businessIndustry Information

Double Wall Tanks

Double wall tanks store hazardous substances utilized in industrial processes in an inner tank while providing a secondary tank that is locked-on to the inner plastic tank and serves to create a protective space between the inner tank and the outer tank. Offering high reliability and superior protection against harmful chemical spills and leaks, double wall tanks protect both the worker and the environment. In addition the double walls ensure that unwanted substances will not enter and mix with the substance within the tank as well.

Double wall storage tanks are beneficial for many different industries such as agricultural, pharmaceutical, forestry, mining, chemical processing, automotive and wastewater. With a wide range of chemical resistance, double walled tanks are often used as chemical tanks for substances including acetic acid, ferric chloride, calcium chloride, ethylene glycol, alcohol gasoline mixtures, transmission fluids, waste oil, antifreeze and diesel. A double wall tank’s usefulness in industries depends on the type of substance they store. Double wall fuel tanks, for example, are useful for commercial, residential, industrial and petroleum industries.

Consisting of an inner tank referred to as a primary tank and an outer tank referred to as a secondary containment tanks, double wall tanks offer a secure system of protection. The inner tank stores the hazardous substance and a protective space, called an interstitial space or the area between two walls, is created between the inner wall and the outer wall. The protective space is filled with a non-hazardous substance as well as a level sensor that will detect any leakage from the inner tank. If any leakage is detected, the leak will travel through the substance until it reaches the liquid sensor, which is attached to a unique alarm system. Consisting of a strobe or standard controller, the alarm system will trigger and emit a loud sound. The outer wall is specifically designed to contain the leak or spill and prevent any possible damage that would ensue. Most double wall tanks come with a standard vented manway, which is a center vent or fitting that allows the chemicals to release fumes. The type of manway that a double wall tank uses depends on the substance to be stored. For example, non-vented manways are used for double wall tanks storing substances with harmful chemical fumes.