Brenner Tank has introduced a next-generation tank compliant with DOT 407 regulations, using duplex stainless steels and reducing the total cost of new bulk tank trailers.
The price of the most common stainless steel tank trailers has almost doubled in the past four years. Brenner Tank recognized that these material cost increases could not be borne by its customers, so it resolved to find an answer.
After more than one year of research, the company decided on Lean Duplex as the primary solution. Lean Duplex is a variant of a type of stainless steel, duplex, that was developed more than 20 years ago for corrosive applications. This family of stainless steels generally has more chromium but less nickel than type 316L.
“Along this journey to a solution, Brenner had to overcome several challenges,” according to John F Cannon, the company's vice-president of sales and marketing. “For example, Brenner had to secure a special permit from the United States Department of Transportation to use these relatively new variants of duplex stainless steel for cargo tanks transporting chemicals and other hazardous materials.” The company also had to work with its principal suppliers to achieve a surface finish acceptable to the tank trailer industry.
Lean Duplex offers several advantages over type 316L stainless steel, besides its lower cost. It has higher tensile and yield strengths, increased pitting resistance, and an improved ability to sustain temperature changes than type 316L.
The main benefit of Lean Duplex is cost savings. “When we talk about savings with Lean Duplex, we're literally talking about thousands of dollars per cargo tank,” said Cannon.
E-mail Mary Mullen at [email protected] for complete information.