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Test Date: / /
Company: A. Refinery
Location: Somewhere
By: A.Engineer
Reviewed by:
Approved by:
CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2 TEST PROCEDURES
3 LIMITATIONS
4 RESULTS
5 FIGURES
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. Maintenance Recommendation
Comments:
This report describes work carried out on site and concerns the monitoring of storage tank(s) to evaluate the
condition of the tank floor(s) as described by in PAL TANKPAC tank floor test method statement (Doc. 518).
A Physical Acoustics TB-2000 testing system was used. Independent published verification of the TANKPAC
test procedure by the oil industry, based on 600 tests carried out prior to June 1996, may be found at:
www.ndt.net/article/ecndt98/chemical/095/095.htm
The purpose of the test is to establish tank floor condition in order to help make decisions on tank maintenance
timing and priority, the method forms part of an RBI program.
2. TEST PROCEDURES
Following tank isolation and settling, sensors are mounted around the tank circumference, tested in situ, and the
tank monitored for a test period of one hour or more following Physical Acoustics TANKPAC test Procedures
for Tank Floor testing, current issue (Doc.501).
Following data collection and removal of extraneous noise sources, four types of analysis are carried out:
All activity from the tank recorded above the system threshold, is graded A-E (least to most)
according to PAL experience and corrected for tank type, size, test threshold and product.
All activity located on the tank floor, including corrosion, leakage, over-stress, etc. is shown on the
“All Data” tank plot, based on a first-hit location analysis of signal hitting three sensors.
Further evaluation of any highly active sources, for example to improve location accuracy, or to
evaluate source activity and characteristics.
All tests are carried out to standard Physical Acoustics Ltd. procedures, the field worksheets (Doc.502) are kept
as a quality control record together with the digital test data, with an overall quality plan (Doc.503) for the
individual tank, according to PAL ISO 9001:2000 procedures. Engineers are trained and certified specifically in
TANKPAC procedures, (training, experience, written, and practical examinations). Engineers are also certified
level II-AE per ASNT-TC-1A.
Data and test results for the tank are detailed in the figures and appendix with the location plots.
3. LIMITATIONS
The method is experience-based and is able to determine overall floor condition, i.e. good, intermediate or poor,
from the active corrosion, in order to determine if further (internal) inspection and repairs are required; it is
therefore a very cost-effective maintenance-planning tool. It does not give information on remaining thickness,
although it is able to separate badly corroded tanks from non-corroded tanks. Sources of emissions that are
located may represent between 3% and 30% of the data (OAL/PLL %), so this location information must be
used with care.
The method is not suitable for assessing the internal condition of tanks where corrosion scale is periodically
removed, mechanically or chemically, as this “resets” the condition, or whose contents change short-term,
hence changing internal corrosion conditions. Corrosion that does not result in any scale formation, for example
certain types of MIC, may not be detected.
Small leaks can be located; these do not have a significant effect on the test result and overall grading of the
tank. It must be noted, however, that an actively corroding floor will mask the emissions from small leaks.
Large leaks can also be located but are likely to mask other activity from the floor.
Doc. No. 520 ISO 9001:2000 Document Date : 01/11/05
Issue No. 5 Attachment 1 – Sample Report Copy No.
© Physical Acoustics Ltd. 520 Attachment1.doc
4. RESULTS
4.1 Details of the standard test and analysis graphics are shown in the figures, a summary of
the test results is given below:
4.3 Noise sources identified and removed from the data prior to analysis:
Wind noise and noise from operators walking around tank.
4.5 Evaluation of overall data and located sources: TANK I.D.: T-1234
Tank T-1234 Located Data (23%) Overall Grade C Composite Grade III
Doc. No. 520 ISO 9001:2000 Document Date : 01/11/05
Issue No. 5 Attachment 1 – Sample Report Copy No.
© Physical Acoustics Ltd. 520 Attachment1.doc
Tank T-1234 Located ‘Potential Leak’ Data (28%) ‘Potential Leak’ Grade 3
Doc. No. 520 ISO 9001:2000 Document Date : 01/11/05
Issue No. 5 Attachment 1 – Sample Report Copy No.
© Physical Acoustics Ltd. 520 Attachment1.doc
Special Notes and Because uncertainty about sludge level sensors placed at 1.5 m above the knuckle.
Concerns:
Noise/Filter Detail: Wind noise and noise from operators walking around tank.
Hits (TPG) >x dB: 37734>35 dB Filt/JCL Hits >x dB: 1135>35 dB
Overall Grade: C Grade Compensation: 0
Recommendations: Composite Grade III
AE Source Detail : Concentrated sources in the central region of the tank floor, see Overall tank plot.
(All Data >40 Events)
“Potential Leak Data/Sources" :- This (PLD or JCL) is data characteristic of severe localised
corrosion damage, graded 1 ("A") (minor) to 5 ("E") (highly active). Not actual leakage, but a future
"potential leak” location.
“Leak Data” :- If we are fairly sure the tank is actually leaking we will make a statement, “probable
leak” to this effect, and if the source is located, give the location.
ASL :- This is the Average continuous Signal Level, in the case of very severe leaks being present
this will increase (e.g. 1cm hole in Naptha tank ≈ 60dB), typically ASL is in the range of 18 – 20dB.
OAL :- Overall % of data located on the floor. This is a location “quality check”, the range is usually
between 5 – 30%, meaning that this percentage of emissions detected actually reached three sensors
and could be located. For A/B grade tanks it is normal for this to be low as the signals are weak from
minor or no corrosion activity. If the % is very low but the Overall tank grade is high this indicates the
presence of dense sludge or the possibility of corrosion from the wall instead of the floor.
PLL :- The % of “Potential Leak” data located on the floor. This is the same as OAL but applied to the
“Potential Leak” data.
Overall TANKPAC Grade :- This relates to the overall corrosion damage detected during the test.
A – Very Minor/No Damage
B – Minor Damage
C – Intermediate Damage
D – Active Damage
E – Highly Active Damage
Composite Grade :- This combines the Overall TANKPAC corrosion damage grade with the
“Potential Leak” or severe localised damage grade, to produce a final grade with an associated
recommendation according to the risk matrix below:
Note: Should a leak be highly probable this will be stated separately, and may influence the grade.
This final Composite Grade has been developed by PAL customers from more than 10 years
experience and allows simple prioritisation of tanks for internal inspection.
Tankpac test hits >xdB :- The total amount of data (including extraneous noise sources) recorded
above the test threshold (xdB) during the test.
AE hits (TPG) >xdB :- TANKPAC Grading Hits. This shows how much data (excluding noise
sources) the tank floor has emitted above the standard test threshold for that size and type of tank.
AE filt/JCL Hits >xdB :- “Potential Leak” Hits.This shows the amount of data above the test threshold
which is representative of “Potential Leak” data or severe localised damage.
Overplating: Repairs by overplating does not stop underside corrosion of the original floor. There is a
risk that this may still be detected. When reviewing source activity this should be considered.