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I NTIAL <br /> Crew members donned protective gear with full body coverage, face mask, and <br /> breathing apparatus. They also wore safety harnesses and set up a tripod with winch <br /> and cable for rescue operations, per OSHA safety requirements, and had a safety <br /> attendant stationed immediately outside the tank opening. We were, in fact, <br /> exceptionally impressed throughout the process with the safety consciousness of the <br /> crew members. <br /> The sand blasting of the tank continued throughout the afternoon of May 31, and <br /> continued for 2 1/2 hours on the morning of June 1. The blasting was conducted using <br /> Black Beauty Slag from La Cygne, Kansas. The weather conditions were warm and <br /> dry; the crew confirmed the acceptable relative humidity with the local weather bureau. <br /> The slag was then removed from the tank and the interior vacuumed. At the conclusion <br /> of the sand blasting, we observed that the interior had been cleaned to "white metal," <br /> and the anchor profile was spot checked to be 3.8 mil. <br /> At this point, the crew performed a visual inspection of the tank. It appeared to be <br /> in excellent condition, with no perforations or signs of pitting or corrosion damage. As <br /> a result, they decided that it was not necessary to conduct hammer tests or ultrasonic <br /> tests, a decision allowed by AN 1631. However, they did have a Cygnus ultrasonic <br /> wall thickness tester at the site, and demonstrated its operation for us on a portion of <br /> the tank. The particular model they used can provide readout to a printer, computer, or <br /> computer disk. The procedures demonstrated were judged to be proper. <br /> Given the lack of visible damage in the tank, there was no need to make repairs. <br /> Spraying of the lining material commenced at 1:00 PM on June 1,just a few hours <br /> after completion of the sand blasting. The product was sprayed at 105°F at a rate of <br /> 1, gallon per minute. Approximately 2 1/2 hours were required to complete the process. <br /> After this general lining, a striker plate was sprayed and installed. Then, a manway <br /> cover was sand blasted on both sides and coated with the lining materiaL The manway <br /> was covered to prevent foreign material from entering the tank. The fining was then <br /> allowed to cure oven-Light (longer than the 10- to 12-hour curing period stated by the <br /> manufacturer). <br /> The next morning the tank was purged and the lining inspected. The lining was <br /> tested for hardness with a Barcol hardness tester, and the thickness was measured with a <br /> Quanix 1500 film thickness gauge. A few areas were found with less than the required <br /> minimum of 100 mils; they were brush coated. A holiday detector was used to detect <br /> holidays, in accordance with API 1631. The model used a "coat-hanger" electrode, <br /> which the crew felt to be superior to the Silicone Brush or T-Tip electrodes <br /> recommended by the manufacturer, because it better defines the location of pin holes. <br /> Several pin holes were found and repaired. <br /> The tank was then closed in accordance with API 1631 recommendations. Figure 3 <br /> shows the cover plate bolted in place and sprayed over with the lining material. The <br /> MRt-App"MM-FR 6 <br />