| Volume 24 No. 5 June - July 2009 | |
Enjoy this mid-year issue of the STI/SPFA enewsletter and review the list of UPCOMING EVENTS at right. Summer is half gone, so begin planning your Fall training & travel schedule today! |
 Pipe Quality Audit Certification Program The Pipe Section of Steel Plate Fabricators Association met in June 2009 and revised the Evaluation Check List for the SPFA Pipe Quality Audit Certification Program. Nearly every fabrication shop of the STI/SPFA Membership has been certified under this program. STI/SPFA uses an accredited, third-party agency, Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance, Inc., to perform the inspections. | |
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TankTalk is a publication of STI/SPFA.
Editor, Vivian Bartt
Contributing Editors
Wayne Geyer
Lorri Grainawi
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Kudos to Kennedy Team
STI/SPFA Member, Kennedy Tank & Manufacturing Co., Inc, fabricated the heaviest pressure vessel ever in its 110-year history at its plant in Indianapolis, IN, in May of this year.
 The monstrous vessel, used in a proprietary manufacturing process, weighed 250,000 pounds, was made of 1-inch thick steel, measured 9' in diameter and was 175 feet long. The vessel eclipsed the previous heaviest project produced by 20 percent. Kennedy reported that it took 6,000 man hours to fabricate the vessel.
It was a tough job, but according to Pat Kennedy, "The Kennedy Tank Team was more than up to the task and did a great job!" Congratulations to the entire Kennedy Team!
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Please contact the editors of Tank Talk at STI/SPFA at news@steetank.com
if you have questions or suggestions.
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 So Long to Smiley
The City Council in Grand Forks, ND voted in early June to demolish the city's mascot, a water tank with a dual-sided grin.
One report indicated that the residents were not alone in their bond with the cheery-faced city guardian in the blue hat and natty bow ties. "There was a pride in knowing that the tallest thing in town had a grin bigger than a bus."
Smiley and his long-lived image will no doubt be missed by locals. However, many tanks remain in service far longer than Smiley's 77 years. STI/SPFA recognizes field erected water tanks that have been in continuous service for 100 years or more by recommending them for induction in its CENTURY CLUB. In fact, the oldest member of the Century Cub dates back to 1886. Please contact the Tank Talk editors at news@steeltank.com if you know of a long-service water tower in your area. |
NSF Standard 61 for Drinking 
Water Applications
Last year, several manufacturers of stainless steel pipe and fittings were among the first stainless steel components to be listed by NSF to NSF Standard 61 for drinking water applications. The NSF Standard 61 assures drinking water remains free from contamination that may occur when water comes into contact with water storage and transmission equipment.
NSF conducts annual testing of certified products and production location audits to ensure ongoing compliance with the Standard's health-based requirements. NSF tests for regulated metals such as antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, and nickel, as well as inorganic and organic leachates that can contaminate drinking water.
For years, carbon steel tanks have been lined with various coatings and linings that have undergone NSF 61 certification. Carbon steel pipes are lined with coatings and cement mortar linings that have also undergone NSF 61 certification.
In the Summer 2008, NSF published, "WaterWorks," that discusses NSF Standard 61 and its certification of concrete products. Specifically, it states, "NSF also certifies cement because it is a critical water contact material in concrete water storage tanks and pipes. The fact that Portland cement is made from mined materials that may contain high concentrations of hazardous metals, and the fact that some cement kilns burn hazardous waste, are two reasons to ensure that cements used for drinking water are certified to NSF 61."
NSF does not allow concrete products to contain cements made with RCRA hazardous waste derived materials, unless they have been evaluated and certified. Since NSF began certifying cement and admixtures in 1995, NSF has certified 10 manufacturers of concrete products and 13 sand manufacturers. |
Useful RPs & Technical Resources
Many Tank Talk readers are very familiar with the tank fabrication standards that Steel Tank Institute produces to assist fabricators in complying with codes and regulations. However, STI has also developed a great many important industry recommended practices for installation, testing, corrosion protection, fire protection and construction of underground and aboveground fuel storage tanks. A couple of documents that are of great interest to the industry today include:
STI R012, Recommended Practice for Interstitial Tightness Testing of Existing Underground Double Wall Steel Tanks
This RP was initially developed due to a new regulation established in California that required all secondary contained UST systems to be tested for integrity every three years, beginning in 2001. The State of California was one of the first states to mandate secondary containment of underground storage tanks, and hence a number of tank designs had been built and installed as far back as 25 years ago. Among the designs were double-wall tanks with extended heads and tanks that used structural standoffs between the two tanks. For these special forms of construction, STI R012 uses vacuum testing criteria established in NFPA 30 and adjusts for groundwater conditions. The RP is also used for criteria to test double-wall "wrap" systems (see STI F841 below) and jacketed tanks.
STI F841, Standard for Dual Wall Underground Steel Storage Tanks
The F841 Standard was initially published in 1984 and was the first American standard for secondary containment of underground storage tank construction. Instead of two tanks separated by structural standoffs, it "wrapped" a secondary tank wall directly over the primary tank. The results were the same, containment of the primary tank and the ability to detect releases using a number of economical methods. F841 paved the way for jacketed tank construction, a popular tank construction in demand today.
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