Materials for Fuel Tanks: Options Other than Stainless Steel and Aluminum

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Fuel tanksFuel isn’t that useful if your facility cannot store and transport it reliably and safely from the tank of the vessel to the equipment that needs it. You need to get the right fuel tank to avoid any problems in your operations.

Incorporate the right features during tank fabrication instead of just integrating other elements once you have built the tank. For instance, using the right material for the exact application will prevent unnecessary drawbacks. Heartland Tank Services outlines some of your best options other than aluminum and stainless steel.

Fiberglass

You might have always heard of stainless steel and aluminum, but fiberglass types might soon move ahead of them. They have become popular because they are tough, robust and long-lasting, making them ideal for the cabins, decks and hulls of the vessels that you cruise on.

Steel

Probably the biggest advantage of using steel is their low-cost attribute. This is one of the least costly customizable material for fabricating fuel tanks. While it cannot be cut easily or is not as light as aluminum, it’s considerably durable. Steel tanks are generally made of thick metal plates for the primary purpose of sacrificial corrosion. Since this material is quite economical, you can use more without causing an impact on the price of the tank.

Polyethylene

Connected to fiberglass as a material for tank fabrication is XPE or cross-linked polyethylene. As long as it’s properly set up and built, XPE can resist rust and is the least one to structurally fail. Most of fuel tanks made of SPE are molded rotationally, so these are nearly leak proof and seamless.

If you have a properly built and designed fuel tank, your employees can work with ease knowing that it won’t fail them. Remind them to keep the tank secure, clean and dry to avoid costly problems.

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