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Large Tanks | Sanitary Tanks

Sanitary Process Tanks

Apache’s in-house processes and expertise in compliance and surfaces finishes, gives Apache a competitive advantage in providing Sanitary Process Tanks. Our sanitary tanks are found in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, water filtration and health and beauty industries.

We have provided cook tanks, mixing tanks, heat exchangers, process tanks and storage tanks with sanitary design requirements. We have also manufactured tanks and vessels for WFI (Water for Injection) and CIP (Clean-in-Place) processes.

Apache also has in-house capabilities for passivation and electropolishing stainless finishes, if required for the application.

 

 

Recent Posts

  • 10 Tools for a Successful Sanitary Vessel Partnership Posted 12 months ago
    As a manufacturer of custom vessels for essential industries, including pharmaceutical, life science, and healthcare, Apache provides processors with high-quality vessels with up-front technical collaboration, engineering support, and a solid compliance direction.  We bring these 10 tools to Sanitary Vessel customers: Technical Sales & Engineering Experts Apache’s experts are proficient in ASME and other compliance engineering for custom pressure vessels.  Our project engineering process guards the targeted outcomes of price, compliance, and delivery. All ASME Shop Apache is first and foremost an ASME shop, which means that all protocols follow ASME and other high compliance standards, from manufacturing, to certification to quality compliance.   Regulatory Compliance Legacy Custom vessels that meet regulatory compliance is what we do.  Apache has a legacy of manufacturing vessels for high-compliance industries, since 1975. Process Control It is the control over our processes that allows Apache to offer these highly specialized vessels manufactured to exact compliance specifications. Heat Exchange Expertise Our engineering experts are versed in heat exchange surfaces including conventional jackets, standard dimple, ½ pipe, 1/3 pipe, inflated dimple and internal coils. In-House Metal ...
  • 3 Levels of Sanitary Vessels Posted last year
    Depending on the application, processors serving food or other hygienic industries have varying degrees of compliance requirements for custom vessels.  When working with your custom vessel manufacturing partner, it is important to identify the level of sanitary compliance in the pre-engineering discovery phase. Apache defines three categories of sanitary design to help customers with the type of sanitary specifications for construction and fixtures to meet the vessel’s process goals. BASE LEVEL The base level sanitary vessel is cleaned manually. Typical construction fixtures include threaded coupling, threaded dip tubes and ANSI flanges.  Depending on the application, stock vessels may be used or modified. The material is 2B/Mill, or 304 or 316 stainless and is pickle passivated. Customers use base-level sanitary vessels for waste tanks, hydrocarbon storage, food-grade applications, adhesives, and solvents. MID-LEVEL The type of sanitation is also a driver for more complexity in the design of sanitary vessels.  In the mid-level category, components are removed for cleaning or COP (clean out of place). Mid-Level sanitary vessel designs are constructed with 304 or 316 stainless material and feature mechanical finishing and pickle ...
  • 5 Insider Tips to Get Faster Delivery on Custom Small Vessels Posted last year
    Equipment customized to a specific process has its benefits to solve a particular need. With standard equipment, you may need to adjust your scope. It’s understandable that standard stock vessel solutions only solve for a few common applications. However, custom vessel solutions that solve a specific process may take significantly longer to spec out, design and manufacture than standard stock solutions.  Here are tips to help reduce lead times on custom vessel projects: Incorporate stock heads and stock fittings into the custom vessel design. Apache offers numerous styles of vessel heads that are kept in inventory. Head sizes range from 9”, 12”, 18” and 24”. Heads and fittings that need to be specially ordered require longer lead times. Customers who can provide a general arrangement drawing before Apache’s approval process will expedite communications and reduce engineering time to determine those parameters. Leverage industry standard components such as pipe fittings, pipe flanges (150# ANSI flanges) in the component list of your data sheet or bill of materials. The supply chain for standard components is typically more favorable for availability and delivery. These are often ...
  • New E-Book: Design to Submission Road Map Posted last year
    Many of Apache's customers, come to us with a full specification outline to custom manufacture their tank or vessel. For pharmaceutical, life sciences and health industries, Apache often works with integrators who add their process technology to sanitary equipment supplied by Apache.  We also provide vessel solutions to end-users who have process technology support or experience, and need a vessel manufacturer to help them meet their quality and compliance standards. Specifications such as Fixtures and fittings are also part of the compliance engineered solution. When learning about the vessel's intent, we want to define what the process connection (or nozzles) are required, as well as the service for each nozzle. This will help to pre-plan the general layout and placement of the nozzles. For custom ASME or other standards, the nozzles that we use must be compliant-driven and support the pressure/temperature rating of the vessel.  In this e-book "Road Map: Design to ASME Submission", we offer project planning recommendations for vessels that require ASME or other compliance.  It is especially helpful for engineers or purchasers new to the role of procurement ...
  • Comparing Base, Mid, and High-level Sanitary Finishes [Infographic] Posted 2 years ago
    Categorizing levels of sanitary design is helpful to professionals new to compliance regulated industries requiring custom vessels because it bridges communications regarding standards and design requirements. In hygienic applications, stainless equipment requires a sanitary finish which generally refers to a smooth, scratch-free, non-corrosive finish.  The fineness of the finish, which determines its performance, is measured in RA (roughness average). The infographic illustrates the RA of different types of mill, mechanical, and chemical finishes.  The smaller the RA reading in microinches (height in millionths of an inch), the smoother the finish.  When collaborating to qualify a project, we define a Base Level Finish as a 2B/Mill, 304 or 316 stainless materials that is pickle passivated.  The welds are continuous and crack and crevice-free.  This type of finish is paired with a Base Level Sanitary Design and is cleaned manually. Apache’s standard portable vessel line are an example of the base sanitary design and finish level. A Mid-Level Finish is also composed of 304 or 316 stainless material and involves a secondary process of mechanical polishing greater than 32RA, with final finishing to include pickle or ...
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What type of materials does Apache have experience with?

