Lorri Grainawi

Steel Tank Institute

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 UL 58 - Standard for Steel Underground

Tanks for Flammable and Combustible
Liquids
ULC S615 - Standard for Reinforced Plastic
Underground Tanks for Flammable and
Combustible Liquids
UL 1316 - Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Plastic
Underground Storage Tanks for Petroleum
Products, Alcohols, and Alcohol-Gasoline
Mixtures

 ULC S603 - Standard for Steel

Underground Tanks for Flammable And
Combustible Liquids
ULC S603.1 - External Corrosion Protection
Systems for Steel Underground Tanks for
Flammable and Combustible Liquids
UL 1746 - Standard for External Corrosion
Protection Systems For Steel Underground
Storage Tanks

UL 80 - Standard for
Steel Tanks for OilBurner Fuel
ULC ORD-C80.1 Non-Metallic Tanks for
Fuel Oil
UL 142 - Standard for
Steel Aboveground
Tanks for Flammable
and Combustible
Liquids
UL 2245 - Standard
for Below-Grade
Vaults for Flammable
Liquid Storage Tanks
ULC S601 - Standard
for Shop Fabricated
Steel Aboveground
Horizontal Tanks

UL 2085 - Standard for

Protected
Aboveground Tanks
for Flammable and
Combustible Liquids
SwRI - Southwest
Research Institute
SwRI 97-04
SwRI 93-01
API - American
Petroleum Institute
API 12F
API 650, App. J

 UL 971 - Standard for Nonmetallic

Underground Piping For Flammable
Liquids
SU 971A - METALLIC UNDERGROUND FUEL
PIPE

SU means the document is an Outline of

Investigation, not a Standard

ULC S660 - Standard for Nonmetallic

Underground Piping for Flammable and
Combustible Liquids

 SU87A - Power-Operated Dispensing

Devices for Gasoline/Ethanol Blends with
Ethanol Content Greater Than 15 Percent
ULC ORD-C142.19 - Spill Containment
Devices for Aboveground Flammable and
Combustible Liquid Storage Tanks
UL 157 - Standard for Gaskets and Seals
UL 330 - Standard for Hose and Hose
Assemblies for Dispensing Flammable
Liquid
UL 525 - Standard for Flame Arresters

 UL 536 - Standard for Flexible Metallic

Hose
UL 860 - Pipe Unions for Flammable and
Combustible Fluids and Fire-Protection
Service
UL 1106 - Standard for Marine Manually
Operated Shutoff Valves for Flammable
Liquids

SU 2583 - FUEL TANK ACCESSORIES

SU 2215 - OIL/WATER SEPARATORS
NLPA 631- Linings
API 1631 - Linings

Consistent
Cover all necessary requirements
Without unnecessary restrictions
Be able to test as efficiently as possible
Clear and concise
Anyone should be able to read test,
understand it and duplicate the test
Fill in the blank ________________

 Prescriptive

ULC S603, Steel Underground Tanks

Performance

UL 971, Non-metallic piping

Calculation

UL 58, steel thickness

All three methods should cover

structural design, product
compatibility and safety issues

 Steel head, or end plate thickness

Weld joints allowed
Fitting details

 Specifies weld joint

designs
Air pressure shop
test, 3 5 psi

 UL allows either a
calculated approach,
using formula known
as Roark OR
Performance test, with
limitations,
Roark is a conservative
approach. Does not
rely on backfill for
support.

 Coating tests
mirrored after FRP
tank standard
Interstitial
communication is
required
Mainly
performance
standard, 2009
ANSI approved

UL 1316
ISBN 1-55989-385-0

Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Plastic
Underground Storage Tanks for
Petroleum Products, Alcohols, and
Alcohol-Gasoline Mixtures
1996

Atmospheric Tank
Single wall
Double wall
Does not cover
heating coils or
compartment tanks
Mainly
performance, but
Steel fittings and
venting specified

 Three tests
Water load test,
one hour
External Pressure on
buried tank
Internal pressure

12 External Pressure Test

12.1 A tank shall be tested as
described in 12.2. The tank shall not
implode or otherwise be damaged.
12.2 The empty tank is to be installed
in a test pit using the specified
anchoring system and the specified
backfill procedure. The pit is then to be
filled with water to such a level that
the tank is submerged to its maximum
specified burial depth. The tank is to
remain submerged for 24 hours. While
the tank is still submerged, it is to be
subjected for 1 minute to a partial
internal vacuum so that the internal
pressure on the tank is 5.3 inches of
mercury less than the external
pressure imposed by the hydrostatic
head.
13 Internal Pressure Test
A tank shall withstand without rupture
for 1 minute to an internal pressure as
specified:
10 ft dia or less,
25 psi
Greater than 10 ft, 15 psi

 Immersion Testing - 180 to 270 days

Must maintain 50% of strength

 Impact and Cold Exposure

16 hour conditioning
1.18 lb ball

Light and water exposure

180 to 360 hour exposure
Must maintain 80% strength

 Comprehensive test
program with 27
possible tests
Interstitial
communication
Puncture & crush
resistance
Pressure & Vacuum
Permeation
Impact

 Product
compatibility testing
(100% ethanol & 100%
methanol

Failure to burst
Failure modes
include cracking,
splitting, bulging,
collapse and
delamination

 Scope currently covers vapor control,

emergency vents, normal vents, caps and
covers
Prescriptive in that it states min/max for
pipe diameters
Performance to prove protection against
Rain entry
Ice Blocking

Test fluids include Biodiesel &

aggressive fuels

 Scope includes
meters, hoses,
pumps, etc.
Product
compatibility
testing includes
aggressive fuels
Cyclic endurance
testing done for
moving parts

Img_0211.mov

Test fluids vary

Only one standard
includes biodiesel
Two test with
aggressive fluids
Steel does not
require testing

 Interstitial
communication
required for three
UL standards
Performance
based mixed with
prescriptive
requirements with
some calculation
UL standards cover only to the
point the product leaves the
factory