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Inspection ● Products ● Repairs ● New Tank ● Coatings Complete line of Products and Services for aboveground Storage Tanks |
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Case Studies
Customer Concern/Problem:
HMT Solution/Innovation: The double bottom containment system HMT engineered a double bottom tank design with the capability to detect any breach in the primary steel bottom. Helped tank owner avoid environmental disaster and litigation and saved tank owner money by limiting loss of product.
The HMT design became the model in the industry to protect the nations water supply from contamination. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Customer Concern/Problem: One of the primary problems and customer concerns regarding external type floating roof tanks was that they were required to take the tank out of service and clean and gas free them prior to replacing the floating roof seals. The downtime associated with taking a tank out of service is incredibly costly for refineries and marketing terminals. Even before servicing the seal there are costs associated with cleaning, gas freeing, etc. More importantly the cost of having the tank out of service is enormous - limited storage capacity limits production capabilities for a refinery. HMT Solution/Innovation: In Service Seal Installation HMT developed special seals and the associated installation and safety procedures so that these seals could be replaced while the tanks remained in service. This saves customers considerable downtime and cost, as it typically costs a tank owner several hundred thousand dollars to take a large diameter crude oil tank out of service. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Customer Concern/Problem: Aluminum roofs, introduced as a low cost alternate to the internal steel pan roofs, were creating problems for a large number of HMT customers. The roofs were not designed to withstand severe service environments or extreme operating conditions, such as high tank filling or withdrawal rates, tank overfilling, missing or blending operations, tank settlement, out-of-pub roof support columns, out-of-round tank shells. The roofs were also not designed to accommodate a shoe type seal, which is the preferred type of seal to reduce the emission of hydrocarbon vapors. These lightweight aluminum roofs were subject to cyclic fatigue damage, seal failure, roof support leg failure, floatation pontoon failure and short service life. HMT, at the request of several of its customers, embarked on a major R&D project to develop a completely new type of aluminum internal floating roof. HMT Solution/Innovation: The Aluminator Internal Floating Roof HMT created this advanced type roof for performance in harsh service environments and severe operating conditions. A number of appurtenances found on traditional aluminum roofs were modified or redesigned to withstand varying operating conditions and cyclic anomalies. HMT has seven patents on this roof. One of the unique designs of the roof is its modular construction and non-invasive installation. To install typical aluminum roofs contractors are forced to cut a large hole in the side of the tank to move aluminum parts into the tank. HMT's Aluminator can be brought into the tank through a 24" manway. Overall, the Aluminator presented a higher quality more cost effective solution for HMT customers and is recognized in the industry as the leading heavy duty aluminum roof. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Customer Concern/Problem: Customers commented that while floating roof secondary seals greatly reduced hydrocarbon vapor emission losses, they also significantly reduced usable tank capacity. HMT Solution/Innovation: Seal King Secondary Seal After conducting an extensive research and development program, HMT developed the Seal King Secondary Seal. The primary advantage is that the seal will give the tank owner over 15 inches of additional vertical liquid height. For a 150 foot diameter tank, this represents over 4000 barrels of additional usable tank capacity. In addition, the seal not only provides an extended service life, but it is compatible with all liquid hydrocarbon fluids stored in floating roof tanks. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Customer Concern/Problem: 1n 1996, a major Oil and Gas Company decided to take a proactive roll in managing their storage tank assets more efficiently. HMT was called upon to help with their operational improvement plan. HMT and the Customer jointly determined that through increasing the usable tank capacity they could save considerable amounts of money. HMT Solution/Innovation: Completely reengineered seal and product architecture Floating roof legs, tank shell nozzles, shell mixers, and other shell appurtenances were reengineered to allow the floating roof to travel to a lower, low leg, or minimum elevation, position. Eliminated stagnate inventory in the bottom of the tank and allowed for larger operating cycle distance and usable capacity. HMT also engineered and developed an entirely new seal system, which allowed the floating roof to travel to a higher position providing additional tank capacity. Overall, greater operating cycles cut down on the need for building additional tankage and increased the amount of throughput within a terminal or a refinery. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Customer Concern/Problem: External floating roofs require a rainwater drain system of some type to effectively drain the rainwater from the floating roof without causing this rainwater to enter and contaminate the stored liquid product. Customers complained to HMT that the hose type drain systems they were using had a short service life and often experienced leaks. Customers further complained that the pipe type drain systems they were using leaked frequently due to the bushings and internal seals used in the construction of the associated articulating swing joints. HMT Solution/Innovation: The Pivot Master Drain System features the advantages of both hose drain systems and pipe drain systems without any of the associated disadvantages. Since the drain uses special reinforced composite hose construction for articulation and pipe sections for strength, the systems provide maintenance free service with an extremely long, no-leak, service life. Drain systems that customers had been forced to keep closed to prevent leakage could now be kept open, thereby significantly reducing the associated labor costs to open and close valves every time it rained. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Customer Concern/Problem: Customers and regulator agencies realized that floating roof slotted gauge poles used for sampling and gauging the level of the stored hydrocarbon liquid, were a significant source of hydrocarbon vapor emissions. HMT Solution/Innovation: Gauge Pole Floats and Sleeves These floating and sleeves greatly reduce the vapor emission from these tanks. Allows the tank owner to effectively operate the tanks using slotted gauge poles without the risk of a fine from an environmental enforcement agency and without the loss of hydrocarbon product. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Customer Concern/Problem: Customers were having a maintenance and service life problem with their galvanized, coated carbon steel or aluminum floating Oil-Water Separator Covers. HMT Solution/Innovation: VaporVault Composite Floating Oil-Water Separator Cover HMT developed the VaporVault Composite Floating Oil-Water Separator Cover, including the HMT Double Seal, to reduce maintenance and extend usable service life. This new cover is virtually unsinkable and is of a full surface contact design, reducing hydrocarbon vapor emission. The panel floatation cell compartments can be tested for vapor concentrations. This cover is unequalled in strength. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Customer Concern/Problem: Customers did not want to put the operating personnel down on internal floating roofs to change the support leg settings from the lower operating height to the higher maintenance height, for safety reasons. Also, customers wanted the tank bottom obstruction free (free of support legs) for cleaning and maintenance purposes. HMT Solution/Innovation: Suspended Deck Design HMT developed the Suspended Deck design, whereby the aluminum internal floating roof can be supported from the fixed external roof by an adjustable cable system. Utilizing this system, the elevation of the internal floating roof can be adjusted from "low" to "high" position from the top of the fixed roof, outside the tank. These Suspended Deck systems provide a safe method of adjusting the floating roof height and also eliminate obstructions on the tank bottom, thus facilitating tank cleaning and maintenance work.
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