Classification of Tanks

Atmospheric Tanks (API 650)

Pressure varies from atmospheric up to 2.5
psi above atmospheric.

Low Pressure Tanks (API 620)

These tanks are designed to operate from
atmospheric up to 15 psig.

Scope
Establishes minimum requirements for material,
design, fabrication, erection, and testing for Vertical,
Cylindrical, Aboveground, closed- and open-top,
welded carbon or stainless steel storage tanks in
various sizes and capacities for internal pressures
approximating atmospheric pressure

Scope
Applies only to tanks whose entire bottom is
uniformly supported.
Tanks in non-refrigerated service that have a
maximum design temperature of 93C
(200F) or less.

Status of Appendices

Design
Tank
Capacity

Special Considerations
Foundation
The adequacy of the foundation is the responsibility

of the Purchaser

Corrosion Allowance
Guidance to the Purchaser for considering corrosion
allowance
Service Conditions
The Purchaser specify any special requirements as
required by anticipated service conditions

Tank Bottoms

Tank Bottoms
Bottom Design Design to, permit complete drawoff, minimize product contact and to utilize max.
tank capacity and prevention of corrosion of bottom
plate.
Two types of tank bottom:
Cone down bottom (Bottom down)
Cone up bottom (Bottom up)

Annular Plate

Annular Plate
Annular bottom plates shall have a radial width that provides at least
600 mm (24 in.) between the inside of the shell and any lap-welded
joint in the remainder of the bottom.
Annular bottom plate projection outside the shell shall meet the
requirements of 5.4.2 (at least 50 mm)
A greater radial width of annular plate is required when calculated as
follows : 215*tb/(H*G)0.5

Materials
Material
Group
Selection

Materials

Materials

ASTM A 36 40 mm.
ASTM A 283, Grade C 25 mm.
ASTM A 285, Grade C 25 mm.
ASTM A 516 Grades 55, 60, 65, and 70 40 mm (insert plates and
flanges to a maximum thickness of 100 mm).
ASTM A 537, Class 1 and Class 2 45 mm (insert plates to a maximum
thickness of 100 mm).
ASTM A 573, Grades 58, 65, and 70 40 mm.

Shell Design
Shell Design
Shell designed on the basis that the tank is filled to level
H with a specific gravity (SG) product value furnished by
the customer.
Manufacturer must furnish a drawing that lists:
Required shell t (include CA) for both product and
hydro-test
Nominal thickness used
Material specification
Allowable stresses

Shell Design
Sd and St is selected
from the table of
permissible materials
and allowable stresses
is API Std 650

Shell Design
td = 4.9*D*(H-0.3)*G/Sd + CA
tt = 4.9*D*(H-0.3)/St
td = design shell thickness, in mm,
tt = hydrostatic test shell thickness, in mm,
D = nominal tank diameter, in m,
H = design liquid level, in m,
G = design specific gravity of the liquid to be stored
CA = corrosion allowance, in mm, as specified by the Purchaser (see 5.3.2),
Sd = allowable stress for the design condition, in MPa (see 5.6.2.1),
St = allowable stress for the hydrostatic test condition, in MPa (see 5.6.2.2)

Not allowed for shells with diameters greater than 60m (200 ft).

Shell Design
Shells with diameters greater than
60 m.
Variable Design-Point
See Appendix K
L/H 1000/6, L = (500*D*t)0.5

Elastic Analysis (Finite Element Method

Analysis)

Materials
The calculated stress for each shell course shall not be
greater than the stress permitted for the particular material
used for the course.
When the allowable stress for an upper shell course is lower
than the allowable stress of the next lower shell course,
then either a or b shall be satisfied.
a. The lower shell course thickness shall be no less than the
thickness required of the upper shell course for product
and hydro-static test loads.
b. The thickness of all shell courses shall be that determined
from an elastic analysis per 5.6.5 using final plate
thicknesses.

