B R AI D I SO T ANK D I V ISION

ISOtank Procedures
 • Page 3 – 8 General Introduction Iso Tank Containers
• Page 9 Centre Pan Manlid
• Page 10 Gaskets in use
• Page 11 Rear Pan with Top valve Provision and Airline Valve
• Page 12 Airline Valve Sampling SOP
• Page 13 – 15 Bottom Valve assembly
• Page 16 Bottom Valve Sampling SOP
• Page 17 – 21 Heating Process
• Page 22 – 24 Loading & Discharge Procedures

2 COPYRIGHT © 2018 BRAID Logistics Asia Pte. Ltd

Introduction:
A Tank Container………… Why?

1st Economical consideration:

• Almost 15,000 Litres in a 20ft DV vs 25,000 Litres in a 20ft Tank Container.
nd
2 Environmental Consideration:
• What is happening at destination with the 72 drums. Cleaned and re-used? never!!
72 dirty drums will be dumped on a landfill

Good alternative for a Tank Container is a Flexitank.

3
A tank container is:

• A pressure vessel integrated into a

20’ ISO Frame, with the dimensions
of a normal dry box container.

• Constructed in accordance with a recognized

pressure vessel code and international
regulations for transport of Dangerous Goods

• Built to transport bulk Liquids, Gases, Powders

and Granules

• ‘Portable’ and fully Multimodal

• Used for Storage, or process equipment

4
International Standards

• International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) is an NGO

(a non profit organization that operates independently of any government)
comprised of national standards institutes of over 100 countries.
Central administration is based in Switzerland

• Composed of representatives of national standards bodies that work together

to set international standards.

• They are important to us because they set basic criteria for strength, dimensions
capacity, markings, test criteria for tank containers

5
ISO for Tank Containers

• ISO 6346 - Size and Type Code, marking and visual

identification (BIC)

• ISO 668 - Classification, external dimensions and

rating (MGW)

• ISO 1496/3 - Specification and tests for tank containers;

regulates tank frame and is linked to the
Convention for Safe Containers (CSC)

6
New Size and Type Code
• ISO 6346 amended in 2012, revised the type codes of containers
including Tank Containers

• The main difference is the “K” code give a range if minimum test
pressures instead of a specific minimum test pressure i.e.,
K2 indicates Liquid Tank Containers for Dangerous Goods with a
minimum test pressure range from 2.65 bar to 10 bar.

Previous a 22T6 code indicated a Test Pressure of minimum 6 bar

22T6 = 20 ft long,
22T6 = 8.6 ft high
22T6 = Tank
22T6 = Minimum Test Pressure of 6 Bar
The “T” has been replaced by a “K” to avoid mistakes being made
with the T-codes (T7, T11, T14 etc etc etc)

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 Centre Pan with
500mm Manlid

Catwalk or Walkway,
Different shapes in
our fleet.

Rear Pan with

Topvalve Provision and
1,5” Airline/valve

ISO 6346 BIC

Container Frame
with Twistlocks

Ladder at the rear

of the tank

ISO 6346 BIC

Size & Type Code

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Recessed self-draining centre pan with 500mm Man Lid & PRV

2 1

4 3

6 5

X 7

Note !! Opening sequence for swingbolts!!!! Always crisscross. Always start with X and then follow the
above sequence. When closing…….. X, 7, 6, 5,

9
Composite Seal of EPDM rubber wrapped in PTFE
Super Tank Tyte Gasket / More durable and more tight compared with a PTFE rope gasket.

If the PTFE rope gasket is used do not

apply Nitrogen pressure as it escapes
thru the gasket. Also if the product
has
a bad smell do not use the PTFE rope
Gasket.

10
Rear Pan with Top valve Provision and 1,5” airline/valve (Ball Valve).
(Please note the tiny welded straps going from bolt to bolt. These are what we call TIR welds. These TIR welds are
available on all access points to the cargo)

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 Seal point

Air-line Valve Sampling SOP

1) Eventhough product is harmless still everybody working at or with the tank container and the product should be using his/her PPE (Personal
Protection Equipment). a) Goggles/Face Protection, b) Overall/Coverall suitable for the product being handled, c) Rubber Gloves, d) Helmet,
e) Safety boots
2) Making sure that all seals are still intact and that the seal numbers match with the seal numbers provided by the shipper.
3) Making sure that Valve Handle and Screw Cap/Dust Cap are closed (Handle in Horizontal position) and that no product is leaking.
4) Breaking the seal and keep them safe for future reference
5) Pull airline valve in vertical (open) position. Always make sure that during the opening of the airline valve the valve is covered with a clean glove
and that nobody is looking directly into the opening. Due to atmospheric changes pressure could have increased inside the tank container and the
flow of product vapors could come in contact with someone's face. Should be avoided at all times
6) Now a small/thin sampling tube can be inserted into the airline valve and a ‘top’ sample of the product can be taken.
7) In order to increase the sampling quantity the process steps 5 – 6 shall be repeated.

