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ABOVEGROUND TANK SAFETY ISSUES
 It's important to review just how
the SuperSafe Tank system prevents fuel from escaping the primary tank. Oddly, regulations don't seem to address
the root cause of the real problem. When all normal controls have failed, i.e. operator is sleeping at the switch,
failed cheep battery powered detectors, etc. our standard system includes a 'fail-safe' internal hydraulic high-level
valve designed to stop the incoming fuel at a predetermined level (100 percent) at pressures four times the pumping
working pressure. The SuperSafe Hydraulic Valve is an example of uncompromised standards.
The responsibility of the 'authority
having the jurisdiction' is recognizing the potential risk in advance of the event. Statistically speaking, environmental
impact is by far the greatest of known risks with fire and explosion one of the least. When these risks are examined,
it's clear (though often ignored) that the overfilled tank is the major reason that events occur at all. This is
the area that deserves but rarely receives attention.
The projected AGT population is expected
to reach 550,000 regulated new generation tanks by the year 2010. The past 49 years have seen several aboveground
tank explosions resulting in the loss of life (non-military activity). Of these recorded events, six of the seven
are known to have had inadequate or no emergency pressure relief venting. Based on the statistical history, fires
will affect approximately 12 AGTs per year. If properly vented tanks rather than improperly vented tanks are factored
into the equation, the risks drop to an astonishingly low .002% probability. That figure could in fact drop to
zero if the reason behind one of the historic seven tank explosions were known (it was located in a collapsing,
burning building).
Tank companies, fire officials, and
environmentalists are all concerned about the risks associated with aboveground fuel storage. At SuperSafe, we
feel that tank design and regulatory efforts should be directed toward prevention of accidental fuel releases to
prevent catastrophic events.
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