Anhydrous Tank For Storage?

[velvetfoot]

I saw this posted on CL. I have no idea how large they are. Any possibilities?
(broken link removed to http://albany.craigslist.org/grd/3578389679.html)

 

[maple1]

I am almost certain there have been posts on here before about others using ammonia tanks for storage.

 

[velvetfoot]

I read them, but there weren't a super bunch of them, and not too definitive, i thought. I read some scary stuff elsewhere on ammonia tank farm accidents.

 

[maple1]

Really? What kinds of accidents?

 

[mikefrommaine]

Looks like it would fine. Not sure about the pressure ratings. But as long as its above 60psi (2x safety factor) I would be comfortable using. Should be clean.

Transportation to your house may be an issue... Like with lp tanks transporting empty is a gray area.

 

[ewdudley]

Really? What kinds of accidents?

(broken link removed to http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/eh/hsees/PDFfiles/AmmoniaAccidentSumm.pdf)

Need to take precautions, but it is easy enough to deal with safely. I think once they're rinsed out and washed with some delightful lemon scented detergent you'd have a lot nicer tank than one stinking of ethyl mercaptan. The tank in the picture looks to be maybe 750 gallons or more, shouldn't be too hard to find out, a 'standard' nurse tank is 1000 gallon.

By regulation, working pressure is upwards of 250 psi, more than for LP tanks. I think the ends are hemispheres because of the higher pressure.

Anhydrous tanks would be my first choice if available, just because of the smell of LP tanks.

 

[taxidermist]

They are just like LP tanks. I have a friend who bought a 1000gal AA tank and changed the fill fittings and now uses it as a LP tank.

 

[velvetfoot]

They are just like LP tanks. I have a friend who bought a 1000gal AA tank and changed the fill fittings and now uses it as a LP tank.

I've read of that too.

It's kind of interesting that it's already on a trailer. Even though I might have to rent a truck with a suitable hitch, I could drive it away, keep it at the house, drive it to a welder, until it's ready to move (somehow into the basement). Not that I'm going to any of it...still....

 

[goosegunner]

I think they have baffles in them for travel. Not sure if that would matter or not for flow with a boiler. There was a post with pictures of the baffle. It looked like there was enough open space to not disrupt flow.



gg

 

[dogwood]

That's exactly what I have in the 1000 gallon size. Looks to me identical to a propane tank, except odorless and clean as a whistle inside. Ammonia is a cleanser. There are a number of ports on top plus a two incher on the bottom, and a pressure gauge as well. Came on a 16' trailer which I still have next to the garage if anyone happens to need one. Guy from the Feed and Supply place drove it here empty without issue from about an hour away.The tank has a baffle inside to keep sloshing down to a minimum. You have to make sure its drained and empty as the ammonia I was told will burn off your skin.

Look at Floydians recent installation pictures. He has a thousand gallon ammonia nurse tank pictured..

There should be a number of fittings under the roll bar on top you can't see under the snow in the Craigslist picture. Can't imagine you'd need any more welded on if its anything like ours. Link below is to a picture of ours after sanding and priming with the roll bar already removed and another with the fittings pictured. There were three or four 1.25" fittings and some smaller ones as well. Hell of a job getting it moved into place in the back of the garage, but doable. I think its rated to 325 psi. Maybe it is sturdier than a propane tank as Eliot said. It's certainly heavy enough.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/propane-tank-source-in-virginia.34797/

 

[maple1]

Ready to use fitting ports, pressure guage, clean - and comes with a trailer.

Sure sounds like win to me.

 

[velvetfoot]

Ready to use fitting ports, pressure guage, clean - and comes with a trailer.

Sure sounds like win to me.

IF I was putting in a wood boiler.
Hmmm....I wonder what the diameter on that tank is?

 

[dogwood]

You can sell the trailer later on to defray the cost. They are heavy duty. We were offered $300 for the trailer by someone who happened to see it. The tank and trailer together were $700. The purchaser ended up not coming through though. I've got to get around to selling that trailer this spring. The tank is currently enclosed in a four foot wide (inside dimension) framed opening and has a few inches space on either side for insulation. Roughly a 3-1/2 foot tank diameter I'd estimate.

Mike