Who needs technical diagnostics and expert inspection of tanks? Technical diagnostics of tanks must be conducted by all enterprises, institutions, and organizations of all forms of ownership that use and operate tanks for storing petroleum products
The procedure for conducting technical diagnostics and expert inspection of a tank involves:
- Conducting an audit of operational and technical documentation for the tank;
- Inspection of the condition of the tank structure (NON-destructive control);
- Visual and optical control of welded metal joints of the tank;
- Measuring control of the thickness of the tank’s metal structures;
- Measuring control of the geometric shape and position of tank elements;
- Control of welded joints of metal structures by physical methods (tightness control, ultrasonic or radio-radiographic control, capillary control);
- Visual and measuring control of the condition of the base, foundation, and pavement. When conducting a complete technical inspection, the tank should not be operated, should be empty, degassed, and cleaned. For partial inspection, taking the tank out of operation and preparing it for inspection are not required.
What is non-destructive testing and technical diagnostics of tanks? Non-destructive testing, technical diagnostics and/or expert inspection of tanks for storing oil and petroleum products is a series of expert-technical measures aimed at determining and establishing the technical condition, procedure, and terms for further operation of the tank. Technical diagnostics of tanks for storing fuels and lubricants is carried out in accordance with DSTU-N B A.3.1-10: 2008 UOT and NP AOP 0.00-8.18-04 during repair, reconstruction, or modernization of the tank. According to the specified standard, technical diagnostics (expert inspection) of tanks, depending on the necessity, is conducted in full (complete diagnostics) and/or partially (partial diagnostics); depending on the timing of the expert inspection, primary, regular, and unscheduled expert inspections are conducted.