Coatings for Tanks

Storage and holding tanks come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from domestic home heating oil tanks in northern climates to gigantic twenty-million gallon water tanks in the Middle East and digester tanks in wastewater treatment plants around the world. They may be below ground, on-ground or elevated. They are fabricated from various materials, with steel and concrete being the most common. Their functions are as varied as their final locations. They are often expected to last for decades; for example, today’s underground fuel storage tanks have a life expectancy in excess of a century. One thing that all steel tanks have in common is that they need to be protected, both inside and out. That has been our core competence for over thirty five years. Over the years, we have also developed class-leading coating systems for concrete tanks as well.

Coatings for tanks can be categorized into three groups: interior liners, external coatings for underground use and external coatings for above ground use.

Interior linings

Typically, these have two functions, to protect the tank from corroding or to protect the purity of the contained product. The correct choice of coating is critical when one considers the variety of materials that they are expected to hold, from jet fuel to molasses, to drinking water. In many cases, the linings must also conform to various regulations to ensure worker and public safety. Temperature and abrasive turbulence may be factors to consider.

Exterior Coatings, Below Ground

Exterior protection for underground tanks has been a crowning achievement for Madison Chemical. For 35 years, we have dominated the North American market. Over 4 billion sq ft of Madison coatings have been used to protect underground storage tanks from the harsh underground elements.

Exterior Coatings, Above Ground

Coatings for the exterior of above ground tanks experience the widest variety of environmental conditions: abrasive wind-borne particulates, UV light, moisture, temperature extremes, and pollutants, including acid rain. Physical performance is not the only criterion to be considered. Aesthetic considerations such as colour and gloss retention also come into play. Overall service conditions and customer expectations range from basic protection to long term heavy duty performance. This is where Madison’s newest innovations fill the needs for an easy to apply, time and money saving products.

The links at right summarize the products available for a wide variety of tank lining and coating requirements. For specific recommendations, refer to the Steel Storage Tank Decision Trees and the appropriate technical data sheets.