Above ground fuel tank testing varies enormously across the industry. Some suppliers do the bare minimum, bringing tanks to market with little to no compliance testing behind them, leaving customers to deal with the consequences later. Others commit to rigorous, independent testing that gives customers confidence the tank genuinely meets the requirements it claims to, from a project standpoint and from a health, safety, and environmental standpoint.
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What is a Multi Hazard Test For Above Ground Fuel Tanks?
SwRI 95-03 is the toughest fire and impact rating an above-ground fuel tank can hold, testing tanks against repeated fire, ballistic, and vehicle-impact hazards. Here's what each of the four tests actually involves.
What SwRI 95-03 actually certifies
Fuelchief's SuperVault is tested and certified by the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, Texas, a key independent body for performance testing above ground fuel tanks. Fuelchief, and its former company Advanced Fuel Tanks, have worked with SwRI for decades.
SwRI's baseline evaluation procedure exposes tanks to high-intensity fire, hose stream testing, ballistic impact, and simulated vehicle collision, to determine whether a tank meets the requirements of:
- Uniform Fire Code (UFC) Appendix Standard A-II-F-I
- Underwriters Laboratories (UL2085)
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA30A)
- Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC/ORD-C142)
SwRI 95-03 goes a step further: it evaluates whether a tank can withstand multiple, repeated exposures to the hazards described in SwRI Procedure 95-01, rather than a single pass/fail exposure to each. (Separately, SwRI 97-04 evaluates fire-resistant tanks against the current NFPA30A edition.)
The SuperVault has been tested and certified to SwRI 95-03 by qualified SwRI technicians, who document the results of each test, with ongoing audits to confirm the certification is upheld over time. Here's what those four tests actually involve.
Hazard Test 1: High-Intensity Fire Exposure
The SuperVault is placed in a furnace at an average temperature of 2,000°F, replicating total engulfment in the luminous flame regime of a large, free-burning liquid hydrocarbon pool fire. Two full-scale fire exposure tests are conducted to evaluate the thermal resistance of the tank, its supporting structural members, and its protective material, under a rapid temperature-rise fire exposure.
The first test runs for 4 hours on a newly constructed, fully assembled tank. The second runs for 2 hours on that same tank, refurbished as needed to represent realistic field conditions, after it has already been subjected to the remaining three hazard tests described below.
Hazard Test 2: Post-Fire Hose Stream Resistance
After the fire exposure test, the tank is subjected to the cooling, erosive, and impact forces of a hose stream. This test is only required following the first (4-hour) fire exposure test, not the second.
RESISTANCE PERIOD | WATER PRESSURE AT BASE OF NOZZLE psi (kPa) | DURATION OF APPLICATION min/100ft2 (Min/9.3m2) EXPOSED AREA |
|---|---|---|
4 - 8 hours | 45 psi (310 kPa) | 5 min per 100 ft² (9.3 m²) exposed area |
2 - 4 hours | 30 psi (207 kPa) | 2.5 min per 100 ft² (9.3 m²) exposed area |
Picture: shows the test tank being exposed to hose stream.
Hazard Test 3: Projectile Penetration Test
The tank is fired on with 150-grain M-2 ball ammunition from a .30 calibre rifle, at a minimum muzzle velocity of 2,700 ft/s (823 m/s), from a distance of 100 feet (30.5 m). To be classed as bullet-resistant, the primary tank must show no penetration, and must not be damaged to the extent that leakage would occur, across five independently placed shots.
Picture: shows the tank set up for the projectile test.
Hazard Test 4: Heavy Vehicle Impact Test
Per SwRI 93-01 and SwRI 95-03, the tank must withstand the impact of a 12,000 lb (5,443 kg) battering ram simulating a vehicle collision at 10 mph, without damage that would cause a leak in the primary tank.
Picture: shows the battering ram ready to hit controlled test tank.
Specifying a tank for a project where fire and impact resistance genuinely matter? Get in touch with our team to talk through SwRI 95-03 certification and what it means for your project.
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