TIPCHECK of fuel storage tanks in Spain

Evaluation of the energy performance of storage tanks

Saint-Gobain ISOVER Spain carried out a TIPCHECK (Technical Insulation Performance Check) audit of two storage tanks located in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Canary Islands). In Canary Islands there are a lot of important independent storage terminal for fuel products. 

The TIPCHECK audit had two main objectives:

• Determine the possible energy losses of the two storage tanks, in order to improve the insulation required to maintain the internal temperature at 50°C minimum (including storage and transport by the pipes)

• Reduce energy consumption as well as CO2 emissions in a process of becoming more sustainable

Insulation keeps the process at the right temperature

As fossil fuels must be hot to handle and store (heavy fuel oil must be transported and stored at a temperature of 50ºC or more), tanks and pipes must be insulated to maintain these minimum temperatures.

That said, the fuel storage tanks have a capacity of 14,000 m3 and their dimensions are 30 meters in diameter and 19.5 meters high.

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The large dimensions of the tanks make the installation of the insulation complex: scaffolding is necessary to install the insulation on the walls of the tanks. To avoid long downtime, quick installation of insulation is a key factor.

Aging insulation causing heat loss

Following an initial visual inspection of the condition of the insulation and the temperatures recorded with a thermographic camera, it turned out that the existing polyurethane insulation had lost much of its thermal efficiency. Many areas in both tanks showed heat loss.

Efficient insulation should reduce energy losses

The ISOVER Spain team came up with an insulation solution that was both efficient and quick to install. The ultra-light and flexible glass wool product TECH ROLL 2.0 ALU2 was not only easy to handle, but also reduced the number of supports on the tank walls required for its installation. This solution offers optimal thermal efficiency with low conductivity values guaranteeing energy losses of less than 15 W/m2 on all surfaces.

Insulation offers big savings and a quick return on investment

In conclusion of this TIPCHECK audit, here are the potential annual savings offered by the new thermal insulation solution:

With an investment cost of € 272,500.00, and a payback of only 1.22 years (14.6 months), the owner of the fuel storage tanks decided to implement the insulation solution proposed by ISOVER. The upgrades were completed in early 2021 and the tanks were operational again by the second half of the year.

With Tipcheck, we showed the customer how to reduce energy consumption and save money, while keeping the internal fluid at the right temperature for longer. And in addition, the risk of corrosion at the roof tanks has been reduced.

- Jose David Rodriguez Martin - Commercial Manager ISOVER in the Canary Islands