By Tex Enoch, Induron Sales Rep
We are excited to announce the winner in our First Annual Tank of the Year Contest: Aqua Pennsylvania’s two million gallon Composite Elevated Tank (CET) in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. How this tank came to be is an interesting story.
About 2005, Aqua Pennsylvania began planning to minimize its dependence on the Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority for water supply in the North Eastern region of their Philadelphia suburban territory. Improvements were made to their Neshaminy Water Treatment plant; their tanks in Bristol were repainted and additional storage was created by building a two million ground storage tank in Croydon. It was also decided to build a 2 MM Composite Elevated Tank in Bensalem. Property for this tank was secured at the intersection of the PA Turnpike and Route 1 in Bensalem.
Plans were developed by Pennoni Associates of Philadelphia (Chris Walker was their project manager) under the direction of Aqua PA’s project engineer, Brennen Kelly. Bids for the tank were solicited in 2011 from CBI, Caldwell Tanks and Landmark. Caldwell Tanks was the successful bidder, and fabrication began in late 2011. Caldwell utilized its fabrication facilities both in Newnan, GA and Louisville, KY to fabricate this tank. Fabrication included the shop cleaning and priming of all fabricated pieces.
In the previous five years, Aqua Pennsylvania has utilized Induron’s Permaclean 100, our 100% solids ceramic epoxy tank liner, to protect the interior of 11 new and rehabilitated tanks. All of these tanks were completed on schedule and to the complete satisfaction of Aqua Pennsylvania. Each was put back into service after rigorous water quality testing.
Because of the location and exposure of the Bensalem tank, we recommended that the exterior finish coat should be our Perma-Gloss high gloss flourourethane, a coating engineered to provide decades of gloss and color retention. These recommendations were incorporated in the specifications for the tank and were successfully applied by Caldwell’s painting crew.
The construction process for CETs is unique. Once the foundation is poured and the concrete pedestal is constructed, all but the floor and the roof of the steel storage tank is then constructed around the pedestal. Once that is completed, the exterior coating system is applied. Ideally, this would include the application of the logo, which would read “Bensalem Salutes America.” In this case however, due to inclement weather delays, the logo was not able to be applied until after the tank was lifted up on the pedestal. While it took a little longer to wrap up, the finished product is unique and impressive, and we’re proud to feature this as our first ever Tank of the Year. .
For those interested, here are the nitty gritty details of the project:
Interior:
Shop
Surface Preparation:
- All interior surfaces shall be blast cleaned according to SSPC SP#10 Near White. Blast Cleaning Specifications. This will result in a minimum surface profile of 2.5 mils.
Painting:
- All interior surfaces shall receive a prime coat of Induron’s PE70 applied to a Dry Film Thickness of 3.0 – 5.0 mils.
Field
Surface Preparation:
- All field weld seams and abraded areas shell be spot blast cleaned according to SSPC SP 10 Near White Blast Cleaning Specifications. This will result in a minimum surface profile of 2.5 mils.
Painting
- Spot Prime Coat: All spot blast cleaned areas shall receive a spot prime coat of Induron’s PE70 Epoxy Tank Liner applied to a minimum DFT of 3.0 – 5.0 mils.
- Finish Coat: All interior areas shall receive a finish coat of Induron’s Permaclean 100 Ceramic Epoxy Tank Liner applied to a DFT between 18 and 25 mils.
Exterior:
Shop
Surface Preparation:
- All exterior surfaces shall be blast cleaned according to SSPC SP#6 Commercial Blast Cleaning Specifications. This will result in a minimum surface profile of 2.5 mils.
Painting
- All exterior surfaces shall receive a prime coat of Induron’s PE70 applied to a Dry Film Thickness of 3.0 – 5.0 mils.
Field
Surface Preparation:
- All field weld seams and abraded areas shell be spot blast cleaned according to SSPC SP 10 Near White Blast Cleaning Specifications. This will result in a minimum surface profile of 2.5 mils.
Painting
- Spot Prime Coat: All spot blast cleaned areas shall receive a spot prime coat of Induron’s PE70 Epoxy Tank Liner applied to a minimum DFT of 3.0 – 5.0 mils.
- Intermediate: All exterior surfaces shall receive a complete coat of Induron’s Induraguard Epoxy (color to contrast with finish colors selected) applied to a DFT between 3.0 and 5.0 mils.
- Finish Coat: All exterior surfaces shall receive a complete coat of Induron’s Permagloss Flourourethane applied to a DFT between 2.0 and 4.0 mils.
- Logo: Logo colors shall be brush applied using Induron’s Permagloss Flourourethane.
Founded in 1947, Induron manufactures high performance coatings that serve a range of industrial applications, including the wastewater, transmission and distribution and groundwater storage industries. Learn more about us at www.Induron.com.