For retail gas station owners and operators, fiberglass-based piping and fueling system components are currently difficult to obtain due to resin shortages, making it difficult to obtain vent tube (UST) installations for underground storage tanks.These shortages hinder the installation of new or upgraded systems, as the exhaust is a required component in refueling installations as it runs from the UST to the system’s pressure vacuum exhaust.
The vent line is critical to the operation of the UST system as it allows the tank to vent when its internal pressure or vacuum exceeds a certain point, essentially allowing the tank to “breathe”.While fiberglass shortages are undoubtedly a nuisance, there is an off-the-shelf and proven solution: flexible ventilation ducts.
Frustration-Free Vent PipesOPW offers a complete range of flexible exhaust pipe sizes and lengths, all of which have been designed and approved to provide many advantages when used with a wide variety of engine fuels currently available in the petroleum market.
Hoses have been used in fuel system installations for over 25 years, primarily to provide the connection point between the UST and the fuel dispenser.Additionally, in 2004, UL/ULc added the “Common Exhaust” designation to its UL-971 “Standard for the Safety of Nonmetallic Underground Piping for Flammable Liquids,” making flexible pipe the first choice for fuel system installations.Handling liquid products and venting applications.
The advantages of flexible pipe when used as a UST vent pipe are the same as when used in fuel delivery applications:
Compared to other materials used to manufacture ventilation pipes, flexible pipes also offer the following advantages:
Smithfield, NC-based OPW Retail Fueling launched its FlexWorks product line in 1996.Since then, more than 10 million feet of flexible pipe – listed by UL for ventilation in 2007 – have been sold for use in motor fuels, high-mix fuels, enriched fuels, and aviation and marine fuels around the world.
OPW Flexible Tubing is available in single- and double-wall configurations, and is also available in a variety of lengths on reels or in 25, 33, and 40 foot flat “rods” with diameters of 1.5, 2, and 3 inches, respectively.According to PEI/RP 100-20 “Recommended Practices for Installing Underground Liquid Storage Systems.” OPW actually goes further than PEI/RP 100-20 recommends, which recommends that ventilation ducts be sloped 1/4 inch per foot, not PEI Recommended 1/8 inch per foot.
Flexible exhaust pipe connections should be made of stainless steel and can be included in transition chambers or sumps, especially in states where double wall pipe is required.If stainless steel fittings or transitional oil pans are not available, connections should be wrapped with Densyl™ tape (also known as grease tape or wax tape) to prevent corrosion.
In the 25 years since its creation, OPW has made upgrades to its FlexWorks flexible pipe, including increased flexibility with less bending force and easier installation; reduced pipe weight to reduce shipping costs; and significantly reduced pipe memory to achieve Faster connections and the ability to lay the pipe flat in the trench; and use a reinforced Kynar® ADX (PVDF) pipe liner, which is denser and more resistant to permeation, making it ideal for liquid and vapor exposure.
After decades of proving its worth as a component of underground fuel delivery systems, flexible pipe is fast becoming the first choice for vent pipe applications, and the current fiberglass crunch is another reason why flexible vent pipe is a reliable alternative to rigid vent pipe. or semi-rigid fiberglass tubing.
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