Rectangular tank sizing Calculation

Objectives

- To calculate the thickness of tank plates

- To determine the size of stiffening frame for tank
- To determine dry and test weights

Assumptions

- Specific gravity of liquid is 1

- Acceleration due to gravity is 9.81 m/s2
- Density of steel is 7850 kg/m3
- Minimum Distance between stiffeners = 1.05m

References

1. UL-142, Steel Aboveground Tanks for flammable and combustible liquids,

Underwriters Laboratories Inc.
2 Eugene F. Megyesy, Pressure Vessels Handbook, Pressure Vessels
Publishing Inc.
3 Corus Construction and IndustrialStructural Sections to BS 4: Part 1:1993
& BS EN 10056:1999
4 ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section II subpart D
5 Trauvay and Cauvin (2001), Piping Equipment
6 Young, W. C. & Budynas, R. G. (2002) Roark's Formulas for Stress and Strain
7th ed., McGraw-Hill. 2002
7 ASME B31.10M - 2000: Welded and Seamless Wrought Steel Pipe
8 ASME B.16.5 - 2009: Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings

Notes

1 A total of 10 Stiffeners were used based on a spacing of 1.05 m on the long

sides (3 stiffeners on each longer side; and 2 stiffeners on each shorter side)
2 Sump Pump weight was not included in calculations
3 Weights are calculated weights. Final weights to be advised by vendor
Weight calulation does not include weir.

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Page 2 of 13
Definition of Terms

-a Length of top plate

-b Width of top plate

- CA Corossion Allowance

-E Modulus of Elasticity

-g Gravitational acceleration

-H Height of tank

- Imin Minimum Moment of inertia of top edge stiffening

-L Length of tank

-l Spacing between vertical stiffeners

- lb Spacing of bottom plate support

-R Reaction at top edge

-r Radius of contact of heaviest dead weight on top tank

-S Allowable stress of tank material

-t Required thickness

- ta Selected thickness

-w Load

-W Heaviest Dead weight on top plate

- Zmin Minimum Section Modulus of vertical stiffener

-α Factor Depending on ratio of Length to Width of top plate a/b

-β Factor Depending on ratio of Height to Length H/L

ρp Density of tank material

ρ Density of liquid in tank

ν Poisson ratio of tank material

CSA Cross-Sectional Area

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Page 4 of 13
Equipment Tag No. ABH 8000 Project No. 1216 No. of equipments 1

1 DESIGN DATA

Tank Material SA-516 Gr. 60

Modulus of Elasticity E = 203.4E+09 N/m2
Allowable Stress S = 117.9E+06 N/m2
Density of tank material ρp = 7850 kg/m3
Tank Dimensions:
Length L = 4.2 m
Width W = 3 m
Height H = 2.4 m
Type of Liquid Water
Specific Gravity = 1
Density of liquid ρ = 1000 kg/m3
Acceleration due to gravity g 9.81 m/s2
No. of vertical stiffeners one side = 3
Maximum Distance between Stiffners l = 1.05 m
Corrosion Allowance CA = 3 mm
Height/length ratio (H/L) = 0.5714
Factor for H/L β = 0.095 (See Appendix)

2 SIDE PLATE THICKNESS

 gH
Required Plate Thickness t  l = 0.00457334 m
S
= 4.57 mm

Thickness + Corossion Allowance = 7.57 mm

Selected Plate thickness ts = 8 mm

3 LOAD
gH 2 = 28252.8 N/m
w
2
= 28.25 N/mm

4 VERTICAL STIFFENING
Minimum Section Modulus

0.1284 Hlw = 77.538 cm3

Z min 
S
An equal angle L-section of dimensions
150 x 150 x 15 (section modulus = 83.5 cm3)
frame is satisfactory for vertical stiffening

Total no. of vertical stiffeners = 10 (Note 1)

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5 TOP EDGE STIFFENING

Reaction at top edge R  0.3w = 8.48 N/mm

Minimum required moment of inertia for top edge stiffening:

RL 4 = 22512126 mm4
I min 
192 Et a
= 2251.2 cm4
200 x 200 x 16 (moment of inertia = 2342 cm3)
frame is satisfactory for vertical stiffening