Shell Design
Diameter

Minimum Thickness

15m (50')

5mm (3/16 in)

15m < D 36m

50' < D < 120'
36m < D 60m
120' < D 200'
> 60m (200')

6mm (1/4 in)

8mm (5/16 in)
10mm (3/8 in)

Thermal Stress Relief

5.7.4.2 When the shell material is Group I, II, III, or IIIA, all opening connections
NPS 12 or larger in nominal diameter in a shell plate or thickened insert
plate more than 25 mm (1 in.) thick shall be prefabricated into the shell
plate or thickened insert plate, and the prefabricated assembly shall be
thermally stress-relieved within a temperature range of 600C 650C
(1100F 1200F) for 1 hour per 25 mm (1 in.) of thickness prior to
installation.
5.7.4.3 When the shell material is Group IV, IVA, V, or VI, all opening connections
requiring reinforcement in a shell plate or thickened insert plate more
than 13 mm (1/2 in.) thick shall be prefabricated into the shell plate or
thickened insert plate, and the prefabricated assembly shall be thermally
stress relieved within a temperature range of 600C 650C (1100F
1200F) for 1 hour per 25 mm (1 in.) of thickness prior to installation.

Wind Girders

Z = 1/17*D2H2 (V/190)2

Intermediate Wind Girders

H1 = 9.47*t*(t/D)3/2*(190/V)2
Wtr = W (tuniform/tactual) (5/2)

Where
H1 = vertical distance (ft) between intermediate wind
girder and top angle or top wind gir

t = as ordered thickness (in) of the top shell course

D = nominal tank diameter (ft)

If the Transformed shell height is > H1 then an

intermediate wind girder is required.

der

Shell
Openings

Roof Design
Roofs
Fixed roofs
Roofs and structure designed support load
combinations in Appendix R.
Roof Plates minimum of 5mm

Fixed Roof Design

Cone
Roof

Fixed Roof Design

Cone Roof Design

Cone Roof Design

Cone Roof Design

Truss Supported Cone Roof

Dome Roof

Umbrella Roof

Appendix R

Top Angle

Top Angle

Frangible Roof
a. For tanks 15 m (50 ft) in diameter or greater, the tank shall meet all of the following:
1. The slope of the roof at the top angle attachment does not exceed 2:12.
2. The roof support members shall not be attached to the roof plate.
3. The roof is attached to the top angle with a single continuous fillet weld on the
top side (only) that does not exceed 5 mm(3/16 in.). No underside welding of roof
to top angle (including seal welding) is permitted.
4. The roof-to-top angle compression ring is limited to details a - e in Figure F-2.
5. All members in the region of the roof-to-shell joint, including insulation rings, are
considered as contributing to the roof-to-shell joint cross-sectional area (A) and
this area is less than the limit shown below:

A = DLs/(2* *Fy*tan())

Frangible Roof
b. For self-anchored tanks with a diameter greater than or equal to 9 m (30 ft) but less
than 15 m (50 ft), the tank shall meet all of the following:
1. The tank height is 9 m (30 ft) or greater.
2. The tank shall meet the requirements of 5.10.2.6.a.2-5
3. The slope of the roof at the top angle attachment does not exceed 3/4:12.
4. Attachments (including nozzles and manholes) to the tank shall be designed to
accommodate at least 100 mm (4 in.) of vertical shell movement without rupture.
5. The bottom is butt-welded.

Wind Load

Hydro-static Testing
7.3.5 Testing of the Shell
If water is available for testing the shell, the tank shall be filled with water as
follows:
(1) to the maximum design liquid level, H;
(2) for a tank with a tight roof, to 50 mm (2 in.) above the weld connecting the
roof plate or compression bar to the top angle or shell;
(3) to a level lower than that specified in Subitem 1 or 2 when restricted by
overflows, an internal floating roof, or other freeboard by agreement
between the Purchaser and the Manufacturer,
(4) to a level of seawater producing a bottom of shell hoop stress equal to
that produced by a full-height fresh water test.
F.4.4 When the entire tank is completed, it shall be filled with water to the top
angle or the design liquid level, and the design internal air pressure shall be
applied to the enclosed space above the water level.
F.7.6 After the tank is filled with water, the shell and the anchorage shall be
visually inspected for tightness. Air pressure of 1.25 times the design
pressure shall be applied to the tank filled with water to the design liquid
height

Anchor Bolt Uplifting

Marking

Appendix A

Optional Design Basis for Small Tanks

Maximum shell thickness of 13mm (1/2)
Only applicable to lower strength materials
Design equations are simplified
Inspection requirements can be reduced
Provides a table of typical sizes,
capacities, and shell plate thicknesses

Appendix J
Shop Assembled
Storage Tanks

a. For tanks with a diameter less than or equal

to 3.2 m (10.5 ft) 4.8 mm (3/16 in.).
b. For tanks with a diameter greater than 3.2
m (10.5 ft) 6 mm (0.236 in.).

