Lightning Protection For Water Storage Tanks

A closer look at lightning protection for fuel storage tanks.

Lightning protection for water storage tanks.

As far as lightning protection for storage tanks is concerned the priority level only increases. Lec has developed a number of products to address the primary and secondary effects related to the lightning phenomenon to ensure maximum site and tank integrity. Hence lightning protection should be the top priority for anyone running a facility of any kind. Lightning related petroleum storage tanks fires are more common than most people think.

These tanks include swd produced water frac tanks and distillate tanks. The standalone direct lightning strike probability should not be the only consideration for effective lightning protection design and implementation for frp storage tank facilities as indirect lightning strikes may also cause sparking or flashover to vapor and or contents that are stored within the facility. The in tank potential equalizer ipe lightning protection design is made specifically for non metal and lined tanks in order to combat the problem of internal electrical discharges and the subsequent ignition of the vapors inside tanks. Storage tank lightning protection is a highly debated area in the world of lightning protection.

Lightning protection of oil storage tanks has becomes a controversial subject due to conflicting protection criteria. The problem occurs with steel lined steel and fiberglass tanks. According to a review of petroleum storage tank fires between 1951 and 2003 the number of tank fires reported in the worldwide media is in the range of 15 to 20 fires per year. However further on in the document it is clear that at least one of the steel tanks was hit in addition to another tank.

Its no point lightning protection design makes it safer more economical and corrosion resistant. The document states that lightning struck the tank battery and does not say specifically which tank and just called out the tank battery in parenthesis and a whole. In addition to the protection from direct lightning strikes lec manufactures a complete line of ac power low and medium voltage surge. One such is the sense of using self protection criteria relying on the.

However everyone involved in lightning protection agrees that tanks especially those used in the oil and natural gas field need lightning protection of some kind. In tank potential equalizer ipe. Static lightning protection for tanks n occasion in our industry certain types of tanks explode or catch fire sometimes but not always during electrical storms.