Brittle fracture of old storage tanks can be prevented
To see how the fundamentals of brittle fracture play a part in the catastrophic failure of older storage tanks, this article examines and compares four tanks that failed due to brittle fracture. These tanks are: a 42.7-m dia. by 16.5-m high crude oil tank with a floating roof that collapsed in February 1952 at the refinery in Fawley, U.K., during a water test; a 45.7-m dia. by 14.64-m high gas oil tank with a fixed roof that collapsed in March 1952 at a refinery in Fawley; a 45-m dia. by 12.5-m high fuel oil tank with a fixed roof that collapsed in December 1970 at a power station in The Netherlands; and a 36.6-m dia. by 14.64-m high fuel oil tank with a fixed roof that collapsed in January 1988 at a terminal near Pittsburgh. Investigations, experience, and test work show that a brittle fracture in a tank shell is always caused by a combination of specific factors. Important factors that directly influence brittle fracture are discussed.
- OSTI ID:
- 7016715
- Journal Information:
- Oil and Gas Journal; (USA), Vol. 88:8; ISSN 0030-1388
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
03 NATURAL GAS
42 ENGINEERING
NATURAL GAS
FLOATING ROOF TANKS
PETROLEUM
BRITTLENESS
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
STORAGE
TESTING
CONTAINERS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
TANKS
022000* - Petroleum- Transport
Handling
& Storage
032000 - Natural Gas- Transport
Handling
& Storage
420205 - Engineering- Transport & Storage Facilities- (1980-)