Stainless Steel vs Carbon Steel

History:

As 5th generation fabricators of customised tanks and vessels,

Furphy Engineering has introduced many innovations in

manufacturing technology and watched customer preferences change

over the years. Our clients are always seeking cost efficiencies on

capital expenditure projects and this is driving change in tank

fabrication.

As a result, Furphy’s no longer fabricate carbon steel tanks. We

focus on stainless steel alternatives that offer a longer service life and

have lower maintenance requirements. Although there is a niche for

carbon steel tanks and vessels, our clients are welcoming the

long-term benefits of Furphy’s shift to stainless steel.

Key Considerations:

When considering a shift to stainless steel tanks, consider these key aspects:

Whole Of Life “WOL” Cost – Is included in more project discussions today and with

good reason. Will your carbon steel tank corrode faster than it should? Will you need to

budget for a replacement tank well before you can afford to? NB: Some Government

agencies list this as a major consideration on all vessels purchased.

Purity of contents in the tank – With Stainless Steel tanks, the contents remain impurity

free. Does your customer require a guaranteed level of product quality? If so, rest easy.

No need for surface coatings – What is the warranty on your coating specification? Will

it last for the specified time? Can you afford to re-coat the tank onsite in a cleared area

that remains inoperable, during re-coating? Does the tank have insulation and cladding

that must be removed, to enable renewed coating?

250kL Fuel Storage Tanks

Examples of Carbon Steel’s potential for degradation

WOL Tank Costing:

As an example, let’s assess a 150kL capacity horizontal storage tank designed and

fabricated in our workshop in accordance with AS1692 (inside diameter of 3750mm):

Key Components Stainless Carbon

Tank thickness 6PL 8PL

Tank fabrication cost $130,000 $100,000

Internal Paint (3 Coat System) N/A $25,000

External Paint (3 Coat System) N/A $20,000

Internal Re-Paint N/A $30,000

External Re-Paint N/A $25,000

Even if a carbon steel tank only has external paint applied, the Whole Of Life cost remains

compelling for stainless steel:

170kL Liquid Sodium Tank 15kL Oil Storage Tank

Compare Your Next Purchase:

When considering the purchase of a storage tank or pressure vessel, Furphy Engineering has

converted many tanks across multiple industries, to stainless steel construction. These conversions

include tank volumes as small as 2,500L capacity and as large as 300,000L capacity.

Our engineering and design team will determine the appropriate stainless steel material grade for

the contents of your tank. Even if you don’t think stainless steel is an option, why not ask us to

provide an obligation free quote to consider the viability of stainless steel tanks, for your products.

For more information visit www.furphys.com.au or call us on (03) 5832 1400

Stainless Carbon Carbon

External CoatInternal &

External Coat

Tank Total "WOL" Cost $130,000 $145,000 $200,000