point of use, either through gravity or by using a pump.

Components of a Water Storage Tank

A water storage tank has several components that work together to ensure its proper functioning. Some of the main components are:

Inlet Valve: This controls the flow of water into the tank. It can be manual or automatic and is usually located at the top of the tank.

Overflow Valve: This prevents the tank from overflowing. It is typically located near the top of the tank and is connected to a pipe that leads the excess water away from the tank.

Outlet Valve: This releases water from the tank to the point of use. It can be located at the bottom of the tank or at the side, and is connected to a pipe that carries the water to the desired location.

Pump: A pump is used to transfer water from the source to the tank, or from the tank to the point of use. It can be either submersible or surface-mounted, depending on the type of tank and the location of the pump.

Bottomline

Water storage tanks are essential for ensuring a reliable and constant supply of water for various applications. They work by collecting and storing water from various sources and releasing it to the point of use through a series of valves and pipes. The type of tank and its components will depend on the user&#;s needs and the available water sources. Proper maintenance of a stainless steel or plastic water tank is also important to ensure its longevity and the quality of the water it stores.

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Storage Tanks | US EPA

A typical fixed roof tank consists of a cylindrical steel shell with a permanently affixed roof, which may vary in design from cone- or dome-shaped to flat. Such fixed roof designs cannot hold significant pressure or vacuum, and so are either freely vented or equipped with a pressure/vacuum vent. The latter allows the tanks to operate at a very slight internal pressure or vacuum to limit the release of vapors during small changes in temperature, pressure, or liquid level. Storage tanks that are fixed roof design typically have an access door, called a &#;thief hatch,&#; to allow an operator to gauge the hydrocarbon and water levels in the tank. A typical storage tank is shown in Figure 1.  

Crude oil, water, and gas condensate produced under pressure are saturated with light hydrocarbons (including methane and other volatile organic compounds [VOC], natural gas liquids [NGLs], hazardous air pollutants [HAP], and some inert gases). When the oil is brought to the surface much of the volatile lighter hydrocarbons are removed through a series of high- and low-pressure gas/liquid separators. The pressure in the last stage separator must be high enough to push the liquid into a full storage tank without a pump, and to provide an adequate suction pressure for a single stage compressor to move the gas into a gathering pipeline. Thus, the oil will experience a pressure drop upon entering the storage tank and remaining dissolved gases will flash out of solution as vapors into the space between the liquid and the fixed roof of the storage tank.  

The same principles apply for light hydrocarbons that may condense and accumulate in gas gathering pipelines. These gas condensate liquids are pushed through the gathering lines with foam plugs, called &#;pigs,&#; often to a fixed roof condensate tank in a gas processing plant. The recovered condensate, which contains dissolved methane and light hydrocarbons under pressure, will experience a pressure drop upon entering an atmospheric pressure storage tank, and the volatile hydrocarbons will flash out of solution may be vented to the atmosphere.  

Losses of methane and lighter hydrocarbons from crude oil and condensate stored in fixed roof storage tanks are categorized in three ways: 

  • Flashing losses occur when the gas/liquid separator, operating above atmospheric pressure, dumps oil into the atmospheric pressure storage tank. This scenario occurs when a liquid saturated with volatile gas under pressure is subjected to a drop in system pressure that is no longer sufficient to maintain the gases in solution. The gases will then rapidly migrate out of the liquid, similar to carbon dioxide fizzing out of solution when a carbonated beverage container is opened. This rapid escape of gases from the mixture is referred to as flashing. 
  • Standing losses occur with daily and seasonal temperature and barometric pressure changes. This scenario occurs as gas expands and contracts in the vapor space above the liquid due to diurnal temperature and seasonal barometric pressure changes, causing the vapors to be expelled and air drawn into the tank through the vent(s) on the fixed roof. If the venting is of a type that is closed by a weighted-pallet pressure-vacuum relief valve, then vapors may not be expelled until the pressure in the vapor space exceeds the set pressure of the vent. 
  • Working losses occur when vapor is released from the changing of liquid levels and agitation of tank contents as fresh oil is circulated through the storage tanks. This scenario occurs as the liquid level increases and compresses the vapor space above atmospheric pressure to push vapors out of the tank vents.  

The magnitude of emissions released into the atmosphere due to storing crude oil and condensate in storage tanks that are fixed roof design depend on many factors. Lighter liquids (API gravity > 36°) flash more hydrocarbon vapors than heavier liquids (API gravity < 36°). Also, the operating temperature and pressure of the liquid prior to transferring it into the storage tank will affect the volume of flashing losses. In addition, in storage tanks where the crude oil, produced water, and/or condensate are frequently cycled, and the overall throughput is high, more working losses occur than in tanks with low throughput and where the liquids are held for longer periods.   

The composition of the emissions released into the atmosphere also varies, but the largest component is methane (typically between 40 and 60 percent). Other components may include more complex hydrocarbon compounds such as propane, butane, and ethane; natural inert gases such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide; and HAP such as benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene (i.e., BTEX). 

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