Avoid Dust Entering To A Tank

If its a liquid tank, one has to be concerned about any restrictions on a breather on a tank.

Does not take much for a tank to collapse.

I not short what is in the tank, sounds like the environment is not sanitary????????

If dust is critical, I have seen bladders on tanks to handle this.......

Also at what rate is the tank drained?

Hi,

There is final product in the tank, so any external element could contaminate what is inside (dust, insects). The tank is in the open air.

The tank is being drained at 5 m3/hr.

There's another GA for you.

A form factor similar to this would be appropriate...

The tank's breather allows air to enter as the tank empties to prevent collapse. It also allows air to exit when it is being filled to prevent opposite as well. It breathes in and out.

The one shown is not too good if it gets wet. Some sort of weather proof housing would be a good look.

Hi ChemistUSX,

What size and shape is the tank? What is the product? What size, and shape is the port on the tank you want to fit the ventilator to?

Best regards,

John

Hi John,

Thanks for the answer

Size of the tank: height: 5mts/ Volume: 50 m3

Shape of the tank: Cylindric

Product: Sugar Concentrated

I want to avoid the entering of dust to the venting duct. The shape and size of the venting duct is an U-figure of 3 in. diameter.

Sealing the tank and bring air to to exchange it may not be the way to go. Temperature changes in the environment may cause stress on the tank as the material expands and contracts in sealed environment.

They make filter vent caps.

There is nothing wrong with a sealed tank as long as you have a bladder to compensate.

But, if its a sugar product, it would be great if we had more information to make a more intelligent response.?????

The situation that i explained is like the next picture

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2zxpf12&s=8#.UzB_WazLe_0

So, if I understood well, adding air in the breather could result in a pressure rising in the tank? is it enough to produce collapsing?

No, what causes the tank to collapse is the vacuum created as the tank drains......

And if the tank is open air, and the type of product......... insects are going to love that sugar........

Just throwing this out there.

You may have to look at your environment as a whole......... If you have a food product. You have a lot of issues that may have to be addressed.

Do you have a Hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) program?

If not, you this is what you should be looking into......

Another installation that has not gone through a formal HazOp Study? How sad.

You need to contact a company that specializes in controlled venting of tanks. There are companies like Millipore and Micropure that would be more than happy to design a sell you products. They will design with your full requirements of drain rates and sanitation. You may also want to look to drain guards.

I would use a tank the same size as the sugar tank, but with water in it. Joined by a pipe at the top. As you fill the sugar tank, the water tank would drain. (where? Is there lots of filtered water available?) As you emptied the sugar tank, you fill the water tank. (Help push the sugar solution out. ) This would create an exchange of air without releasing or drawing any of the uncontaminated air into the environment. Another solution would be a very large "compressor tank" which would compress the air as you filled the sugar tank. Lots bigger, or you might overpressurize either of the tanks! Be very careful of using filters...a clogged filter can collapse a perfectly good tank!

Clearly filters are better...but I figure an out of the box solution might be fun.

We use Sartorius and Millipore bacterial filters on tanks containing sterile fluids for this purpose.

Install a vapor equalization line from the head-space of vessel you are emptying to the head-space of vessel(s) you are filling. The vapor being displaced in the tank(s) or drum(s) you are filling will flow back to the tank you are emptying.

This is a requirement for hazardous vapors.