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Internal floating roofs, also known as IFR, are structures installed inside storage tanks to float directly on the surface of the stored product.
Their main function is to reduce the vapor space between the liquid and the fixed roof of the tank, reducing evaporation losses, VOC emissions, odors, risks of flammable atmospheres and exposure of the product to the environment.
SETI provides internal floating roof solutions for API storage tanks in hydrocarbon terminals, refineries, chemical plants, fuel terminals and industrial operations, supporting technical specification, supply, installation and after-sales support.
Internal floating roofs are used in storage tanks for fuels, naphtha, gasoline, condensates, solvents, chemicals, alcohols, light hydrocarbons and other liquids that tend to generate vapors.
They can be installed on new or existing tanks, especially when the operator needs to reduce evaporative emissions, improve safety, meet environmental requirements or limit product losses.
The selection of the internal floating roof must consider the stored product, tank diameter, roof type, presence of columns, stairs, gauge poles, mixers, seismic conditions, turbulence, filling rate, chemical compatibility and applicable regulations.
There are different families of internal floating roofs depending on the design, material and flotation principle.
The usual configurations include pontoon-type internal floating roofs, full contact internal floating roofs, aluminum designs, stainless steel designs, hybrid designs or composite materials, depending on the application and project requirements.
GRP internal floating roofs, made of glass reinforced plastic, can also be evaluated, especially in applications where high chemical resistance, low maintenance and good performance with petrochemical products, alcohols, solvents or other compatible liquids are required. This type of solution can be developed as a full contact internal floating roof, reducing the vapor space above the product and contributing to emissions control. The selection of a GRP internal floating roof must consider the chemical compatibility of the product, antistatic design, regulatory requirements, ease of installation inside the tank and the specific operating conditions.
Pontoon-type internal floating roofs use floats to support the structure, while full contact designs seek to maintain greater contact with the surface of the product in order to reduce vapor spaces and improve emissions control.
The correct choice depends on the product, emissions requirements, ease of inspection, safety, mechanical robustness, expected maintenance and operating conditions of the tank.
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One of the main objectives of an internal floating roof is to reduce VOC emissions, volatile organic compounds, generated by evaporation of the stored product.
By reducing the vapor space inside the tank, the internal floating roof helps reduce product losses, odors, environmental impact and risks associated with flammable atmospheres.
Emissions performance depends on the design of the internal floating roof, type of peripheral seal, joint treatment, openings, columns, supports, gauge poles, drains and other accessories that pass through or interact with the internal floating roof.
Safety is a critical aspect in any internal floating roof. Some designs incorporate closed compartments, pontoons, honeycombs or internal cavities where vapors, product or moisture can accumulate.
When closed spaces exist, inspection can be more difficult and risks associated with trapped vapors, internal corrosion, damaged floats or loss of integrity that is not visible from the outside may arise.
For this reason, in demanding applications, it may be convenient to evaluate designs that facilitate visual inspection, reduce closed spaces and allow the condition of the internal floating roof to be checked more easily during operation or maintenance.
The peripheral seal is a key component for the performance of an internal floating roof, as it reduces the space between the edge of the internal floating roof and the inner wall of the tank.
Depending on the product, tank and emissions requirements, different seal configurations can be evaluated, such as mechanical seals, wiper seals, double seals, seals with antistatic materials or specific configurations for particular products.
The singular points of the tank must also be considered, such as columns, stairs, gauge poles, supports, nozzles, mixers, drains, guide pipes and other accessories. A correct sealing solution at these points is essential to limit emissions and improve system reliability.
Drains, openings and penetrations in the internal floating roof can become sources of emissions, water ingress, moisture accumulation or corrosion points if they are not properly designed.
For this reason, the number, location and need for these elements must be carefully evaluated during the technical specification stage.
In some designs, reducing or eliminating unnecessary emission points can improve environmental performance, simplify inspection and reduce operational risks associated with maintenance, corrosion or product contamination.
An internal floating roof must be robust enough for the real operating conditions of the tank. It must withstand operating loads, turbulence, fast filling, product movements, seismic conditions when applicable and inspection or maintenance tasks.
Ease of inspection is an important criterion. A design that allows the structure, seals, joints, supports and accessories to be visually checked reduces uncertainty and facilitates early detection of problems.
Maintenance capability, spare parts availability, access to critical components and the possibility of intervention without causing unnecessary shutdowns or complex work inside the tank must also be evaluated.
Internal floating roofs can be combined with aluminum geodesic dome roofs to improve tank performance.
The geodesic dome roof protects the tank against rain, wind, solar radiation and environmental conditions, while the internal floating roof contributes to reducing evaporative emissions and product losses.
This combination can be especially interesting in external floating roof tanks converted to protected configurations, or in tanks where the objective is to improve safety, reduce maintenance, control emissions and increase operational reliability.
An internal floating roof, or IFR, is a structure installed inside a storage tank to float on the surface of the product and reduce vapor space, emissions and evaporation losses.
It is used to reduce VOC emissions, limit product losses, decrease odors, improve operational safety and reduce the formation of flammable atmospheres inside the tank.
A pontoon-type internal floating roof uses floats to support the structure. A full contact internal floating roof seeks to maintain greater contact with the surface of the product, reducing vapor spaces and improving emissions control.
Internal floating roofs for tanks are specified considering the applicable requirements of API 650 and the particular conditions of the tank, product and operation.
They can be used in tanks containing fuels, gasoline, naphtha, condensates, solvents, alcohols, chemicals, light hydrocarbons and other liquids with relevant evaporative emissions.
Yes. The combination of an internal floating roof and an aluminum geodesic dome roof can help reduce emissions, protect the tank from weather, reduce maintenance and improve operational safety.
Yes. GRP internal floating roofs, made of glass reinforced plastic, can be evaluated in applications where high chemical resistance, low maintenance and good performance with compatible products are required.
Tank data, stored product, diameter, existing roof, columns, internal accessories, operating conditions, emissions requirements, seal type, chemical compatibility and installation or maintenance needs are required.
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