Owners and operators of liquid storage tanks are accountable for organizing regular professional inspections. All commercial and industrial water and chemical storage tanks must undergo thorough inspections in accordance with industry standards to ensure their safety and structural integrity throughout their lifespan.
What is Hydrotesting/Hydrostatic Testing
Following the creation of a brand new storage tank, one of the final mechanical tests suggested is a hydrostatic test. A hydrostatic test can test pressure vessels such as pipelines, plumbing, gas cylinders, boilers, and fuel tanks for integrity and leaks.
The test requires filling up the vessel or pipe system with a liquid, commonly water, which may be colored to aid in visual leak spotting and pressuring the vessel to the particular test pressure.
Pressure tightness can be examined by shutting off the supply valve and detecting whether there is a pressure loss or not. The location of a leak can be visually spotted more easily if the water contains a colorant. Strength is usually tested by measuring the permanent deformation of the container.
This test procedure shall be carried out to detect the leak in shell weld joints and to observe the load stabilization of liquid in interval level height. During the hydro test, all instrumentation shall be excluded to avoid damage to the instruments.
Importance of Hydrotesting in Water Tanks
New tank construction and major adjustments to existing storage tanks have many testing preconditions that are intended to assure the integrity of the equipment. Hydrostatic testing, as the name implies, is basically testing a tank by filling it with water.
- The first and most evident reason to fill up the tank with water is to ensure no leaks. The tank is filled with water at an advised rate and then inspected after 24 hours to secure that there are no cracks, pinholes, or other inconsistencies in the welds.
- The second reason for the test is to verify the mechanical strength of the tank. Whenever there are weak spots, they will be obvious when the tank is full of water, which is much less dangerous for workers and the environment than when the tank is full of toxic chemicals.
- The final and most serious observation made during a hydrostatic test is the foundation’s strength that supports the tank. The foundation is one of the leading causes of tank damage.
The hydro test is also a stability test allowing the client and builder to survey and confirm the tank base settlement is within acceptable range using a test medium such as water, which typically has a specific gravity more significant than the cargo the tank is designed for.
How to Know if My Tank Needs Testing?
A bit about hydro-testing for paintball tanks: High-pressure air tanks used in paintball should undergo hydro-testing every three to five years, depending on the manufacturer.
The manufacturing date will be labeled on the tank, and it is your responsibility to ensure it gets re-tested when the time comes. Hydro-testing involves pressurizing the tank to a level higher than its rated capacity.
If the tank successfully passes the pressure test, it will be good for another three to five years. However, if it fails, you’ll need to purchase a new tank.
CO2 and SCBA cylinders typically require hydro-testing every five years, though some newer models may only need testing every ten years. The cost for a CO2 tank hydro-test is usually around $20.
Wrapping Up
Knowing the importance of hydro testing your water tank is as important as maintaining it. It may not occur to you, but due to the usage of your tank, it is expected that there will be normal wear and tear, which can result in leaking or bursts when pressure mounts from normal wear and tear.
If you’re looking for the best quality water tank in the US, American Tanks is the company to call! We’ve been doing tank water quality testing for over 20 years, manufacturing products using the strictest quality control practices.
We also provide industrial water tank maintenance services, concrete water tank inspection, general water tank maintenance, water tank inspection, and more! At Raven American Tanks, we are committed to inspecting and hydro-testing your water tanks to prevent future failure.
Contact us today to get a quotation for the services you need.
