When the Launch Schedule Can’t Wait

How TransTech Energy modified a 30,000-gallon vertical water deluge tank for an aerospace launch facility on an accelerated timeline.

In aerospace, having equipment arrive early can be a very good problem to have.

A customer needed a 30,000-gallon vertical carbon steel tank for a launch pad water deluge system, and they needed it fast. Rather than starting with a new vessel and a traditional fabrication schedule, TransTech Energy looked to its existing tank inventory.

The right vessel was already sitting at TransTech Energy's Rocky Mount, North Carolina facility.

From the day the order was received to the day the modified tank arrived onsite, a little over two weeks passed. The turnaround was so fast that the tank reached the customer before they were ready to set it in place. 

An Inventory Tank Accelerated the Aerospace Project

The project started with a challenge that is becoming increasingly familiar in fast-moving industries: the customer needed equipment on a schedule that left little room for a lengthy new-build process.

TransTech Energy maintains an inventory of used storage vessels that can be evaluated, modified and repurposed for new applications. In this case, that inventory provided significant head start.

A 30,000-gallon vertical vessel in Rocky Mount fit the customer's application and already had the skirt needed for its vertical configuration. The tank would be repurposed from its previous service to hold water as part of the launch pad's deluge system.

But finding the vessel was only the beginning. It still needed significant modifications before it could head to the launch site. 

Modifying a Vertical Tank for a Launch Pad Water Deluge System

A launch pad water deluge system has to move a substantial amount of water, which meant the existing vessel needed much larger connections for its new application.

The modifications included a 24-inch carbon steel bottom outlet, along with 4 other new nozzles and 10 supports.

Any modification to the pressure-retaining shell of the vessel required R-stamp work. That includes more than conventional repairs. Adding, removing or replacing connections on an existing vessel also falls within the repair and alteration process.

Normally, TransTech Energy could perform this work itself. On this project, however, the just over two-week schedule made fabrication capacity just as important as technical capability.

So the team called another TransTech Group company.

R-Stamp Tank Modifications Kept the Project Moving

Maddox Industrial Group (MIG) also maintains the R-stamp capabilities required for this type of vessel work.

Within the first few days, the teams were already moving forward with calculations and drawings. Within a week of the order, MIG was onsite at the Rocky Mount facility performing the required modifications.

That collaboration allowed TransTech Energy to keep the project moving rather than allowing available shop capacity to dictate the schedule.

MIG cut into the existing vessel, installed the new connections and supports, and completed the R-stamp modifications needed for the new configuration. Once the work was complete, the tank was loaded onto a single truck and began the two-to-three-day trip from North Carolina to the customer's launch facility.

The entire process, from receiving the purchase order to getting the tank onsite, took just over two weeks.

A Little Over Two-Week Turnaround for Aerospace Infrastructure

The customer wanted the tank onsite quickly so they could control the installation schedule themselves rather than wait for equipment to arrive when they were ready to set it.

TransTech Energy delivered.

In fact, the tank arrived before the site was ready to put it into position. It was unloaded onsite to wait for the customer's installation schedule.

For a project driven by speed, that is about as clear as an outcome as you can get. 

The combination of available tank inventory, engineering and project coordination, R-stamp capabilities across TransTech Group, and rapid modification turned an existing vessel into equipment ready for its next application in just over two weeks.

And the project has already led to more work. Following delivery of the first vessel, the same customer placed an order for two additional tanks.

For aerospace projects working against aggressive schedules, having the right equipment already in inventory can fundamentally change what is possible. And when additional engineering, fabrication or repair capabilities are needed, TransTech Energy can draw on resources across TransTech Group to keep the project moving.

The customer needed one tank quickly. Now, they've ordered two more.

Frequently Asked Questions About Aerospace Water Deluge Tanks

What is a launch pad water deluge tank?

A water deluge tank stores the large volume of water required by a launch pad's deluge system. For this project, the customer needed a 30,000-gallon vertical carbon steel vessel with large connections to accommodate the system's high flow requirements. 

Can used storage tanks be modified for aerospace applications?

Depending on the condition, design and requirements of the vessel and its new service, existing storage tanks can be evaluated and modified for new applications. For this project, TransTech Energy pulled a vertical vessel directly from its Rocky Mount inventory and modified it for water deluge service. 

What modifications were made to the launch pad water tank?

The 30,000-gallon vertical vessel received a 24-inch carbon steel bottom outlet, five new nozzles and 10 supports to prepare it for its new water deluge application.

Why are R-stamp modifications required on existing tanks?

Modifications to the pressure-retaining shell of an existing vessel can fall under R-stamp repair and alteration requirements. For this project, Maddox Industrial Group performed the required R-stamp work.

How quickly can TransTech Energy modify an inventory tank?

Timelines depend on vessel availability, engineering requirements and the scope of modifications. For this aerospace project, TransTech Energy went from receiving the order to having the completed vessel onsite in just over two weeks. 

Does TransTech Energy provide tanks for aerospace launch facilities?

Yes. This project is one example of TransTech Energy supporting aerospace infrastructure with storage vessels and tank modifications. TransTech Group companies can also provide complementary fabrication and service capabilities when required.