Evaporation = 5 ft per acre!

Evaporation = 5 ft per acre!

Steel Storage Tank on farm with no evaporation
 

As most people have discovered, water loss through evaporation can be significant when water is stored over a period of time. As water has become very scarce, farmers and water districts are striving to store and conserve as much water as possible. An open air reservoir with 10,000 sq. ft. of surface area can lose as much as 175 gallons of water per hour!

A bolted steel tank or a welded steel tank from Superior Tank Co., Inc. (STCI) allows customers to store irrigation water for longer periods with very minimal water loss due to evaporation. The rate of evaporation is based on water surface area, wind speed across the water surface and humidity in the air and our steel tanks reduce or eliminate these factors. Reducing the tank diameter and increasing the tank height can significantly decrease the water surface area and evaporation rate. STCI offers a variety of steel tanks ranging from wider and shorter reservoirs to taller and narrower standpipe tanks. In addition, as both welded tanks and bolted steel tanks are commonly closed top, the amount of air movement at the water surface is very minimal, even on windy days. The only opening at the top is a roof vent to prevent negative or positive pressure buildup draining or filling the tank. The final factor which impacts the evaporation rate is the humidity level of the air. If the air is dry and can absorb additional water, than the evaporation rate will be higher. Conversely, if the air is very humid and saturated with water, the evaporation rate will be considerably less. Steel tanks are designed to minimize the amount of humid air escaping from the tank and therefore the air inside the tank is near the saturation point. This is the reason why entering a water tank on a warm day can feel similar to being inside a sauna!

All STCI steel tanks are designed for extremely high levels of humidity and the entire interior of our tanks are coated to protect the steel from corrosion. All structural components of bolted steel tanks are factory powder coated at the STCI manufacturing facility to prevent moisture from reaching the steel. Bolted steel tanks are also available with a corrosion resistant, hot dipped galvanized finish. Our welded steel storage tanks are coated in the field after installation using a liquid coating to seal the steel.

In addition to water loss due to evaporation, our bolted steel tanks and welded steel tanks reduce water theft as security devices can be optionally installed. Water sample boxes and roof hatches can be locked to restrict access to the water. In addition, roof access can be eliminated by installing ladder cages with lockable anti-climb devices.

In addition to water storage, STCI bolted steel tanks and welded steel tanks are well suited for storage of liquid fertilizers and dry bulk materials.

For existing bolted and welded steel tanks needing repairs or service, we can supply and install a variety of parts and accessories.

 

Archives