In the marine industry, the most challenging task is to decide the right material for the tank. There is great competition between aluminum fuel tanks and steel tanks. Both materials are considered excellent in terms of providing quality service.
What is a fuel tank?
This is a simple question that you might have never been asked or assumed before. A fuel tank is a protected container that holds flammable liquids. Most of the motor vehicles – cars, bikes, aircraft, boats, etc – are supported by some kind of fuel tanks. They are installed to store a certain volume of fuel used to propel the engine. They are designed to store both forms of fuel – liquid & vapor. Custom marine fuel tanks are coated with some type of epoxy resins to prevent contamination of fuel inside and corrosion of tank layer from outside. The coating helps in preserving the tank’s strength and mechanism from the marine environment.
Manufacturing of marine fuel tank
Custom marine fuel tanks can be made out of high-density polyethylene, stainless steel, or aluminum. Constructing a tank involves selecting the stamped sheets of material that meet standards of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC). The professional fabricators mold and weld the sheet to make a large or small tank as per the requirement. There are several regulations and standards that should not be overlooked while constructing boat gas tanks. For example, zinc coating is never recommended for gasoline fuel container due to its dissolving characteristics.
Aluminum vs. Steel
- Tank installation or replacement is not a common task you do very frequently and you always want to ensure the longevity, reliability, and efficiency. Aluminum fuel tanks are the lightweight and better choice if you want to keep the load reduced on the vessel. Steel is comparatively thicker and holds considerable weight.
- If we talk about the life expectancy of aluminum tanks, it can’t be exactly predicted but they mostly last long. On the other, hand steel tanks are prone to corrosion if get in contract with moisture and salt. So if you’re choosing steel over aluminum, make sure it is well covered.
- Aluminum is considered stable and clean material as it has higher malleability than steel.
- Aluminum boat gas tanks are popular because they help in achieving fuel-efficiency to an extent.
If we analyze the comparison between two materials, the curve mostly hoists towards aluminum. While there is much more information available on the internet regarding the same topic, the final decision is always up to you. A professional custom marine fuel tanks manufacturing company may guide you more about other specifications and things to decide the right fuel tank.
