ASME Hydropneumatic Tanks
Hydropneumatic tanks have been a big part of our work for a long time here
at Ramco. We design and build hydro tanks of all sizes for municipal and
rural drinking water systems, to ASME Section VIII Division 1 and
NSF requirements for potable water, in
our "U" stamp shop in Colfax, North Carolina, just west of Greensboro.
Each tank leaves here designed, fabricated, sandblasted, painted, and
tested, registered with the National Board, and we can help arrange
shipping to get it to your site safely and promptly!
What a Hydropneumatic Tank Does
A hydropneumatic tank holds water and a cushion of compressed air in the
same vessel. When the pumps run, the water compresses the air; when a tap
opens somewhere on the system, the air pushes the water back out. That
cushion keeps the system pressure steady and keeps the pumps from
starting and stopping every few seconds, which is what wears them out.
Because the tank holds pressure, it is an ASME Code pressure vessel, and
because it holds drinking water, it has to meet NSF requirements as well.
We build to both. Tell us the volume and working pressure your system
needs, and whether you want it vertical or horizontal, and we will design
the tank around it, with the nozzles, sight glass, and manway placed
where your operators need them.
Built to ASME and NSF
Ramco holds the ASME "U" stamp for
designing and building
Section VIII Division 1 pressure vessels,
and every
hydro tank we build is registered with the
National Board and ships with
its data report. The long seams and round seams on the shell are welded by
submerged arc for a deep, consistent,
full-penetration weld, and the shell itself is rolled on our own
plate rolls. For drinking water service, the
materials and coatings that touch the water meet NSF requirements, so your
system stays in compliance.
Replacing an Existing Tank
A lot of the hydro tanks we build are replacements for tanks that have
rusted through or been outgrown by the system they serve. If that is your
situation, send us the nameplate data and a few photos of the old tank and
its connections, and we can usually match it so the new tank drops into
the same spot with the same piping. If the system has grown, tell us the
new demand and we will size the tank for it instead.
The Complete Package
We offer the whole job under one roof: design and code calculations,
fabrication, sandblasting, interior and exterior painting, testing, and
National Board registration. When the tank is finished we help arrange the
freight so it arrives at your pump house safely and on time. If you would
rather we only handle the design and calculations, we offer that on its
own too.
Who We Build Them For
Our hydro tanks go to municipal water systems, rural water districts, and
well systems, usually through the engineers and contractors who design and
build for them. Most of those contractors are here in North Carolina, from
the Piedmont Triad to the mountains and the coast, and in Virginia, but
the tanks themselves end up at facilities all over the country.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a hydropneumatic tank an ASME pressure vessel?
Yes. The tank holds compressed air along with the water, so it is built,
stamped, and registered as an ASME Section VIII Division 1 pressure
vessel. Ramco holds the "U" stamp to do exactly that.
Do you build vertical and horizontal hydro tanks?
Yes! We build both. Horizontal tanks on saddles are the most common in
pump houses, and vertical tanks save floor space when the ceiling allows
it.
Can you repair the hydro tank we already have?
Often, yes. Our National Board "R" stamp allows us to
repair or alter an existing
pressure vessel. Send us photos and the nameplate data and we will tell
you whether a repair makes sense or a new tank is the better buy.
Do you supply the tank only or the whole package?
Either one. Most customers take the complete package of design,
fabrication, blasting, painting, testing, and registration, but we are
glad to quote the tank alone or the design and calculations alone.