Appendix S
Stainless Steel Tanks
This appendix covers materials, design,
fabrication, erection, and testing requirements
for austenitic stainless steel storage tanks
constructed of material grades 304, 304L, 316,
316L, 317, and 317L
317L.

Appendix AL
Aluminum Tanks
Imported from ASME B96.1 Welded
Aluminum Alloy Storage Tanks
ASME B96.1 has been withdrawn

Appendix C
External Floating
Roofs

Appendix C
Type of EFR
- Single Deck Pontoon Type
- Double Deck Pontoon Type
C.3.4 PONTOON DESIGN
C.3.4.1 Floating roofs shall have sufficient buoyancy to remain afloat on liquid with a
specific gravity of the lower of the product specific gravity or 0.7 and with primary
drains inoperative for the following conditions:
a. 250 mm (10 in.) of rainfall in a 24-hour period over the full horizontal tank area
rainfall.
b. Single-deck and any two adjacent pontoon compartments punctured and flooded
in single-deck pontoon roofs and any two adjacent compartments punctured and
flooded in double-deck roofs, both roof types with no water or live load.

Appendix C
External Floating
Roofs

Appendix C
External Floating
Roofs

Appendix C
External Floating
Roofs

Appendix C
The floating roof has mechanical seal attached to its full
perimeter . The rim seal covers the space between the
floating roof and the tank shell (side wall)

Appendix H
Internal
Floating
Roofs

Appendix H
a. All internal floating roof design calculations shall be based on
the lower of the product specific gravity or 0.7.
b. All internal floating roofs shall include buoyancy required to
support at least twice its dead weight.
c. All internal floating roofs with multiple flotation compartments
shall be capable of floating without additional damage after any
two compartments are punctured and flooded.
d. To safely support at least two men walking anywhere on the
roof while it is floating without damaging the floating roof. One
applied load of 2.2 kN (500 lbf) over 0.1 m2 (1 ft2) applied
anywhere on the roof addresses two men walking.

Appendix H

Appendix H

Appendix H
Internal
Floating
Roofs

Appendix H

Appendix H

Appendix H

Appendix H
Cable
suspended
floating
roofs

Appendix G
Aluminum Domes

Appendix G
Aluminum Domes
With integral tension ring
Dome resists all forces
Supports slide radial
direction

Without tension ring

Tank resists all forces
Dome is fixed to the tank

Seismic Design

Sloshing
Any motion of the free liquid surface inside its
containers.
Depending on the type of disturbance and container
shape, the free liquid surface can experience
different types of motion; simple planar, non-planar,
rotational, irregular beating, symmetric, asymmetric.

Sloshing
Damage to the Oil Storage Tanks due to Liquid Sloshing in
the Past Earthquakes

1964 Niigata Earthquake

Nihonkai-chubu Earthqukae (1983)
2003 Tokachi-oki Earthquake

Sloshing

Sloshing
Liquid sloshing in cylindrical tank

Sloshing
Resonance between liquid (oil) and ground motion
Larger diameter longer sloshing period
Higher liquid height shorter sloshing period

D=10 m
T=3 s

D=50 m
T=8 s

D=100 m
T=13 s

Appendix E

Appendix E Hoop Stress

Appendix E - Overturning

Appendix E - Freeboard

Appendix M

Requirements for Tanks Operating at

Elevated Temperatures 260C (500F)

Appendix V
Design for external
pressure
Applicable to
pressures up to 6.9
KPa (1.0 PSI)

Appendix F
Design for Internal
Pressures
Covers from Atmospheric up
to 18 KPa (2.5 PSI)

Appendix F