This article is overdue, as many businesses use these mobile tanks for almost anything on the planet! Unfortunately, these mobile storage tanks are NOT designed for everything on the planet. Without getting into materials of construction concerns and compatibility issues, I want to touch on my biggest concern: using these mobile tanks in some flammable or combustible liquid service.
Let’s start with one of the most common issues – the GROUNDING of the tank. These days with all the environmental requirements, these tanks are almost always set up within a temporary containment basin. These basins are made of heavy-duty flexible material, and they WILL ACT AS AN INSULATOR. Thus, the tank will NOT be grounded. We must install an actual ground rod and PROPERLY attach the tank to the ground rod. Even with this grounding being done properly, there is a little hidden hazard inside the tank… epoxy liner! Many of the newer frac tanks are built with an epoxy liner to reduce corrosion. These tanks get used for a wide variety of materials, so manufacturers started using epoxy to line the inside of the tanks. They work great for their intended purpose, but they act as an insulator and PREVENT any static charge that the flammable liquid may have built up from reaching “ground.” In basic terms, the epoxy is an INSULATOR and insulates the static charge from reaching the ground.