Are flexible connections necessary for the pipelines at the base of the storage tank?
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There are many storage tanks in the tank farm, with varying capacities. But is it necessary to install flexible connections at the base of these tanks, and which standards should be followed? Or are the backup requirements determined based on the pipe diameter?
There is no such requirement. In cases where there is vibration, or the equipment experiences significant displacement (such as with weighing modules), or when there are large temperature differences between the inside and outside, consider using hose connections.
Section 5.3.10 of the Petrochemical Regulations 3007-2014 specifies that flexible connections should be used for the main inlet and outlet pipelines. How should this be understood? What other forms of flexible connections exist besides hose connections?
Similar to the gantry, install elbows
Soft connections cannot be used, especially in spherical tanks for liquefied hydrocarbons; due to the high pressures, the capacity of soft connections to withstand such pressure is limited. Therefore, whether to use soft connections in such tanks is considered an important issue that needs to be addressed through risk assessment and mitigation. Currently, hard connections along with buffer elements and spring supports are used instead.
According to Article 6.2.25 of the \"Code for Fire Protection Design of Petrochemical Enterprises (2018 Edition)\" (GB 50160-2008), the inlet and outlet pipes of storage tanks should be equipped with flexible connections
There are no regulatory requirements; the main issue is potential uneven settlement of the foundation, which can cause cracks in the pipes that are connected rigidly.
Even if the design institute does not specify any requirements, various expert inspections will ultimately require corrections to be made. Because I have seen such cases.
Hoses, compensators, or springs can be used to ensure that the pipeline has sufficient flexibility to absorb expansion, vibrations, or meet seismic requirements
I have indeed studied this. The standards were mentioned earlier; one detail worth noting is that supports cannot be installed in front of the flexible connection – they must be placed after it. Metal hoses can be used for the flexible connection. It is primarily to prevent changes in the liquid level inside the tank from affecting its external dimensions, with hoses being used to compensate for the deformation of the tank.