Geosynthetic Material

Tank liners have been made possible through the development of sheet plastic materials that can withstand the corrosive chemicals and heat conditions in hydrocarbon and related chemical environments to provide strength and reliability. These sheet materials can be fabricated and welded to suit a large variety of tank designs. The tank liner systems are fabricated and installed by Nilex from one or more of the following products:

• PVC: A polyvinylchloride material that has been specifically formulated to withstand most conventional hydrocarbon environments.
• Modified PVC (Evalloy): A material backed polymer that provides excellent resistance against most hydrocarbons and less caustic chemicals.
• Urethane: A reinforced material which provides excellent resistance to refined fuels. This is the same material the US Military uses for fuel "Pillow Tanks".
• Flourothermal Plastic: A specialty material that has extreme chemical tolerance and very high heat resistance.

Interstitial Layer

Before installing a tank liner, the inside of the liner area is first covered by a loose fit geotextile/geonet material, which removes the need for sandblasting, heating, and other extensive surface preparations. The geotextile protects the tank liner from the imperfections of the tank walls such as cracks, small holes, bolts, rivets, and jagged edges, and creates a transmissive layer that becomes the interstitial space between the tank wall and the liner. The interstitial space is monitored to ensure containment.

Compression System

A compression bar system is used to seal the geosynthetic liner to the perimeter of the tank wall and protect the liner from the contained liquid. Depending on the installation type, the compression system is installed somewhere between the roof above the liquid level or near the floor in the fluid zone.

Fittings and Penetrations

The liner is sealed around tank penetrations, columns, ladders, manways, and nozzles using one of a variety of compression techniques that Nilex has developed to deal with any size or configuration.