Secondary containment units range in sump capacity from 11 gallons and up. Custom secondary containment units are common if you need a higher sump capacity.
If you’re considering a custom containment system, the sump capacity of the system is a Very Important Number. (Alert: More math ahead.) First, you have to figure out the number of gallons you wish to contain, including the volume displaced by vehicles, containers or other items. Use the following formula to determine the amount of liquid your system will contain:
Length (L’) x Width (W’) x Height (H’) x 7.48 = Sump Capacity (Gallons)
So now you know how much sump capacity you need. Next, you need to figure out how big a system you need — that is, the dimensions. Of course we have an example for you! Let’s say you are purchasing a PIG Custom Collapse-A-Tainer Containment System and you need 100% containment for a 520-gallon tank that has dimensions of 5.5’L x 3.5’W. Using the formula above, you can easily figure out the dimensions your Collapse-A-Tainer has to be in order to have enough sump capacity. Two things to remember: 1) 2′ is the highest side for a Collapse-A-Tainer, and 2) you need to leave extra room around the container you are surrounding. Still with us? For our example, you’d have to solve for L and W:
L x W x 2’H x 7.48 = 520 gallons
L x W x 14.96 = 520 gallons
L x W = 520/14.96 = 34.76
So any combination of L x W >= 34.76, where L > 5.5 and W > 3.5 will work. Let’s use L=7′ and W=5′.
7’L x 5’W x 2’H x 7.48 = 523.6 gallons
Now that you know how much secondary containment you need for your primary containers, see the PIG Spill Containment Pallets and Decks and PIG SpillBlockers, Berms, Dikes and Barriers to protect your facility and the environment from releases.
1 Comment
Pamela Smythsays:
11/28/2018 at 4:38 pmThank you for this extremely important and specific information. Small pool chemical businesses that are allowed to store hazardous materials outdoors and use secondary containment improperly also expose next door neighbors to routine toxic releases from unattended pallets that fill up with rain water and which hold partially empty jugs of incompatible chemicals don’t care and should be held to these regulations no matter how many hundreds of gallons of pounds they store in extreme weather conditions year round.
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