Storage tank

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Storage tanks are containers that hold liquids or compressed gases. The term can be used for reservoirs (artificial lakes and ponds), and for manufactured containers. The usage of the word "tank" for reservoirs is uncommon in American English but is moderately common in British English. In other countries, the term tends to refer only to artificial containers. In the U.S., storage tanks operate under no (or very little) pressure, distinguishing them from pressure vessels.

Tanks can be used to hold materials as diverse as milk, water, waste, petroleum, chemicals, and other hazardous materials, all while meeting industry standards and regulations.^[1] Storage tanks are available in many shapes: vertical and horizontal cylindrical; open top and closed top; flat bottom, cone bottom, slope bottom and dish bottom. Large tanks tend to be vertical cylindrical, with flat bottoms, and a fixed frangible or floating roof, or to have rounded corners transition from the vertical side wall to bottom profile, in order to withstand hydraulic hydrostatic pressure. Tanks built below ground level are sometimes used and referred to as underground storage tanks (USTs).

Reservoirs can be covered, in which case they may be called covered or underground storage tanks or reservoirs. Covered water tanks are common in urban areas.

Tanks can be mounted on a lorry or an articulated lorry trailer. The resulting vehicle is called a road tanker (or simply tanker; tank truck in American English). Tank cars are tanks mounted on goods wagons for rail transportation.