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Bottom Valve/FootValve

If the product is allowed to be loaded in a tank container with a bottom valve, it must
have 3 independent closures below liquid level including a self-closing internal valve.

1) Foot Valve
2) Butterfly Valve
3) Screw/Dust cap

2 1

13
 3”Bottom valve with 3 closing devices

2 Butterfly handle

Seal point

Seal point

3 Dust/Screw Cap
1 footvalve handle

14
Bottom Valve Items

Butterfly Valve “High Lift” Foot Valve

“Cleanflow” Foot Valve

15
 a

Bottom Valve Sampling SOP

1) Eventhough product is harmless still everybody working at or with the tank container and the product should be using his/her PPE
(Personal Protection Equipment). a) Goggles/Face Protection, b) Overall/Coverall suitable for the product being handled, c) Rubber
Gloves, d) Helmet, e) Safety boots
2) Making sure that all seals are still intact and that the seal numbers match with the seal numbers provided by the shipper.
3) Making sure all valve handles and Screw Cap/Dust Cap are closed and that no product is leaking.
4) Breaking the seals and keep them safe for future reference
5) Push the foot valve towards the tank container (using the foot! *) in open position. Product will now flow into the “Foot valve
chamber” (a).
The content of the Foot valve chamber is maximum a large coffee mug or drinking glass
6) Remove the Screw Cap/Dust Cap making sure it is absolutely clean and dry. One use a clean cloth or paper to dry or wipe clean
7) Gently open the Butterfly valve handle to create a small opening
8) Collect the product in a clean sampling bottle.
9) If required to get a bigger or more samples the above process from 5 thru to 8 can be repeated.

16
Pressure vessel and Steam Heating tubes

Steam circulated via

steel tubes. Welded
externally on to lower ½
of tank shell.

Stiffening Rings. These

add strength and resist
external pressure (vacuum
collapse/implosion)

17
Insulation

Insulating materials meet requirements to ensure safety and minimize

risk to the tank…..

18
Heating prior to Discharge
This process is of course related to the Melting Point of the Product (see SDS)

Three methods for Heated Discharge:

• Steam pressure (3 Bar at the most!!!)
• Warm Water (Maximum Temperature is ±98° Celsius)
• Electric Heating
For Hot water Heating and Steam heating the same
connection points are used. Heating is not successful
if the inlet is used as outlet. In order to built up steam
pressure within the steam coils a steam trap has to be
used on the outlet.

Electric heating is a good system to keep the

the product at a set temperature during the
voyage. It is less suitable to reach a high discharge
temperature starting low.

19
Analogue Temperature Gauge (Glycerine Filled)

Of course digital gauges are available too but from experience we know that they fail
often due to Battery empty / Contact broken etc etc.

20
Heating prior to Discharge

Too much pressure will blow up the steam coils often beyond repair. The surface of a Tank Container
is supposed to be smooth……..

Too much steam pressure will “bake” the product

onto the tank shell. A lot of grinding is required to
Get this out of the shell

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 Loading and Discharge Methods
• Loading

Gravity Loading thru Manlid. Gravity Loading thru Bottom Loading from ground tank with a
Vapours into open air Valve or stack pipe. Vapours pump thru Manlid. Vapours into
returning to storage tank open air

Loading from ground tank with a
pump thru Bottom Valve,
alternatively thru the Top Valve with
or without stackpipe. Vapour vented
back into storage tank
Loading thru the Bottom Valve/Top
Valve using pressure from gas or air
onto the vent line of the ground
tank. Pressure inside Tank Container
is vented off thru air line of tank or
via manlid 22
• Discharge

Gravity discharge. Make sure to open Man Lid or
Cock the Man Lid on the swings bolts to allow air
to flow in to avoid IMPLOSION!
Pressure Discharge. Gas or Air pressure applied thru
the air line. Creates overpressure on liquid inside the
the tank. Discharge possible thru Bottom Valve or Top
Valve with stack pipe. Air line of storage tank has to be
open in order to avoid build up of pressure inside.

Pumped Discharge. Could discharge thru Top Valve

(with stack pipe), Bottom Valve or Man Lid. Make sure
enough volume is put back into the tank to avoid
IMPLOSION!

23
Under pressure / Over Pressure / Implosion / Explosion

0.25 Bar Negative Pressure is enough to implode

a T11 Tank Container. It is built to withstand a
a minimum test pressure of minimum 6 Bar.

Too much pressure will kill a Tank Container too.

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