The bulk chemical storage has specific design requirements. The layout should be safe, easy to maintain, and cost-effective. Besides these factors, the most crucial aim of the layout should be to ensure a safe distance from public areas and to prevent any form of spillage.
Liquid effluent should not be allowed to run in proximity. This can be possible by taking extra precautions while installing pumps and control valves.
Bunds are an important form of secondary containment. They are used to store liquids that are:
- toxic
- flammable
- corrosive
- reactive
Bund Design:
There are two primary elements of effective bund design.
1.Bund capacity: It is a function of the total volume of the bund.
- The volumetric capacity of the bund at atmospheric conditions should be at least 110% of the capacity of storage containers.
- The ratio of wall height to the floor surface area may need to be adjusted to account for the hazardous nature of the stored chemicals.
- The bounded area should have sufficient lighting.
- For emergencies, there should be at least two simple exit routes.
- Vaporisation can be reduced by using materials such as insulating concrete.
2.Wall design: The bund walls are generally made from concrete. However, its porous nature leads to degradation over time. Thus, factors such as mechanical strength, vaporization rate, and resistance to thermal shock should be taken into account. The materials used both for bunded areas and for bund walls are mainly earth and concrete.
Types of bund wall and floor linings:
- Fire-resistant bund linings: They are generally employed in fibreglass flat roofs, which incorporate a flame retardant ingredient to ensure this. It helps to reduce the risk, contain the liquid and provide an enhanced degree of fire resistance.
- Chemically resistant bund linings: They are customised according to the chemicals being stored in the tanks. They are engineered to be highly inert to the chemicals that they are designed to house. It depends on the multiples of exposure time, the temperature of exposure and the extent of exposure.
- GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) Bund Lining: It offers a seamless ceramic-like finish and can confine the most aggressive chemicals. It is tough, resilient and easy to clean. GRP bund linings are impact resistant. They have a quick turnaround making the downtime minimal.
When the bund is correctly designed and the components are within acceptable specifications, the overall condition of the stored chemical stays optimum.
The capacity for the bund to house chemicals in a safe and compliant manner depends not only on the construction material or design but also on the way it is maintained.
However, the bunds can still be exposed to tough conditions and continued exposure to oils, chemicals and other liquids can make them crack, corrode, or leak.
Process Design and Fabrications Ltd offers full Bund lining services and bund repairs. We have a team of trained applicators who have passed and attended external confined space training courses. They have worked on many sensitive sites and adhere to the strict quality control procedures laid down by ourselves and our customers.
Our bund lining services include the selection of the most appropriate bund lining from a wide range of coating products from GRP laminates to chemical-resistant epoxy coatings.
