Lightning and Static Protection for Salt Water Separation/Disposal Tanks and Batteries
Well Servicing Magazine Featured Articles
On occasion in our industry, certain types of tanks explode or catch fire, sometimes, but not always, during electrical storms. These tanks include SWD, produced water, frac tanks and distillate tanks. The problem occurs with steel, lined-steel and fiberglass tanks. The two possible causes of these incidents point to static discharge and/or lightning.
Lightning may be the cause of some incidents, but it is not the likely culprit in most cases. It is unlikely that lightning attachment caused burn-through or heating ignition of vapor in these tanks. Therefore, the most likely cause is static discharge. The source of static may be the result of normal operations such as filling or draining, or it may be secondary effect from a direct or nearby lightning strike. Read More...
Lightning and static protection for salt water separation/disposal tanks and batteries
Salt water separation, distillate, frac, storage and similar tanks, particularly fiberglass tanks, have a history of susceptibility to catastrophic damage from lightning and static discharges. To address these phenomena, Lightning Master has developed a tank protection system. This system addresses both problems: static and lightning strikes to the tanks.
The wild card in tank protection has always been equalizing the bound charge on the stored product. Charge dissipates from a liquid onto points and edges. Even in a steel tank, there are none to help dissipate the bound charge on the stored product. The liquid simply lies against the side if the tank, and the charge must inductively couple onto the flat surface. This takes time for the potential to relax. Lightning Master has designed an in-tank static drain consisting of a stainless steel cable with stainless steel electrodes inserted into the wind of the cable.Read More...
Structural Lightning Protection:
Typical SWD Tank Battery Layout
LM Static Drain:
Typical Saltwater Separation Tank Installation
Comparison Of Methods And Systems
Static And Lightning Protection For SWD Tanks
Lightning Master offers a complete static and lightning protection system for steel and fiberglass saltwater disposal (SWD) tanks. The system addresses dissipation of static and bound charge (potential) on the stored product, direct lightning attachment to the tank or tank battery, and bonding of all masses of inductance on the tank and battery. Alternative solutions offered do not address all three problems, and offer partial solutions of only limited effectiveness. Below is a discussion of the alternatives available, their design intent, and performance limitations, and a summary of the advantages of the Lightning Master system and philosophy.Read More...
