Five Years After Initial TankPAC Screening
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Initial TankPAC Screening
![TankPAC Before]()
Preserving the integrity of your storage tanks is of the utmost importance when operating your facility. TankPAC, a non-intrusive sorting method, and Risk-Based Inspections (RBI) are strategically-integrated techniques to save time and money.
The cost of shutting down and cleaning a storage tank for an internal inspection can be exceptionally high. If, and when, the tanks in question are opened and it’s determined that no repairs are needed, those subsequent costs will have been largely wasted and could have been saved for other needs. By utilizing non-intrusive methods, like TankPAC™ with Risk-Based Inspections (RBI), you can preserve your budget by identifying good tanks from bad and directing internal inspections and maintenance to areas where they’re needed most.
Combining MISTRAS' Advanced Non-Destructive Testing (ANDT) systems and services, facility operators are allotted a solution that can help ensure the structural and operational integrity, as well as the API 653 compliance of their Aboveground Storage Tanks (AST) - turning formerly static assets, into dynamic Think-Tanks.
Think-Tank Inspection Methods
MISTRAS offers a variety of advanced and traditional NDT methods to inspect for corrosion or other damages. By utilizing Acoustic Emission (AE) testing, Ultrasonic Testing (UT), Ultrasonic Thickness Measurements (UTT), Pulsed Eddy Current (PEC), and Visual Tests (VT) for a tank's outer shell, annular ring, floor, and roof, tank operators can fully optimize a tank's inspection program.
MISTRAS delivers additional ANDT methods including UT Shear Wave, ElectroMagnetic Acoustic Transducer (EMATS), Guided Bulk Wave (GBW) & Automated Ultrasonic Testing (AUT) techniques, used to test the entire annular ring. When it comes to larger areas, such as a tank's shell and roof, AUT automatically maneuvers Ultrasonic thickness transducers over a predetermined area of the tank, collecting and recording thickness readings, transferred to our proprietary AUT software.
TankPAC and Non-Intrusive Inspections (NII)
TankPAC is not an inspection method, but a “sorting” system that separates “good” tanks from “bad” and directs maintenance to where it’s needed the most. Highly-sensitive acoustic sensors are attached to the tank wall and the tank is then monitored, following a period of conditioning during which valves are closed and heaters/agitators are turned off. The fracture of corrosion products is detected along with leaks that are active during the actual monitoring period.
A percentage of this data is located by triangulation, but the most important information gained from a maintenance management point of view is the overall condition of the floor which is given a grading on a scale of “A-to-E.” By utilizing this scale, TankPAC helps to set inspection priorities and intervals based on tank floor condition, and fits in well with Risk-Based Inspection RBI strategies.
TankPAC Features & Benefits
- Real-Time, On-Line, In-Service Monitoring
- Non-Intrusive, In-Service Application
- Tank Grading and Sorting
- Maintenance and Inspection Prioritization
- Extended Inspection Intervals and Asset Lifespan
- Helps to Prevent Catastrophic Failure
- Fault Detection for Corrosion, Leaks, and Impact Damage
- Inspection Condition Data Integration Through PCMS Platform
Non-Intrusive Inspections
Non-Intrusive Inspections (NII) are designed to maintain a tank's condition, helping owners/operators meet regulatory requirements, and extend internal inspection intervals through cost-saving risk assessments. NII techniques also help to determine the suitability of tests, validate a tank's Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) program, improve Mechanical Integrity (MI), and determine the appropriate intervals for internal inspections.
Other advantages for utilizing Non-Intrusive Inspections, include:
- No Interruption to Tank Service or Condition
- Cost Savings from Avoiding Tank Openings
- Improved Safety & Quick Inspection Results
- Planned Internal Inspection Strategies
Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) Services and PCMS
Supplemental RBI programs can help extend inspection intervals of tanks in good condition between one to five years, as well as help to ensure safety by reducing intervals for assets operating in poor condition.
A focused RBI program manages the risk associated with operating assets like aboveground storage tanks AST. By managing that risk and implementing an RBI program supported by TankPAC's™ real-time condition reports and MISTRAS' other non-intrusive inspection methods, tank owner/operators are now able to effectively address compromised sections of a tank.
Plant Conditioning Monitoring Software (PCMS)
TankPAC™ can operate in conjunction with the Plant Conditioning Management Software (PCMS), utilized in various facilities to manage inspection information for aboveground storage tanks and other assets. Utilizing PCMS can help operators identify a problem for one or an entire fleet of tanks before potential failure occurs, minimizing unplanned shutdowns and costly periods of downtime.
MISTRAS’ Think-Tank approach helps to ensure that proper operational decisions are made to help prioritize internal inspection schedules, detect active corrosion and leaks, and determine the useful life of a tank.
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