Three-layer Stainless Steel Storage Tanks

PRODUCT OVERVIEW

L&B manufactures three-layer stainless steel storage tanks for food, beverage, dairy, pharmaceutical, personal care and fine chemical production.

The three-layer construction combines a product-contact inner shell, a heating or cooling jacket, and an insulated outer shell with stainless steel cladding. That gives a storage tank two properties a single-wall tank does not have: the product can be held at a stable temperature, and the outer surface of the tank stays cooler, so heat loss and burn risk on the production floor are reduced.

Every tank is engineered to the customer's own drawings and process data rather than assembled from a fixed catalogue. Working volume, tank geometry, jacket type, insulation, head style, outlet position, surface finish and nozzle layout are all defined together with the buyer during the enquiry stage. Our technical director, who has more than 20 years in sanitary process equipment, works directly with customer engineers from specification through to delivery, so that the tank fits the line it is going into - rather than the line having to fit the tank.

All product-contact surfaces are manufactured in SS304 or SS316L stainless steel. Tanks are built to ISO, 3A, SMS and DIN practice. CE and ISO certification is available, and certificate details are provided on request.

STRUCTURE AND CONSTRUCTION

The tank is built in three layers.

  LAYER 1 - INNER SHELL (product contact)
  The surface that touches the product. Manufactured in SS304 or SS316L.

  LAYER 2 - JACKET (heating or cooling)
  A jacket around the inner shell carries the heating or cooling medium that  raises, holds or lowers the product temperature. Three jacket constructions   are available: conventional (hollow) jacket, half-pipe coil jacket, and dimple   (honeycomb) jacket. The jacket is specified from the process requirement - the   temperature the product has to reach and the time allowed to reach it.

  LAYER 3 - INSULATION AND CLADDING
  Insulation reduces heat loss from the jacket, holds the stored product at   temperature and lowers the outer surface temperature of the tank. The  insulation is filled with EPE foam, rock wool or poured polyurethane foam, and   is enclosed by a stainless steel outer shell.

TANK BODY AND FITTINGS

Tank bodies are vertical as standard; horizontal orientation is also available. Top and bottom heads are conical, with elliptical and dished heads available as alternatives. The top is closed by a quick-opening clamped lid, or by a hygienic manway where regular internal access is required. The bottom is conical or flat with a centrally located outlet. Tanks can be supplied mobile on braked castors, or fixed on adjustable tripod or tubular legs.

Available fittings include a dial thermometer or a digital temperature controller in a stainless steel control box, a level gauge, a sanitary butterfly or ball valve outlet, and a CIP spray ball for cleaning the tank interior.