A World First For Safe HCl Storage

Simon Storage has completed building a brand new import, storage and distribution hub for Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) at its Seal Sands Terminal. The facility is one of the largest sea-fed facilities of its type in the UK with a capacity of over 2,000 tonnes of HCl storage.

The tank storage protection was a World First application of this type using Fuelvac® double skin liner which is a patented process from Abfad Ltd.

The new contract with Simon will expand their clients’ HCl storage capabilities in the North East of England and enable product to be imported by ship from outside the UK. HCl blends will be redelivered to Client’s UK customers by road tank wagons via a dedicated top loading gantry. This arrangement will ensure improved supply security of HCl to their client’s customers for use in a number of industry sectors, from steel processing to food and pharmaceutical production.

Simon has constructed specialist HCl storage and handling facilities at the Seal Sands Terminal for a long-term contract with their client. The facilities incorporate innovative protection technology to create corrosion-resistant storage with an in-built lining failure detection system.

HCl will be received into storage via a new import line, again specially engineered to resist corrosion. Product will be stored in a 2,140m³ capacity mild steel tank, double lined with a high performance epoxy coating designed to provide excellent chemical resistance.

The lining system incorporates a vacuum leak detection system between the two coating applications which make up part of the system.

The void between the linings is monitored continuously for any loss of vacuum which would indicate a lining failure. If this occurs, an audible and visual alarm alerts the operator to a problem whilst keeping the tank’s contents contained.

Due to the double skin liner being installed to a height of 12.5 metres around the tank walls and 14.8 metre diameter floor area the vacuum pressure monitoring has been split into six separate zones each with its own vacuum pressure instrument gauge.

Fuelvac® double skin liner, which is a patented process, is a proven system which can operate successfully with a range of vacuum monitoring equipment.

Monitoring equipment can be linked to Clients on site Control Room Alarm System and can notify any number of identified persons or departmental locations anywhere in the World.