Comparison of VacuTect System with Some Other Vacuum Based Tests
VacuTect Test may be performed at any product level, including empty, if total ullage
volume does not exceed 75,708 liters whereas some other vacuum based systems
require at least a certain product level to be able to perform the test. Therefore such
systems are not as practical as VacuTect in real life cases.
Some vacuum based systems do not monitor the vacuum level throughout the duration of the test. Only at the beginning of the test and at the end of the test they check the vacuum reading. Therefore in this sense they are not very different than conventional pressure tests where the manually recorded data is collected in the beginning and in the end. In comparison, VacuTect monitors vacuum level minute by minute and it is used as one of the mechanisms to determine if the tank is tight. All the data are automatically entered into the system log minute by minute. This gives Tanknology the reliability edge that no other company can provide.
Some vacuum based systems do not monitor water level throughout the test either. Only do manual stick dips before the test and at the end of the test after the tank has been under vacuum. Thus the data provided to the client is open to human error and interference just like the case in conventional pressure testing. Whereas, VacuTect continuously monitors water ingress throughout the vacuum process using an embedded water sensor in the tip of the probe (in the bottom of the tank) with a resolution of 0.025mm. This data is automatically recorded minute by minute to the system log and digitally available to all clients for their evaluation as well.
VacuTect applies lowest negative pressure to find a leak in the specific tank. This is calculated by “VacuTect software console” for each specific tank considering: tank diameter, tank capacity, product level, product specific gravity, atmospheric pressure, pressure of fuel on probe, external water table pressure, type of tank: single walled, double walled, standard steel, thin steel, etc. This is done separately for every tank that is going to be tested. In comparison, some other vacuum based systems only look at a standard table and selects a vacuum value to apply to the tank or apply same standard vacuum to all tanks without taking into account the numerous factors named above that differs from one tank to the other. Therefore such tests potentially create a risky situation where the tank might collapse due to high pressure coming from outside the tank and the arbitrary vacuum level inside.
VacuTect criteria uses three aspects of the test to determine if a tank should not be declared tight:
1. In event of sonic emission of air or bubbles is detected. VacuTect operates in the audible range of sound waves.
2. If any water ingress is detected by water sensor throughout duration of test.
3. If vacuum automatic pressure cycles are not 100% longer than the previous one.
A tank has to pass all three criteria to be declared tight and the test results are achieved on the site right at the end of the test period. Thus the client does not need to wait for days to learn the status of their tanks. Whereas some other vacuum based systems need to analyze the ultrasonic sound waves back in an office which causes important loss of time to either run that particular tank or to fix it. Thus the pass-fail criteria is not very clear and mostly depends on the evaluation of sound waves only. Just like in pressure testing, some other vacuum based systems also cannot test fill and vent lines together with the associated tank and thus create more HSSE risks while connecting and disconnecting such lines to and from the tank, higher costs and the need to test the fill and vent lines separately, increasing the tank downtime. However in VacuTect, since the complete tank system including the fill and vent lines are tested under one single test no such risks and costs are involved.
VacuTect, under certain conditions, has the ability to test two tank systems, along with their fill and vent lines, simultaneously thus reducing the tank downtimes virtually by 50% whereas some other vacuum based systems can only test one tank at a time.
Some vacuum based systems do not monitor the vacuum level throughout the duration of the test. Only at the beginning of the test and at the end of the test they check the vacuum reading. Therefore in this sense they are not very different than conventional pressure tests where the manually recorded data is collected in the beginning and in the end. In comparison, VacuTect monitors vacuum level minute by minute and it is used as one of the mechanisms to determine if the tank is tight. All the data are automatically entered into the system log minute by minute. This gives Tanknology the reliability edge that no other company can provide.
Some vacuum based systems do not monitor water level throughout the test either. Only do manual stick dips before the test and at the end of the test after the tank has been under vacuum. Thus the data provided to the client is open to human error and interference just like the case in conventional pressure testing. Whereas, VacuTect continuously monitors water ingress throughout the vacuum process using an embedded water sensor in the tip of the probe (in the bottom of the tank) with a resolution of 0.025mm. This data is automatically recorded minute by minute to the system log and digitally available to all clients for their evaluation as well.
VacuTect applies lowest negative pressure to find a leak in the specific tank. This is calculated by “VacuTect software console” for each specific tank considering: tank diameter, tank capacity, product level, product specific gravity, atmospheric pressure, pressure of fuel on probe, external water table pressure, type of tank: single walled, double walled, standard steel, thin steel, etc. This is done separately for every tank that is going to be tested. In comparison, some other vacuum based systems only look at a standard table and selects a vacuum value to apply to the tank or apply same standard vacuum to all tanks without taking into account the numerous factors named above that differs from one tank to the other. Therefore such tests potentially create a risky situation where the tank might collapse due to high pressure coming from outside the tank and the arbitrary vacuum level inside.
VacuTect criteria uses three aspects of the test to determine if a tank should not be declared tight:
1. In event of sonic emission of air or bubbles is detected. VacuTect operates in the audible range of sound waves.
2. If any water ingress is detected by water sensor throughout duration of test.
3. If vacuum automatic pressure cycles are not 100% longer than the previous one.
A tank has to pass all three criteria to be declared tight and the test results are achieved on the site right at the end of the test period. Thus the client does not need to wait for days to learn the status of their tanks. Whereas some other vacuum based systems need to analyze the ultrasonic sound waves back in an office which causes important loss of time to either run that particular tank or to fix it. Thus the pass-fail criteria is not very clear and mostly depends on the evaluation of sound waves only. Just like in pressure testing, some other vacuum based systems also cannot test fill and vent lines together with the associated tank and thus create more HSSE risks while connecting and disconnecting such lines to and from the tank, higher costs and the need to test the fill and vent lines separately, increasing the tank downtime. However in VacuTect, since the complete tank system including the fill and vent lines are tested under one single test no such risks and costs are involved.
VacuTect, under certain conditions, has the ability to test two tank systems, along with their fill and vent lines, simultaneously thus reducing the tank downtimes virtually by 50% whereas some other vacuum based systems can only test one tank at a time.
