Fiberglass: Follow the Facts
" Fiberglass is the way to go. It allows us to go with the new biofuels and not worry."
– U.S. Fuel Marketers & Xerxes Customer
When it comes to reliable solutions for underground storage, it’s the science – not the spin – that counts.
Fiberglass has overtaken steel as the preferred tank material for underground fuel storage because of its inherent corrosion resistance. In contrast, steel tanks have an inherent weakness. Despite corrosion mitigation with linings, coatings, jackets or cathodic protection – all with drawbacks – steel is still highly vulnerable to corrosion.
With the emergence of new fuels, choosing fiberglass became good for business — and for the environment.
The corrosion resistance of fiberglass is a significant differentiator because of the inevitable presence of water in fuel systems.
|
THE FACTS
|
Fiberglass Fuel Tanks
|
Steel Fuel Tanks
|
|---|---|---|
|
#1 Materials
|
|
|
|
#2 Warranties
|
|
|
|
#3 Maintenance
|
|
|
What are the facts about price?
In the base tank price, a true double-wall fiberglass tank and a jacketed steel tank may start out comparably priced – but the steel tank cost rises with the addition of internal corrosion protection. Beyond that, steel tank owners incur ongoing costs for the maintenance required to ensure the integrity of the corrosion protection over the life of the tank.
Even more importantly is the fact that a jacketed steel tank is not actually a true double-wall tank. Unlike with a jacketed tank, owners of a Xerxes fuel tank get the secondary containment wall required by the ANSI/CAN/UL/ULC1316:2018 standard for fiberglass – “a structure that is external to the primary tank designed to create an interstice and capture and contain leakage in case of failure of the primary tank.”
Geometry
Double-wall cylindrical tank with hemispherical or elliptical end caps
Materials
Premium UL-listed and tested resins & glass compatible with corrosive liquids
3D Glass-Fabric
Creates interstitial space for monitored leak detection and bonds primary & secondary tanks for added strength
Integral Ribs
integrally constructed, circumferential, high-profile fiberglass ribs
What does the steel tank industry say about internal corrosion?
For more than 20 years, the steel tank industry has acknowledged the likelihood of internal corrosion in their tanks. In 2003, they published a statement about a planned design change, which is yet to be made.
In light of emerging research on microbial activity within tanks, STI recently has taken another step in a long history of assuring that steel tanks provide a proper storage environment for motor vehicle fuel. Beginning with tanks manufactured after June 30, 2003, certain underground storage tanks bearing the STI label will have either internal zinc anodes or an internal coating installed at the factory to alleviate any possible internal corrosion that may occur at the bottom of the tank during operations.