Fuel Containment Structures Save Money On Fuel

2004 - Volume #28, Issue #2, Page #18

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There are a multitude of reasons why Mark Richter of Endicott, Washington built two fuel containment structures.
  The primary reason is that Richter has quadrupled his farming acreage over the past few years, and his old fuel system was no longer efficient.
  "As we've acquired more land spread out over more locations, I needed an updated system with more capacity," Richter explains.
  So he built two 10,000-gal. containment structures and covered them with a metal roof to shade the tanks and keep rain off them.
  "Because of my increased capacity, I can hedge on fuel prices so the system has paid for itself already in fuel costs," he says. "These containment structures are a kind of insurance in the event there is ever any leakage or a spill due to tank failure."
  Using 14-guage sheet metal, Richter built the first structure to hold an 8 by 28-ft. long tank. The structure is 11 by 30 ft. long and 4 1/2 ft. deep. The second tank measures 10 by 18 ft., so its containment structure is 14 by 25 ft. long and 4 ft. deep.
  Richter used 3-in. sq. tubing for the top ring and base of the containment structures, some 3-in. angle iron for uprights and then sheets of 14 gauge steel that was 4 by 5 ft. wide by 20 ft. long. It had to be continuous welded for the containment portion.
  "I constructed both structures in my shop. After painting them, I used a crane to place them in the location I wanted. They are plumbed together so I use one pump and just have separate shutoffs to each tank," Richter explains. "The covers for them overhang by at least a foot and a half, so rain can't get in. The roofs also keep the fuel cooler and the expansion and contraction down as much as possible."
  Richter filled and leveled the area with a foot of gravel prior to setting each containment tank in place.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mark Richter, 21132 Endicott Rd., Endicott, Wash. 99125 (ph 509 397-6773; email: mrichter@colfax.com).

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Fuel Containment Structures Save Money On Fuel BUILDINGS New Techniques 28-2-18 There are a multitude of reasons why Mark Richter of Endicott, Washington built two fuel containment structures. The primary reason is that Richter has quadrupled his farming acreage over the past few years, and his old fuel system was no longer efficient. "As we've acquired more land spread out over more locations, I needed an updated system with more capacity," Richter explains. So he built two 10,000-gal. containment structures and covered them with a metal roof to shade the tanks and keep rain off them. "Because of my increased capacity, I can hedge on fuel prices so the system has paid for itself already in fuel costs," he says. "These containment structures are a kind of insurance in the event there is ever any leakage or a spill due to tank failure." Using 14-guage sheet metal, Richter built the first structure to hold an 8 by 28-ft. long tank. The structure is 11 by 30 ft. long and 4 1/2 ft. deep. The second tank measures 10 by 18 ft., so its containment structure is 14 by 25 ft. long and 4 ft. deep. Richter used 3-in. sq. tubing for the top ring and base of the containment structures, some 3-in. angle iron for uprights and then sheets of 14 gauge steel that was 4 by 5 ft. wide by 20 ft. long. It had to be continuous welded for the containment portion. "I constructed both structures in my shop. After painting them, I used a crane to place them in the location I wanted. They are plumbed together so I use one pump and just have separate shutoffs to each tank," Richter explains. "The covers for them overhang by at least a foot and a half, so rain can't get in. The roofs also keep the fuel cooler and the expansion and contraction down as much as possible." Richter filled and leveled the area with a foot of gravel prior to setting each containment tank in place. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mark Richter, 21132 Endicott Rd., Endicott, Wash. 99125 (ph 509 397-6773; email: mrichter@colfax.com).

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