Feature Containers, tanks & vessels
aving recently moved into a new custom built facility on its Kelso site, Forbes has found increased manufacturing effi- ciencies which have enabled them to remain highly competitive. Their expansion during recessional times is paying dividends in being able to handle a number of extremely large heavy tanks and vessels. “We have risen to the challenge to ensure full production was maintained despite the demise of the chemical industries in the UK,” comments managing director Melvyn Jupp. “Over the past few years we have gradually increased our export busi- ness which accounts for 20% of our turnover in the past year.” Traditionally Forbes has maintained significant volumes of export work over the years. One of its largest orders - which included 46 large tanks all 3.5 metres diameter of various heights to allow shipment by Russian Railways - was shipped from Berwick- on -Tweed to St Petersburg and then by rail to Kazakhstan.
Global demand
The demand Forbes has created for tanks, scrubber vessels and other chemical equipment manufactured in thermoplastic, GRP (glassfibre rein- forced plastics) and dual laminate composites now spans the globe, as far as China. With handling and manufac- turing capacities in excess of 15 tonnes, diameters over 5 metres with heights up to 18 metres, the company now offers a vast range of products from a few litres in capacity to in
Large capacity tanks for chemicals H
excess of 200,000 litres. A major advantage over many other manufac- turers is the ability to manufacture in a large variety of materials including polypropylene, HDPE, GRP including vinylesters and dual GRP laminates incorporating thermoplastic inner shells of polypropylene, PVCu; PVDF and ECTFE Halar.
This ensures the correct material is selected to give long term chemical resistance with expected life spans in excess of 25 years.
Design and manufacturing detail for GRP and GRP composite thermoplas- tic tanks and vessels is to British Standard 4994-1987. For thermoplas- tic tanks the rather limited EN 12573 is often specified. Forbes prefer to design to the stringent German DVS 2205 which covers many more areas of design and increased safety factors
The 100 tonne capacity tanks for saturated solution of iron salts and sulphuric acid
As the UK chemical industries decline, Forbes Group has maintained significant volumes of exports for large, heavy tanks and vessels manufactured in thermoplastic, GRP and dual laminate composites
compared to EN12573. The company's expansion has lead to significant export orders this past 12 months. Examples include: 6 x 40m3 to Portugal for petrochemicals; 5 x 40m£ large dual laminate tanks for a French power station handling sodium hypochlorite, caustic soda and iron salt solutions. Further tanks have gone to India for ultra-high purity water; nine tanks of various sizes to Ireland for pharmaceuticals and tanks for food production to Greece.
The latest shipment leaving their Kelso works bound for Russia includes 6 x 20m3 capacity tank for chlorine production plants for water treatment. This order is part of an ongoing development for similar tanks for the Russian market over the next few years. During May 2011 an export order for two massive scrubbing ves- sels for China; 1 x 2.85 metres diame- ter x 22 metres high and 3.5 metres diameter x 14 metres high in dual lam- inate/ECTFE and vinylester fire resist- ant composites was shipped from UK. These scrubber vessels with sophisti- cated internals and PVDF packing media - all manufactured in house - are due to be installed during August.
Potential change in design standards
BS 4994-1987, the world recognised standard for the Design and construc- tion of tanks and vessels in reinforced plastics reports that the proposed Pan- European standard, EN 13121 part 3 is still not available due to it being issued and almost immediately with- drawn in 2009 due to numerous errors. The revised version is expected to be re-issued during 2012/13 providing all EU member countries agree to the changes. This EN 13121 covers GRP tanks and vessels for use above ground with design parameters for vessels up to 10 bar pressure rating to meet the EN PED (Pressure Equipment Directive (97/23/EC).
Tanks for chemical processing and storage destined for St Petersburg
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There are suggestions that BS 4994- 1987 be retained as a de-rated BS-PD document (ie for non pressure tanks) as EN 13121-3 is extremely demanding being a design code to meet pressure vessel construction to conform to PED. Forbes Group T: 01366 389625
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www.forbesgroup.co.uk AUGUST 2011 Process & Control
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