![]() ![]() This provides a controlled and consistent ratio of resin and glass as well as consistent wall thicknesses in each sump that comes out of the mold.Īs expected, the hand/wet layup and chopper gun layup construction methods are the least expensive, but – in line with the you get what you pay for mantra – they are of the lowest quality. Vacuum-Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (RTM): This is a carefully controlled manufacturing process in which a male and female sump mold are mated together sandwiching a glass mat and a vacuum is used to form an airtight seal between the two molds as the resin is pulled by vacuum into the space between the two molds. Hand Layup: Also known as wet layup, with this method the resin and glass are essentially hand-painted onto a single-sided mold with a roller before a thin layer of gel coat is applied to seal any holes in the fiberglass.Ĭhopper Gun Layup: This method is similar to hand layup, except that a spray gun is used to apply the mixture of resin and glass to a single-sided mold and then gel coat is typically applied to the finished product.įilament Wound: A mold is placed on a steel mandrel that slowly rotates as a fine string of glass/resin filament is sprayed on the mold to create the sump. There are two main materials (polyester resin and glass) and four common FRP-manufacturing methods that are used to produce fiberglass sumps. In other words, you get what you pay for when purchasing fiberglass sumps! Retailers must also avoid falling into the mindset of thinking that since the sump will be buried underground and rarely seen, that it doesn’t matter what they look like when they roll off the assembly line. While the creation of fiberglass sumps has been an improvement for the retail-fueling industry, fuel-site operators must take care to realize that not all fiberglass sump manufacturing methods are equal. Additional advantages of FRP sumps are that they are corrosion resistant have higher structural strength, which allows them to better withstand underground loading, ground movement and hydrostatic pressure are watertight when properly molded and installed can be molded into many unique shapes and sizes can be easily bonded together can be repaired quickly in the field and can last for 30 years or more. The most basic benefit is that fiberglass is compatible with most fuel formulations and additives, including alternative fuels made with ethanol (E15, E85, etc.) and biodiesel (B20, B100, etc.). For years, these critical secondary-containment devices had been constructed of polyethylene (PE), but FRP has many advantages over PE. ![]() A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT in increasing the integrity of retail-fueling below ground operations and the safety of drivers, site personnel and the environment came when the manufacturers of underground tank and dispenser sumps began to build their products from fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) or more simply, fiberglass. ![]()
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