Chemical tanks are specially designed industrial liquid storage units that have the ability to store fluids and chemicals in bulk. These types of tanks are necessary for many industries including oil, manufacturing, food processing, water storage, and agriculture.
Due to the nature of some compounds, it may be necessary to insulate chemical storage tanks. Let’s explore the options for chemical tank insulation.
Why Insulate?
Insulation on chemical tanks serves multiple purposes. One major purpose is to help regulate temperature and reduce heat loss for efficient heating and cooling. Other reasons include reduction in condensation, prevention of freezing, and safety. Here are some common chemicals that should be stored in insulated storage tanks:
Flammable Liquids
Hazardous Materials
Agricultural Chemicals
Petroleum Products
Heat-sensitive Chemicals
Food Substances
Water
If temperature-sensitive liquids become too hot or cold, their integrity can break down and you’re left with a damaged or sub-quality product. Protect your chemicals by investing in insulation for your storage tanks.
Insulating Chemical Tanks
Storage tanks are available with or without insulation. Find out what the difference is below:
Pre-installed Insulation on Chemical Tanks
Many storage tanks are available with chemical tank insulation pre-installed. You can also retrofit an existing storage tank with insulation in order to protect the contents and increase thermal efficiency. Tanks that come with preinstalled insulation may use the following types of materials for thermal protection: polyurethane spray foam, mineral wool, fiberglass batts, perlite, or foam insulation.
Retrofit Insulation for Chemical Tanks
Some tanks come bare without any insulation. Maybe you have inherited tanks that you would like to use for an application that requires temperature regulation, but your tank isn’t insulated. Luckily, there are many options to retrofit your tank with insulation.
Retrofit applications can include various types of insulation and installation methods.
Retrofit Chemical Tank Insulation
There are several ways to insulate an existing storage tank:
Fiberglass Insulation
If your tank is in an enclosed space and waterproofing is not a concern, you may be able to affordably insulate your chemical storage tanks with fiberglass insulation rolls or batts. You can secure them to the storage tank with specialized bands or straps. This option is particularly useful when insulating around protrusions and tight spaces.
Spray Foam
Spray polyurethane foam, or SPF, isn’t just for insulating buildings. It can be used on chemical storage tanks and it provides a full-coverage insulation solution. Closed-cell spray foam carries one of the highest R-values (the measure of thermal performance) available. The downside of spray foam is that it requires specialized equipment and expertise to install. Spray foam material and installation can also be very costly compared to other methods.
Foam Boards
Rigid foam insulation boards are commonly used to insulate chemical storage tanks, particularly in retrofit applications. They can be installed vertically to run the full height of the tank. They can also be manufactured to match the radius of the tank’s circumference. Polyiso foam core offers the highest R-value per inch of the foam board options for chemical tank insulation.
Jacketed Vessel
Another option if you only need insulation temporarily or need to be able to remove it is jacketing. Jacketed vessels have a removable jacket around uninsulated storage tanks. This provides a solution that allows hot chemicals to cool faster by removing the jacket during the cooling process. The jackets can also be used to prevent frost in the winter in colder environments.
Benefits of Polyiso for Chemical Tank Insulation
Choosing quality insulation for your storage tank will help ensure that your contents remain stable. Polyiso is a popular choice for chemical tank insulation due to its high R-value per inch, its ability to form a continuous layer of insulation without thermal bridging, and its ease of installation. No special equipment is required for installation and the material is lightweight and modular.
Here are some products from Rmax that can help you reap the benefits of polyiso:
Rmax Thermasheath®: Rmax Thermasheath® is a foil-faced polyiso foam core board available in industrial laminate panels for large storage tanks.
Rmax TSX-8510: Rmax TSX-8510 is a foil-faced polyiso with acrylic coating on one side approved for use on pre-engineered buildings, farm buildings, and tanks.
If you can’t afford to lose your chemical inventory, then you must find an affordable way to protect it. Retrofitting an existing tank with insulation is one method that can save you big money this winter.
Insulate Your Tank with Rmax
Don’t let your chemicals go to waste. Upgrade your tank and protect your bulk supply with quality chemical tank insulation like polyiso. Rmax polyiso carries an impressive thermal performance with an R-value of R-6 per inch. Let our team help you pick the right Rmax polyiso for your tank retrofit project.
Reach out to one of our experts today for project-specific advice!