Double-Wall Diesel Tank Require a Reservoir?

4/21/2023

Does a double wall diesel tank require a reservoir?

Thanks in advance.

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16 Comments

Dan Wilder

4/21/2023 08:16:31 am

Not specifically.

Some of the requirements include a dedicated fuel tank per engine, enough fuel to run for 12 hours (+5% each for expansion & sump) calculated by actual fuel consumption or 1 gallon per HP of the engine (include expansion and sump as well), and consideration of refill availability (larger, remote sites may want to increase the tank size).

Most tanks are rounded up to the next larger size just based on MFG availability/standard fuel tank sizes so there is a little built in as well.

Dan Wilder

4/21/2023 11:48:03 am

and as I read the other comments leading towards containment not additional fuel storage...ugh TGIF!

ya...see below as it's well covered.

James Phifer

4/21/2023 08:25:57 am

NFPA 20 2016 ed. 11.4.1.4.4 - Single-wall fuel tanks shall be enclosed with a wall, curb, or dike sufficient to hold the entire capacity of the tank.

There is no mention of a double wall tank needing this requirement.

Franck

4/21/2023 08:39:45 am

Normally not
Either single wall with curb/dike/... as indicated by James, or double wall with no specific requirement (the double enveloppe act as the retention capacity).
Could be advisable to have a leakage alarm in the double enveloppe (if not discovered and the double eveloppe gap is full, then it becomes a "single enveloppe" ;)

Jesse

4/21/2023 08:51:35 am

Typically a twin-hulled diesel tank does not require secondary containment

James Stever Jr link

4/21/2023 08:57:27 am

I would recommend to contact your state Environmental office for their requirements that may superceed some other code requirements from NFPA or local codes

Todd E Wyatt

4/21/2023 09:11:26 am

“Spill Control and Secondary Containment” for containers and tanks storing flammable and combustible liquids is addressed in the International Fire Code (IFC).

The IFC’s Referenced Standards (Chapter 80) includes (17) references to “tanks” including some of the following :

• API (American Petroleum Institute) : Std 2350— 4th Edition (2012) Overfill Protection for Storage Tanks in Petroleum Facilities, 3rd Edition
• UL 58—2018 Steel Underground Tanks for Flammable and Combustible Liquids
• UL 80—2007 Steel Tanks for Oil-burner Fuels and Other Combustible Liquids—with revisions through January 2014
• UL 142—2006 Steel Aboveground Tanks for Flammable and Combustible Liquids—with revisions through August 2014
• UL 2085—1997 Protected Aboveground Tanks for Flammable and Combustible Liquids—with revisions through September 2010
• UL 2245—2006 Below-grade Vaults for Flammable Liquid Storage Tanks

NFPA 30 Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code provides additional requirements for aboveground tank systems for the control of spill prevention and secondary containment.

Sunil Kumar

4/21/2023 09:33:41 am

Not Really..

Double wall is requirement is to contain the spillage/potential pool fire risk.

As long as you have adequate storage (ofc, including expansion & sump)n nothing extra is needed. I usally also provie 5-10% extra to account weekly test. Local client requirement will goversn for duration and more stringent as compare to NFPA in this reghards.

Connor

4/21/2023 10:08:03 am

This is a case where local environmental regulations will most likely govern. Most above-ground tanks containing petroleum products are subject to containment requirements, and whether or not the double wall counts as containment may depend on whether you have certain features like leak detection in the interstitial space, fill level sensing, etc.

Ivonn link

4/21/2023 10:58:08 am

If your project is with FM Global insurance , you need the double wall tank and a curb, or dike sufficient to hold the entire capacity of the tank plus one or two inches. I have seen this requirement in some specifications but is not a requirement from NFPA 20 or the local AHJ.

Panos

4/21/2023 02:01:56 pm

I once asked the FM Global guy why they require both double wall and a spill containment curbing for steel fire pump tanks.

He replied that they have recorded cases where some idiot inadvertently emptied an indoor tank inside the fire pump room while checking the secondary wall test drain!

Zack H

4/24/2023 12:29:51 pm

Thank you for this extra information. When I asked FM the same question, I got crickets in return, but I can unfortunately see that happening.

Sean Andrew Fallows

4/21/2023 01:40:29 pm

no. the second wall acts as the containment.

Andy D. link

4/26/2023 08:58:04 am

That depends upon the local codes. Double walled fuel oil tanks normally do not need any tertiary containment. The location of the tank (underground or above grade, lowest floor or upper floor of a building, etc) For diesel installations, a small day tank, installed locally, receives fuel from the main storage tanks (in NY the day tank is limited to a maximum volume of 275 gallons) .

MICHELE RIVAROLA

4/26/2023 10:57:09 am

Double walled tanks do not require additional containment but they require a drain and a leak detector

Phil Watkins

4/30/2023 03:46:31 am

Would depend on local environmental regulations which I would expect to supersede NFPA codes.

For example, in the UK the Government publishes guidance and requires a retention bund 110% capacity even when a double walled fuel storage tank is used.
They also ask for trays to catch spills from the filling point.

This is usually simple enough to do when the tank is remote from the pump set, but a bit trickier when the tank is part of the pump skid.

Hope that helps

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Double-Wall Diesel Tank Require a Reservoir?

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