Inspection of storage tanks at the Savannah River Site

Inspections have been performed on over 200 storage tanks since the startup of the Savannah River Site in 1955. The tanks contain a variety of fluids, including alum, fuel, oil, waste oil, sodium hydroxide, chlorine, sodium hypochlorite, and sulfuric acid. Many inspection methods have been developed over the years, starting with visual and progressing to manual, straight-beam ultrasonic thicknesses at specific tank locations and then to automated ultrasonic thickness mapping. This paper will review the current inspection methods and the uses of new inspection technology at the Savannah River Site, show where inspections can be used to find potential problems before they occur and show what problems may occur when inadequate attention is given to inspections or inspection results