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Tank Solutions – FuelFireguard® 4-hour fire-rated tanks
How an insulated double-wall steel tank is rated to the SwRI 4-hour fire test, when a fire rating is worth having, and how it compares with Flameshield® 2-hour and a standard self-bunded tank.
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Tell us roughly what you need. A sales engineer for your state replies within 2 business days.
Have drawings or a full spec? Use the detailed quote form, or call NSW +61 2 4964 8270 or WA +61 8 9434 1707.
What a Fireguard® 4-hour tank is
A Fireguard® 4-hour tank is an above-ground steel tank inside a second steel tank, with a lightweight thermal insulation material between the two. It is rated to the SwRI 4-hour fire test.
We make Fireguard® 4-hour tanks under licence from the Steel Tank Institute (STI), at our Tomago NSW and Kwinana Beach WA sites. Both sites are certified to ISO 9001.
The tank is a double-wall tank, so the outer wall is also the bund. Both walls are steel, and the tank is relocatable.
How the construction works
Three layers do three jobs. The inner tank holds the fuel, the insulation protects it from a fire outside, and the outer tank contains any leak.
Inner steel tank
Holds the fuel. Fireguard® 4-hour tanks store fuels and other flammable and combustible liquids. Ask your sales engineer to confirm a specific product.
Thermal insulation
A lightweight insulation material fills the space between the two tanks. It is 75% lighter than concrete and flexible.
Outer steel tank
Surrounds the inner tank and acts as the bund, so there is no earthen or concrete bund to build and no rainwater to catch and dispose of.
Why choose a fire-rated tank
A fire rating earns its place when separation distances limit where a tank can go. Distances to buildings and boundaries depend on the fuel class and the quantity stored, so they are set for each site under AS 1940.
Less separation distance
The 4-hour rated model can reduce separation distances by as much as 50%, which frees up more of the site for other uses.
Closer to buildings
Fireguard® 4-hour suits critical building applications, such as standby generator fuel at data centres and telecommunications sites.
Lighter than concrete
The insulation is 75% lighter than concrete, which cuts shipping, installation and relocation costs.
No civil bund
The double wall is the bund, so there are no bund walls to build and no rainwater collecting in an open bund.
Relocatable
The tank is self-contained, so it can move if the site changes. The light, flexible insulation makes it quicker and safer to relocate.
Petrol as well as diesel
Petrol is a flammable liquid and needs larger separation distances than diesel. Where space is tight, a Fireguard® 4-hour tank can cut those distances.
Fireguard® 4-hour, Flameshield® 2-hour or a standard self-bunded tank
All three are double-wall steel tanks with the bund built in. The difference is the fire rating, and what you need it for.
| Feature | Fireguard® 4-hour | Flameshield® 2-hour | Self-bunded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | Inner and outer steel tanks with insulation between | Double-wall steel | Inner steel tank with a steel wrap bund |
| Fire rating | SwRI 4-hour fire test | 2-hour fire test | No fire rating |
| Separation distances | Can reduce them by as much as 50% | Set for each site | Set for each site |
| Shape | See datasheet | Horizontal or vertical, cylindrical or rectangular | Cylindrical or rectangular |
| Leak monitoring | See datasheet | Interstitial monitoring | See datasheet |
| Standards | STI Fireguard® licence | UL 142, AS 1692, AS 1940 where applicable | AS 1692, AS 1940 |
When Flameshield® 2-hour suits better
If a 2-hour fire rating meets your site’s needs, Flameshield® gives you more shapes to fit the footprint you have. It comes horizontal or vertical, cylindrical or rectangular, with multiple compartments so one tank can hold several fuel grades. The space between the walls can be monitored, so a leak in the primary tank is picked up before product reaches the ground.
When a standard self-bunded tank is enough
If separation distances don’t limit where the tank goes, a self-bunded tank gives the same built-in bund without the fire rating. It holds up to 110,000L of diesel or 55,000L of petrol per tank. Where a concrete bund already exists, a single-wall horizontal tank is another option.
Standards
| STI Fireguard® | Fireguard® 4-hour tanks are manufactured under licence from the Steel Tank Institute, to the licensed STI Fireguard® protected above-ground steel tank system (UL 2085). See accreditation. |
|---|---|
| UL 142 | Steel above-ground tanks for flammable and combustible liquids. Flameshield® 2-hour tanks are built to it. |
| AS 1692 | Steel tanks for flammable and combustible liquids. Flameshield® 2-hour and self-bunded tanks are built to it. See what AS 1692 covers. |
| AS 1940 | The storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids, including bunding, location and separation distances. See our AS 1940 guide. |
| ISO 9001 | Quality management certification at Tomago NSW and Kwinana Beach WA. |
General information only, not compliance advice. Your state regulator and site engineer set what applies to your site.
Australian-made Fireguard® 4‑hour rated tanks or an imported tank
We build Fireguard® 4-hour rated tanks under licence from the Steel Tank Institute at our Tomago NSW and Kwinana Beach WA sites. If you’re comparing one with a tank brought in from overseas, the biggest difference is the warranty.
- Australian made & owned
- Protecting your environment
Made by Tank Solutions in Australia
- Where it’s builtTomago NSW or Kwinana Beach WA, under our Steel Tank Institute (STI) Fireguard® licence
- Registration with STIRegistered with STI through the Warranty Validation Card
- Warranty30 years against structural failure and 1 year on materials and workmanship, once registered
- Moving the tank laterWe recertify a relocated tank so the warranty carries on
- Standards and paperworkBuilt to STI Fireguard®, UL 2085 and AS 1940 requirements, with compliance documentation for your commissioning file
Imported
- Where it’s builtOverseas
- Registration with STIAn importer can’t register the tank
- WarrantyWithout registration the warranty is void
- Moving the tank laterAsk who will recertify it
- Standards and paperworkAsk for the compliance documents your site needs
Don’t risk your critical infrastructure on a tank with no warranty
An importer can’t register a Fireguard® 4-hour rated tank, and without registration its warranty is void.
Hospitals, data centres, mines and defence sites depend on their fuel storage. An imported tank may be cheaper, but that’s because it comes without the warranty.
The warranty on a Fireguard® 4-hour rated tank is only valid once the owner completes the Warranty Validation Card and returns it to STI, within 30 days of installation or 90 days after we ship the tank, whichever comes first. Read the Fireguard® performance warranty (PDF).
Our fire-rated and self-bunded tanks
Each product page has the construction details, photos, datasheets and a quote form.
Fireguard® 4-hour fire-rated tanks
Insulated double-wall steel tank rated to the SwRI 4-hour fire test.
Self-bunded diesel & fuel tanks
Relocatable double-wall steel tank that needs no on-site bund.
Flameshield® 2-hour fire-rated tanks
Double-wall steel tank with interstitial monitoring, 2-hour fire rated.
Common questions
Can’t see yours? Call NSW +61 2 4964 8270 or WA +61 8 9434 1707.