How to calculate hydrostatic test height in

tanks
.

WHAT IS AN HYDROTEST?

Hydrostatic testing is (or a least should be) done in every new welded tank for oil storage
and it is mandatory for any tank that has been under a major alteration, according to API
653.

And as we are students, let´s remember the definition of hydrotest of API 653.

As it says, for new or repaired tanks, the purpose of hydrostatic testing is to demonstrate the
tank´s fitness for service, and the better you test, the less risk you have once the tank is in
operation.

If you are planning to take the exam, you should be familiar with all of the requirements of
API 650 and 653 regarding hydrotesting. But right now we will concentrate in calculating
hydrostatic test height.

HOW TO CALCULATE HYDROSTATIC TEST HEIGHT

For a tank that has been in operation, several things can happen that may highlight the need
for an hydrostatic test

*If the tank is going to be used for a new, more sever service. That means, when the liquid
that will be stored has a higher specific gravity than the current stored product.

*When there have been repairs. Maybe your repairs are perfect, but some corrosion
remains in other areas of the tank.

Determination of hydrostatic test height Ht, when you have calculated a controlling
thickness for an entire shell course, can be achieved solving for the following equation,
where Ht is the height from the bottom of the shell course under consideration to the
hydrostatic test height
Over entire shell course

Determination of hydrostatic test height Ht, when you have calculated controlling thickness
for a locally thinned area (I haven´t treated the subject of controlling thicknesses here so far,
my bad) can be achieved solving for the following equation, where Ht is the height from the
bottom of the length, L, (see 4.3.2.1) for the most severely thinned area in each shell course
to the hydrostatic test height in feet

Over locally thinned area

So, hydrostatic test height depends on 4 variables, which are.

St is the smaller value between fractions of yield strenght or tensile strenght, or the
maximum allowable hydrostatic test stress.

Stress values for hydrostatic height calculus

E is the joint efficiency. Look how to find joint efficiency here

Tmin is the controlling thickness

D is the diameter of the tank.

Let´s see an example of height calculation. I am assuming you have some background on the
formulas of API 650 and API 653.

EXAMPLE 2.

A tank will be subjected to hydrostatic testing after repairs. After some study, the inspector
decides to run calculations for hydrostatic test height over the first shell course and over a
locally thinned area close to a vertical seam, 36 inches high in the 4th shell course. Steel is
A36 with Y = 36000psi and T=58000psi. Shell courses are 6ft high and the tank is 48ft
diameter. First two courses were welded before 1980, and the other courses were added
recently. The controlling thickness for the first shell course is 7mm and for the locally
thinned area is 6,35mm. What should be the hydrostatic test height?

Solution.
Well, for the equations, values are these

Case 1. Lower shell course

E=0,85. See Table 4-2

St = smaller of 0,88Y or 0,472Y, then St = 27376psi

D= 48

Tmin= 7mm = 0,275in

So, hydrostatic test height will be 15,93m.

Case 2. Locally thinned area in 4th course

E =1. See Table 4-2.

St = smaller of 0,9Y or 0,519Y, then St = 30102psi

D= 48

Tmin = 6,35mm=0,25in

Hydrostatic test height over the locally thinned area can be 16,7m. (A total height of 23,01m)

Then the tank has a maximum fill height is 15,93m.