BOTTOM PLATE SUPPORT SPACING

using a minimum plate thickness of 4.57 mm calculated for side plates above,
the maximum spacing of bottom plate supports:

S = 0.406 m
lb  1.254t
gH

6 TOP PLATE THICKNESS

Dimensions of top plate

Length a = 4.4 m
Width b = 3.2 m
Constant based on length to width ratio a/b
a/b = 1.375
α = -0.000125 (See Appendix)
Poisson's ration 0.3

Total dead weight on tank top plate = 325.69 kg (Note 2)

= 3195.0 N
Sum of Radii of load contacts with top plate
r = 1475 mm

Total Stress due to dead load on 4.57mm required plate thickness

3W 
 2 
1    ln 2b    = 30608563 N/m2
2t  r 
This Stress value is < S ( 117.9E+06 N/m2)
therefore required thickness for side plates is adequate

Selected thickness = 8 mm

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7 WEIGHT CALCULATIONS

a Weight of Tank Plates

(Surface area of tank * tank thickness * Density of tank material)
i- Side plates
 2t p ( LH  WH ) = 2170.368
ii- Bottom Plate kg
 LWt s  p = 791.28
iii- Top Plate
 abts  p = 884.224

Total weight of tank plates = 3845.872

b Weight of Stiffeners
Weight of one vertical stiffener
(CSA*Length*density of stiffener) = 84.78 kg
Total Weight of vertical Stiffeners = 847.8 kg

Weight of top edge stiffening

(CSA*Length*density of stiffener) = 723.456 kg

Total weight of stiffeners = 1571.256 kg

c Weights of nozzles
7 Nos. 2" nozzles @ 3.63 kg/Nozzle = 25.41 kg
2 Nos. 4" nozzles @ 9.53 kg/Nozzle = 19.06 kg
2 Nos. 24" Manways @ 140.61 kg/MW = 281.22 kg

Total weight of nozzles = 325.69 kg

d Total Empty weight of tank

(Weights of tank plates+Stiffners+nozzles) = 5742.818 kg

Weight of water to fill tank

(Volume of tank * density of water) = 30240 kg

e. Operating Weight
(Empty weight of tank + Weight of water at NLL)
NLL = 1.06 m
Weight of water at NLL = 13356 kg/m3
Total Operating Weight = 19098.818

f. Weight of tank filled with water

(Empty weight of tank + Weight of water) = 35982.818 kg

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 TANK SKETCH

Top Plate
4.4m x 3.2m

2.4m

150mm

15mm
150mm

Vertical Stiffener Cross-Section

200mm

16mm

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 16mm
200mm

Top-Edge stiffening Cross-Section

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Summary of Results

Tank
-- material SA-516 Gr. 60

Thickness
-- of plates
Sides = 8 mm
Bottom = 8 mm
Top = 8 mm

Number
-- of vertical stiffeners = 10

Stiffener
-- configuration Equal leg (L section)
Stiffener Cross-section Dimensions
Vertical = 150mm x 150mm x 15mm
Top edge = 200mm x 200mm x 16mm

Dry
-- weight of tank = 5742.818 kg

Operating
-- weight of tank = 19098.818 kg

Weight
-- of tank filled with water = 35982.818 kg

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Page 11 of 13
APPENDIX

Values for factors used

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
H/L or
Ratio H/l 0.25 0.286 0.333 0.4 0.5 0.667 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4

Constant β 0.024 0.031 0.041 0.056 0.08 0.116 0.16 0.26 0.34 0.38 0.43 0.47 0.49

Table 1: Values of β
Table from Ref. 3

1 2 3 4 5 6
Ratio a/b 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 ∞
Constant α -0.238 -0.078 0.011 0.053 0.068 0.067 0.067

Table 2: Values of β
Table from Ref. 8

Interpolation for β Interpolation for α

Col. No. H/L or H/l β Col. No. H/L or H/l β

5 0.5 0.08 2 1.2 -0.078
6 0.667 0.116 3 1.4 0.011
0.5714 0.095 1.375 -0.000125

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