A Complete Guide for Farmers: Know Your Farm Fuel Tank Options

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Farm Fuel Tank Options

Last Updated on April 9, 2024

Not every farmer grows the same crops or cultivates in the same style; they vary from person to person and place to place, depending on the situation. Accordingly, their preferences vary for fuel tank options. Keeping this in mind, fuel tanks come in a variety of options to be used in the farming and agricultural sector.

Every fuel tank comes with its significance, advantages, and disadvantages. To decide on a fuel tank, being a farmer you need to know about all your options first. Here are some insights into those options.

Above Ground Fuel Tanks on a Tripod Stand

Their storage capacity is generally 1250 liters to 2000 liters. If the fuel usage requirement of your farm is not that high, these fuel tanks are quite suitable for you. 

Pros:

  1. These cylindrical tanks dispense fuel by gravity feed and can completely do without electric pumps.
  2. Because of their smaller size, these tanks don’t fall under environmental legislation for fuel containment; therefore, there is no bunding required for them.

Cons:

  1. Drivers’ Safety:

    Because of the traditional access points, refilling tripod tanks can be risky for a driver’s health and safety.

    These access points are typically situated on the top side of these tanks, which make the drivers need three points of contact while they refill them. They stand on the ladder holding the nozzle at the same time, which doesn’t sound like a sound-practice method anymore.

Note: This problem can be solved by converting them to bottom loading. This is a tested solution by many farmers, who also at the same time installed gauges in the form of a clear tube. They made it run down the side of the tank, making it easy to keep the fuel levels in check.

 2. Tripods’ Safety:

You will regularly need to monitor structural integrity. Keep the tripods stable to keep them safe, which you can ensure by tying them down.

Nonetheless, if you are from an area with severe weather, such as heavy wind and cyclones, they can make your tripods topple or erode, making the tripod stand a vulnerable option for you.

  1. Tanks’ Security:

    These fuel tanks can be easily stolen due to their gravity feed system. Since fuel tank theft is a common case, the security issues should be considered well while buying a fuel tank. 

Note: A Lockable ball valve can be your solution here.

On-Ground Fuel Tanks

On-ground tanks are a lot like the above-ground tanks, but they can stand without structural support. However, unlike above-ground tanks, they can fall under environmental regulations, when the storage capacity is equal to or above 4000 liters.

Therefore, they are needed to be protected by some form of bunding to prevent any kind of leakage or rupture. But they can be self bunded too and you can easily find a self-bunded diesel fuel tank for sale.

On-ground tanks, self-bunded or single wall, usually come in a cylindrical, rectangular, or square form.

Pros:

1. They offer a larger capacity of storage (anywhere between 2,000 to 80,000 liters), which makes them an ideal option for a productive farm, and also eventually results in cutting down the transportation costs.

2. On-ground tanks are mostly self-bunded, which automatically saves a lot of time and money that would have been spent building a bunding structure.

3. They are fully portable. Even their largest size, which is with a capacity of 18000 liters, can be easily carried to different places while containing products in them.

4. You can clean them pretty easily through built-in man hatches.

5. These on-ground tanks are more secure and offer built-in security through the pump that dispenses the fuel works, which is quite strong.

When it is not in use, you can keep the pump switched off to stop potential thieves. A lockable hatch with a heavy padlock is a good option to secure the tank across all access points.

Cons:

1. Having a single wall on-ground tank requires a concrete bund to contain fuel spills, which demands extra work to build and maintain and also reduces the transportability of the tank.

2. It will need a pump to dispense fuel as well as the access to either 120V or 240V power source.

  1. It needs to be placed in a secured space so that no vehicles can run into it.

    Underground Petroleum Storage System
    These types of fuel tanks are preferred by farmers who require a storage capacity of more than 10,000 liters.

    Pros

    1. They bring down the possibility of fuel evaporation, eventually saving money in the long run.

    2. Prevent fuel theft.

    Cons

    1. Since you can’t see them, it’s quite possible to become ignorant about their maintenance. 

    2. Maintaining them can make you expend a lot of time and money.

    3. They are essentially made of non-corrodible materials, which can cost you a good sum afterward. 
  2. Last but not least, they may cause environmental contamination and damage if they somehow leak.

    Second-Hand Fuel Storage Tanks
    Farmers usually buy this kind of fuel tank from the fuel station. In fact, they have a good market and can prove to be a good option too, from time to time. But, while buying a second-hand fuel tank, you must check them thoroughly.

    You must find if there is a maintenance issue, like rust or spot, or are the joints strong enough. It also needs to be perfectly clean, and you must know what it contained so far. You may also need to check and change the fittings to prevent fuel loss.

    Also, you must keep in mind that if the tank is pretty old, like 25 years, you may need to work so much on it that it may become more expensive than a brand new one.

    Conclusion
    Buying a suitable fuel tank for your farm is a great responsibility and must be done with proper knowledge and understanding. I hope this article will help you a good deal in deciding on a fuel tank that would be just right for your farm.Â