Everything You Should Know Before Buying A Used Stainless Steel Tank

What do you need to know before buying a stainless-steel tank?

• Understand what size your application requires
• Understand the type of stainless steel that will work best for your application, including 304, 304L, 316/316L, and Duplex.
• Are there pressure and temperature requirements involved in your application and if so, what are they?
• Does your application require agitation?
• Are there additional features you require for your application, such as vents, input, overflow, discharge nozzles, ladders, top access manways, perimeter guardrails, and liquid level indicators?
• What application was the tank last used for?

Why do companies use stainless steel tanks?

• Stainless steel tanks are widely used across many industries for their ease of use and durability. Industrial mixing and storage tanks are containers or vessels primarily used for containing water, dairy, gas, oil, beer, wine, and other petrochemical products employed in industrial processes.

Is there more than one type of tank?

• Yes! Storage and mixing tanks can be made of alloy, aluminum, carbon steel, cryogenic, gas, glass-lined, plastic, fiberglass, rubber, or stainless steel.

Are the different types of steel used to construct a tank important?

• Yes! 304 steel tanks are the most versatile and widely used for food and beverage. 316 steel tanks are designed to be more resistant to pitting and corrosion and are, therefore, often used in chemical manufacturing. Duplex steel is used where high strength and corrosion resistance are critical and is often used in offshore oil and gas, chemical processing, pulp and paper, and marine environments.

Do stainless steel tanks come in different sizes?

• Yes! Tanks range from 1 gallon to 40,000 gallons or more.

Is there more than one type of tank?

• Yes! Most tanks are cylindrical and have a vertical or horizontal orientation. They can have fixed roofs, floating roofs, or roofless lids, and depending on their purpose, they can have a flat bottom, sloped bottom, dished bottom, or cone bottom. They may also be insulated or refrigerated and come jacketed, single-walled, double-walled, or CIP (clean in place).

Are there other essential characteristics of stainless-steel storage tanks?

• Yes! Tanks can perform various types of agitation or mixing, including sweep agitation, dual agitation, high sheer agitation, prop agitation, turbines, impellers, and emulsification.

What industries use stainless steel storage tanks?

• Industrial storage and mixing tanks are used in various industries, including Food, Dairy, Brewing, Distillery, Pharmaceutical, Chemical, Fuel, Oil, Personal Care, Agriculture, Cosmetics, Plastics, and Packaging.

Why do companies use stainless steel tanks?

• They offer durability and long life. Due to their long life, they can be re-sold if they are no longer needed. In addition to being re-sold, they can be easily recycled, and both qualities are good for the environment and operating a sustainable business.

When buying a used tank, is it important to know what it was last used for?

• Yes! A buyer of a used tank should know what the tank was last used for. This avoids any incompatibilities.

Who are some of the leading manufacturers of stainless-steel storage tanks?

• Alloy Fabricators, Bailey, Bendel, Cherry-Burrell, DCI, Feldmeier, Herpasur SA, Holloway America, Hub Tech, ICC-Northwest, IPSCO