3.

12 (Addition) Floating Roof Design

3.12.1 The design of floating roof tanks with specified flush type nozzles
shall permit the
outer pontoon to reach a point within 380 mm of the tank bottom, unless
limited
by obstructions such as mixers, roof drains, etc.
3.12.2 Tank roof design for tanks larger than 18 m in diameter shall be as
follows
a. Roofs shall be of the low deck (minimum vapor space) type.
b. Center decks greater than 45 m in diameter shall have channel
stiffeners on
the under side of the deck. Stiffeners shall be 6in, 8.2 lbs/ft, or 160 mm,
13.3
kg/m minimum and shall be installed as concentric rings with a maximum
radial spacing of 6m. In addition, the underside deck plates shall have
continuously welded lap joints at a radial distance of 12 m from the center
of the roof.
3.12.3 Roofs for tanks greater than 46 m in diameter shall be designed for
elastic stability
against gross out of plane buckling and local buckling of the outer
pontoon, due
to the radial load imposed by deflection of the center deck. This radial load
shall
be determined from the 250 mm of rainfall loading condition as defined in
API 650,
Appendix C.3.4. or punctured center deck loading condition, whichever
governs.
For prevention of gross out of plane buckling, the following relations shall
be
satisfied:
a. For Fully stiffened pontoons:
N< 7.5 EIx /R3
b. For Partially Stiffened pontoons:

N < 5.0 EIx /R3

Where:
N = Design radial inward load, lb./in.
E = Modulus of elasticity, psi.
R = Mean radius of pontoon ring, in.
Ix = Moment of inertia of full pontoon cross section with respect to
horizontal
axis through its centroid, in4.
Or:
a. For Fully Stiffened pontoons:
N < 7.5 x 103 EIx / R3
b. For Partially Stiffened pontoons:
N < 5.0 x 103 EIx / R3
Where:
N = Design radial inward load, Newtons per millimeter.
E = Modulus of elasticity, Kpa.
R = Mean radius of pontoon ring, mm.
Ix = Moment of inertia of full pontoon cross section with respect to
horizontal axis through its centroid, mm4.
c. The radial unsupported width of Partially Stiffened plates shall not
exceed
3m.
3.12.4 The inner rim of Partially and Fully Stiffened pontoons shall
have the following
minimum thickness:
TANK DIAMETER RIM THICKNESS
60 to 75 m 16 mm
75 to 90 m 19 mm
3.12.5 For tanks over 60 m in diameter the following calculations and tests
are required

to substantiate the elastic stability of the roof pontoon design:

a. Where the roof design has not been previously approved by PDVSA, the
vendor shall submit test data of a roof of similar diameter, to validate the
design.
b. Where validation has not been made, the vendor shall conduct a proof
test
on the largest tank to be supplied. The proof test shall be based on the
most
critical design load condition. Calculations shall be submitted to PDVSA for
approval.
3.12.6 Tanks greater than 90 m in diameter shall have the following roof
construction:
a. The roof shall be double deck type.
b. The top edge of the inner rim plates in the first two central
compartments
shall be welded with continuous single fillet welds.
c. All circumferential compartments other than the outer compartments
shall
be provided with a minimum of four radial partition plates.
3.13 (Addition) Floating Roof Seals
3.13.1 Roof seals shall contact the liquid level at the shell for at least 90%
of the
circumference of the tank. The maximum permissible gap between the
primary
seal and the tank shell is 6 mm.
3.13.2 Toroidal type seals shall be equipped with a weather shield unless
secondary
seals are specified. Liquid mounted toroidal seals are preferred.
3.13.3 Floating roofs with a flexible steel shoe type primary seal shall be
equipped with
an abrasion resistant, weather and product proof, flexible seal in order to
close

the space between the seating ring and the rim of the floating roof and
shall be
designed to avoid any jam between the shell and the shoe when the roof
is
moving.
3.13.4 Secondary seals shall be installed if required by PDVSA in the
inquiry documents
and the design shall be approved by PDVSA.
3.13.5 The design of primary seals, secondary seals and weather shields
shall permit
installation and removal from the top of the roof.
3.14 (Additions) Floating Roof Supports and Drains
3.14.1 Supports shall be made of carbon steel pipe, schedule 80 minimum
thickness.
They shall be provided with a in hole at the bottom for drainage.
3.14.2 The clearance between the support and the roof support sleeve
shall be 3 mm
nominally at all points.
3.14.3 Supports shall be adjustable to two positions:
a. The lower position shall permit the roof to reach 75 mm below the
specified
lowest operating position, without interference with any internal accessory
or roof seal mechanism.
b. The upper position shall provide a clearance of 2 meters between the
roof
and the tank bottom, for cleaning purposes.
3.14.4 Bearing plates shall be centered under each support, welded to the
shell bottom
by a 5mm continuous fillet weld. Plate dimension shall be 24 in square by
3/8 in
thick.
3.14.5 The length of the leg support sleeves shall be such that any
opening will be above

the liquid level when the deck is deflected by the 250mm rainfall or by a
punctured center deck loading condition. The height of the support
sleeves for a
single deck pontoon roof shall never be less than the tank diameter
divided by 60.
3.14.6 Emergency drains shall not be provided when the pontoon area is
less than 50%
of the roof area. Only for double deck type roofs may credit is taken in the
roof
design when emergency drains are furnished.