In Apache's Beaver Dam facility, we work with 300 grade stainless materials, predominantly 304/L and 316/L. We also work with high alloy materials such as AL6XN, duplex 2304, 2205 and 2507, Inconel and Hastelloy.

What certifications does Apache uphold?

NB/ASME U Certificate for Beaver Dam, WI

NB/ASME UM Certificate for Beaver Dam, WI

CE Marking Permission for Beaver Dam, WI

R Repair Certificate National Board of Boiler & Pressure Vessel Inspectors, Beaver Dam, WI

SELO License for Beaver Dam, WI

What types of heat transfer surfaces are available?

Dimple jacket, half-pipe, conventional jacket, electrical heat tracing.

What size heads can you fabricate?

We can fabricate Heads, anywhere from 30” (2’6”) to 192” (16’) Diameter, with the thickness being 12 ga. to ¾” Stainless and up to 7/8” Carbon.

What types of heads does Apache offer?

ASME F&D, F&D, Shallow F&D, Flat, Cone, Sloped, Hemi, Elliptical

What types of testing does Apache offer?

Liquid Dye Pentrant testing, hydrostatic testing, sprayball Riboflavin testing, pharmaceuticial drain testing, surface finish testing, PMI (Positive Material Identification), and radiography (at an additional cost).

What types of fittings are offered?

Depending on the application, we provide ANSI B16.5 150#, 300#, etc. RFWN, RFSO and Lap Joint flanges, studding outlet (pad) flanges for standard ASME applications. For sanitary applications we also provide tri-clamp ferrules, tank bottom diaphragm valves such as ASEPCO, GEMU, PBM, NOVASEPTIC, etc.

What finishes are available?

Mill, 2B, No. 4, No. 4A, Bead Blast, Passivation, Pickle Passivation and electropolishing

What is your tank weight capacity?

The weight limitation is dependent on the tank/vessel configuration, typically we want to keep the vessel below 70,000 lbs. We have built tanks weighing 250,000 lbs., but special consideration with outside riggers was required.

How wide of a tank can Apache build?

15 ft. diameter is the maximum typically.

What types of outlet valves are available?

Ball valves, diaphragm valves and gate valves. Some offer manual or pneumatic actuation options.

Who will coordinate my project?

A project engineer will coordinate communications, schedules and questions. There will also be a technical specialist that works on your project.

When does a tank need to be ASME Code stamped?

ASME Code is generally required on tanks above 15 psig or vacuum applications.

What types of insulation does Apache offer?

Mineral wool in various densities and foam glass. We can take a look at other insulation requirements that you may have.

What is a wetted surface?

A wetted surface is a product contact surface or interior surface. It includes area in nozzles up to the gaskets.

What types of FAT testing does Apache offer?

Hydro, Riboflavin, dye penetrant, saline, drain ability, radiography, agitation run testing

How do you keep customers abreast of the schedule?

On larger projects, updates to the schedule are communicated upon drawing approval submission, then once per month, after project changes or per customer requirements.

Does Apache manufacture their own agitators?

We work with leading agitator manufacturers and we also have made custom agitators for special applications.

When do I use tri-clamp versus bolted connections?

Use tri-clamp connections for sanitary and quick connection applications.