HUGE CAPACITY THERMOPLASTIC-LINED FRP CHEMICAL STORAGE TANKS

摘要

Thermoplastic-Lined, Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (Dual-Laminate) tanks and vessels are typically employed in service conditions that are beyond the limits of even the high performance resins, used in FRP fabrication. Therefore, their design and manufacture requires a great deal of expertise in both the processing and fabrication of the thermoplastic liner, as well as in the design of the FRP structural laminate. A significant investment in tooling and manufacturing equipment is also necessary, to ensure that a high level of quality is achieved in the thermoplastic liner fabrication. Thermoplastic-Lined FRP equipment is generally produced under the controlled conditions of the manufacturer's plant, which limits the dimensions of the equipment to whatever can be transported to its final destination. When a project in the Far East called for twenty-eight vessels and towers, some of which were close to thirty feet in diameter, Fabricated Plastics Limited, of Maple (Toronto), Ontario Canada, was awarded the contract and faced several critical challenges in order to satisfy the requirement. This Paper outlines the manufacturing procedures employed to fabricate the Dual-Laminate Tanks and Processing Vessels, as well as detailing the challenges that were faced throughout the manufacturing and shipping of the equipment and how these were addressed.