4000-gallon Aboveground Tank Installation at IBM
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IBM needed to upgrade their entire fuel system, which supplied two backup generators and a fire pump, to meet new tank and piping codes. They also required more diesel fuel storage capacity. IBM hired CommTank because we maintained their fuel tanks and pump controls for a number of years and management appreciated the quality of our service. The original AST had a capacity of 2,500-gallons and was stored within a steel structure that provided secondary containment. The new Highland aboveground tank that replaced the old tank is double-wall construction and has a capacity of 4,000-gallons.
Aboveground Tank Piping Replaced
CommTank replaced all the piping between the aboveground tank and the generator sets and fire pump. The original piping at the building did not meet code because it was buried underground and did not have transition sumps, which collect and monitor fuel in case of a leak. The supply piping that transitioned from underground to inside the building was steel ½ inch pipe. This pipe needed to be upgraded to 1” to meet the specifications of the new pump set that CommTank was installing for IBM. The original fuel system did not have return piping so that a blockage could build up pressure in the lines and create a leak. A new section of 1 ¼” steel pipe was installed to provide pressure relief and a return path for fuel to the tank.
Fuel Monitoring Systems Upgraded
Existing fuel monitoring systems were not working as expected and IBM decided to upgrade those as well. Veeder-Root TLS450 automatic tank gauges were chosen to replace the LC-2000 Pneumercator and Preferred Instruments tank level monitoring panels located inside the two buildings on site. A Chipkin building maintenance system interface was installed for the TLS-450 so that building management and security could access reports and alarms. Sensors were installed in the interstitial space of the new aboveground tank, the day tanks and 5 sumps. A second aboveground storage tank was installed at Building B to supply the backup generator located in the mechanical room. A 400-gallon Roth tank was placed on a new 4’ thick reinforced cement pad and surrounded by five steel bollards and a steel security fence. This configuration provides protection of the fuel and allows secure access for only the fuel supply company.
Fuel Oil Filtration System Installed
To ensure the diesel fuel in the new 4000-gallon AST is always ready to be utilized by the backup generators, IBM needed a fuel oil filtration system. CommTank recommended and installed a Simplex SmartFilter fuel oil filtration, conditioning and maintenance system. This system is ideal for use in aboveground main supply tanks that provide long-term storage of fuel oil. The last item that we addressed in this project was to upgrade the day tank and duplex pump set that supply fuel for the fire pump and generator set. CommTank installed conduit and wiring, for controlling the pump set from the day tank controls, and to the Veeder-Root for leak indication.
Dan Hoag has worked in the environmental and tank storage industry for 16 years. Dan’s range of expertise includes designing systems for oil spill clean-ups, treating soil contamination through "in situ" oxidation and testing, and inspecting underground storage tank systems. As head of Marketing and Information Technologies at CommTank, Dan draws from field experience to write about fuel, water and chemical storage technologies, and the regulations that affect them. He has developed training courses in home inspection, underground storage tank operator, ultrasonic thickness and tank tightness testing. Over the past decade, Dan has published over 60 articles about industry trends and has documented commercial, residential, and environmental projects through illustration, videos, and photography. When Dan unplugs from technology, he spends his time backyard farming, hiking, and kayaking, while masquerading as a hockey player during the wee hours of the morning.