Bulk Tank Installation Tips

This Tip Sheet as Acrobat File

So, you want to install a dedicated AdBlue tank in your depot.  What do you need to consider?

You have a legal duty to consider the environmental risk of polluting water by AdBlue leaking from a storage vessel or by run-off or by discharged applied directly to surface water.

You also need to think carefully about where to place your tanks to ensure workplace safety considering one-way systems, avoidance of vehicle reversing and product spillage leading to falls as AdBlue is slippery.   Tanker access including minimising tanker inconvenience is something to think about.

The risk of AdBlue causing pollution while it is being stored is relatively low but pollution incidents, when they happen, can be serious.

Place storage facilities as far away as possible from any watercourse, ditch or drainage system. Ask the Environment Agency if you do not know whether a site is suitable.

In any event, you should not store AdBlue within 10 metres of a watercourse or foul water drain. Storage should be at least 50 metres from a borehole

Any spilt material should be contained within a bund or environmental interceptor.

The storage tank should be designed to suit the amount of AdBlue that is going to be stored. It should be made from a material that is resistant to corrosion from AdBlue.  Stainless Steel and Prolyproylene are recommended types. Tanks should not be made from mild-steel or nickel-plated materials.

The base should be designed to support the weight of the full store. A 300mm reinforced concrete base is recommended. There should be a hard area on hand so that large delivery vehicles can get to the tank.

Glass-fibre reinforced plastic (GRP) tanks should be fixed to the base and put where the chance of damage from a vehicle hitting the tank is as low as possible. Protective barriers might need to be put at the filling and emptying points of the tank.

Pipes, valves and connections for filling and emptying stores should be made out of materials that do not corrode and should be placed to avoid damage. Lock any valves where the product could empty under gravity when they are not being used.  Anti-syphon valves should be used where possible.

Keep the storage tank and any connected pipes and valves in good condition. Inspect them each year for any signs of leaking or corrosion.

AdBlue should not normally be allowed to cool below -11 degrees Celsius so an insulated tank is required in exposed locations.

Good handling procedures will minimise the risk of spilling AdBlue either when you are filling tanks from road tankers or filling the vehicle.  Dry-break couplings should be used that do not release product when the delivery hose is disconnected.

Do not overfill tanks. Leave space for the contents to expand. Tanks that are not self-bunded should be surrounded by walls and a base that liquid cannot pass through, i.e. is impermeable.  For example, with a single tank the bund should be big enough to hold the tanks contents plus an additional 10%.   If a flexible pipe is used for filling vehicles this pipe must be fitted with a tap or valve which closes automatically, at its far end.

Place the tank away from any foul or surface water drains, and where the delivery driver can see the filling gauge. The tank should be protected from being hit by vehicles.

You should be able to lock any drain cock closed. There should be room for a container (for example a bucket) underneath it. The tank should have an anti-siphon device fitted to the filling pipe if its inlet is lower than the highest AdBlue level in the tank.

Outlet valves should be marked to show when they are open and closed.

There should be a way to measure the AdBlue level in the tank. If there is a sight tube, it should be protected from damage, positioned within the bund, and not be made of glass.

Any sight glass, contents gauge or dipstick should be fitted with a valve so that the contents of the tank do not leak-out if damaged.

disclaimer

This tip-sheet has been prepared by reference to the DEFRA code of practice for the safeguarding of water courses & HSE guidance on traffic movements in haulage yards.  It is not a definitive statement of the law but is aimed at assisting the vehicle operator identify the key issues associated with AdBlue tank installation.