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The cleanliness of oil tanks affects the quality of the oil. Untreated oil tanks can suffer from pipe blockages, scaling, and corrosion, leading to low-quality oil; this may occur due to leaks caused by corrosion or contamination from crude oil. Oil storage tanks generally have a long service life; after being in use for some time, impurities present in the crude oil will deposit at the bottom and walls of the tank, reducing its effective capacity and affecting its efficiency. Prolonged use of oil tanks can lead to corrosion and leaks; neglecting to inspect these tanks can pose serious safety risks, threatening both the surrounding environment and the safety of the oil tank area. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct regular inspections and maintenance to keep oil tanks safe and clean: 1. Protecting the equipment and extending its service life: It helps to remove rust and prevent its formation, thus avoiding corrosion and damage to the equipment. In particular, through preventive treatment, the service life of the equipment can be extended; the use of corrosion inhibitors can reduce the rate of corrosion by 90%. 2. Maintain cleanliness inside the oil tank to reduce contamination of the oil: Metals and rust can cause the oil to oxidize and deteriorate. Applying an anti-rust coating to the inner wall of the oil tank can effectively prevent the metal from acting as a catalyst for the oxidation of the oil. Crude oil contains a large amount of impurities such as minerals, sludge, paraffin, and bacteria. These fine rust particles and impurities accumulate over time on the bottom and inner walls of storage tanks, where they cannot be removed; this can lead to blockages, corrosion, and leaks in the tanks. The residue at the bottom of gasoline storage tanks is mainly rust; when the tanks are emptied, the deposits at the bottom come into view. Powdered rust dissolves into the oil, and adding such oil poses a serious threat to the vehicles themselves. Regularly cleaning storage tanks and applying anti-corrosion coatings to their inner walls are effective measures to prevent metal oxidation and rusting, as well as to slow down the degradation of oil products. 3. Reduce the occurrence of accidents and improve cooling efficiency: It can kill bacteria and algae, remove sludge, keep pipes unobstructed and oil clear, while also preventing scale formation. This enhances the heat exchange efficiency of condensers and evaporators, thereby avoiding high-pressure operation and shutdowns due to overpressure. It improves the quality of the oil and ensures the safe and efficient operation of the system. 4. Moisture causes serious problems such as oxidation of gums and corrosion in oils due to contamination: Most of the moisture in oils enters during transportation, loading, and unloading, as well as during storage. Over time, the moisture dissolved in the oil will precipitate out, resulting in an acidic water layer at the bottom of the storage tanks. The moisture present in the oil can corrode mechanical components; it also causes certain additives such as detergents, dispersants, antioxidants, and anti-knock agents to decompose and precipitate, rendering them ineffective. In the presence of moisture, the oxidation rate of the oil increases, and the amount of gums formed also increases. Furthermore, the acidic water layer deposited at the bottom of the tank accelerates corrosion of the tank, leading to thinning of the tank walls or even leaks. 5. Prevent oil mixing or container contamination and deterioration: Oils of different properties should not be mixed together, as this will reduce the quality of the oils; in severe cases, it can even cause the oils to deteriorate. In particular, various mid-to-high-end lubricants contain a variety of additives with special functions; when oils containing additives from different systems are mixed together, it can affect their performance, and it may even cause the additives to precipitate and deteriorate. The inclusion of light oils in lubricating oil reduces its flash point and viscosity ； If grease from food machinery mixes with other lubricants, it can cause food contamination ； Mixing automotive gasoline into solvent oil increases toxicity. To prevent contamination of bulk oils during unloading, transfer, filling, and shipment, pipelines and oil pumps should be designated for specific uses based on the different properties of the oils. Oils with different properties must not be mixed; if mixing is necessary, the remaining oil in the pipelines should be removed by using a vacuum pump at the lowest point of the pipeline or by using filtered compressed air for cleaning. Steam can also be used for cleaning if available. After that, the pipelines should be rinsed with the oil intended for transportation for a few minutes, the excess oil should be drained, and the pipelines should be checked to confirm they are clean before being put back into use. When containers such as oil drums, tank trucks, tanks, and oil ships are modified to hold different types of oil, they should be scrubbed and dried. To ensure the quality of the oil, refilling is only possible if the same variety of oil remains in the container, and the container meets the required standards. When filling mid-to-high-grade lubricants into used oil drums, tanks, tank trucks, and oil ships, special cleaning is required – that is, cleaning with solvents or appropriate gasoline, and steam cleaning if necessary. The contents must be free of impurities, moisture, oil residue, and fibers, with no visible rust, nor any rust scales, debris, or black stains, before they can be loaded. 6. Regularly inspect the condition at the bottom of the oil storage tank and ensure safe cleaning: The longer oil is stored, the more sediment is formed as a result of oxidation, and the more severe the impact on the quality of the oil becomes. Therefore, the bottom of the tank must be inspected once a year to determine whether cleaning is necessary. The required cleaning cycle for various oil tanks is: light oil and lubricant storage tanks should be cleaned every 3 years ； The heavy diesel tank is cleaned every 2.5 years. At the same time, once the metal of the oil tank corrodes and gets punctured, a large amount of oil will leak out, resulting in economic losses and environmental damage, and even triggering fires. Therefore, the bottom of the tank must be inspected once a year to determine whether cleaning is necessary. Regarding the requirements for storing oils, the cleaning cycles for various oil tanks are as follows: crude oil tanks need to be cleaned every five to eight years; storage tanks for light oils and lubricants should be cleaned every three years; while storage tanks for heavy diesel need to be cleaned every two years. Regular cleaning and inspection of oil storage tanks not only ensure that the oil remains unpolluted, but also enable you to have a proper understanding of the tanks’ condition, thereby preventing more serious safety hazards. In short, the cleaning of oil tanks is of great importance for preventing accidents involving them.