A Guide to Safe Installation of Gas Storage Vessels

April 7, 2015

There are a number of deciding factors, codes and standards that dominate the design and fabrication of pressurized vessels. In keeping with this stringent suite of documented regulations, the dispatch of the product to its installation site is equally governed by lawful directives. Browse to the AS1210, AS4332, to all of the other relevant codes and standards to get an idea of just how many regulations must be adhered to in order to certify the tank for the actual hands-on installation procedure. There's an intimidating list of these guidelines, but every one of them must be satisfied when building a safe operational space in a modern engineering environment. Note, the above regulations have been snipped from Australian codes, so please refer to your own national guidelines unless your product is being shipped to Australia.

The management of the installation site in question addresses the safety concerns of the gas storage vessel. There's the interface between the vessel and extraneous connections to consider, the expert connection to service pipework, valves and fittings, and any associated instrumentation. Also, perhaps more importantly, the location and orientation of the tank must be properly established. Is this an above ground or underground project? What ancillary equipment is entering the boundaries of the area? The guidelines are in place to service both the domestic gas storage and industrial sector, but emphasis is purposefully placed on heavy-duty vessels, the storage tanks that contain large volumes of gas as conveyed from offshore oil rigs or natural gas refineries. These facilities form large stations where ranks of vessels stand to attention, presenting a hazard that's potentially far more life threatening than a comparable domestic facility.

Slipping away from Australian regulations and codes defined by overseas authorities, the provision of all interconnecting spooling alongside the gas storage vessel acts as an installation equalizer, ensuring the pipes and associated processing equipment are fabricated to the same exacting standard as the gas storage vessel. Assuming the installation project is adhering to Australian engineering standards and pre-assembly isn't a given, we turn to another governing standard, the services of AS3892 where the uniformity of pressure vessel installation is illustrated in mandatory terms. This legislature and others like it are in place to cover installation issues. Grading of the site is detailed in these documents, as is the compacting of soil and the provision of a sound foundation for the vessel, meaning concrete groundwork and a support plinth is already in place and waiting.

Mounted on each respective foundation point, bolted, welded and sealed in place, the engineer oversees the installation of the gas storage vessel and the subsequent attachment of ancillary components, then moves on to the commissioning stage of this formidable project.

Contact Details

Fusion - Weld Engineering Pty Ltd
ABN 98 068 987619

1865 Frankston Flinders Road,
Hastings, VIC 3915

Ph: (03) 5909 8218

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