Loki
16.06.2021 18:55:58
While a metal gas tank will definitely be the answer in some situations, it may not be the right fit in others.
See full version: Polyethylene vs Metal Gas Tanks
While a metal gas tank will definitely be the answer in some situations, it may not be the right fit in others.
As a result, many companies began designing polyethylene fuel tanks. These tanks, which can be 20 percent lighter than steel tanks, have become just as reliable, if not more so, than their steel counterparts.
Of course, you can choose to use OEM replacement parts when fixing your vehicle, but these products usually carry highly inflated price tags. By choosing aftermarket products instead, you can save a considerable amount of money without compromising on the integrity of your vehicle.
Whether you choose metal or polyethylene, both gas tank options are very similar when it comes to functionality. Beyond functionality, there’s a whole scope of other factors to consider when buying a replacement gas tank. In order to make the decision that’s right for you, it’s important to weigh your options. If you’re looking to purchase a polyethylene gas tank, you’ve come to the right place. The Raybuck staff can go over the pros and cons of each option, and help you determine the best solution.
At the end of the day, you just want a gas tank that’s tough, dependable and affordable – nothing more, nothing less. Thanks to new innovations in their design, you now have options when it comes to replacing your truck’s gas tank. In the past, most vehicles were outfitted with steel-coated gas tanks that are sturdy and reliable, but quite heavy. With enhanced regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency, automotive manufacturers now have to build vehicles that are more environmentally-friendly, consume gas more efficiently, and have longer useful lives.
Flexibility – While breakthroughs in steel manufacturing have made the metal more flexible, there’s nothing more flexible than plastic. Plastic gas tanks for Chevy and Ford trucks come in many shapes and sizes, and they can be completely customized to fit into a specific spot. Their versatility is important, since the undercarriage of any vehicle is complex.
Metal gas tanks may be the right choice for a variety of situations. To determine if they’re a good fit for your application, review the long list of benefits: here
Lightweight – In addition to being softer, plastic is also much lighter than steel. While replacement polyethylene gas tanks are made of thick plastic for safety and regulatory reasons, they can weigh as much as 20 percent less, leading to better fuel economy. more
Lack of rupturing – Because plastic is a softer material, many manufacturers criticize its safety features. If plastic is exposed to fire, chances are it will melt and cause fuel to leak out, adding to the flames. However, that can sometimes be better than steel tanks exploding in similar circumstances. Plastics can also flatten or bend rather than rupture like their steel counterparts. more
Less Leakage – Metal gas tanks are also great when it comes to ultra-low evaporative emissions. While the EPA legislated the need for closed fuel symptoms in 1971, a small amount of fuel leakage remains in gas tanks. In order to achieve an enviable, environmentally-friendly Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) status, tanks are only allowed to emit 20 milligrams of fuel each day. In 2005, 29 PZEV-certified vehicles had metal gas tanks — steel can better prevent leakage. [links]
No corrosion – All vehicles succumb to the rigors of the road: salt, gravel and other debris. While these materials contribute to corrosion on metal gas tanks, polyethylene gas tanks aren’t affected. Water can also destroy a metal tank. Water vapors naturally build up on the inside of a tank when it’s not completely full of fuel. These vapors will cause a metal tank to rust from the inside out, whereas they will not affect a plastic tank. Since plastic gas tanks are not susceptible to corrosion, they will ultimately have longer useful lives. more
While stainless steel is said to be “stainless”, in reality it can be stained and still corrodes. You have likely purchased a stainless steel product in the past, only to see it corrode and wonder how such is stainless. Stainless steel is weak against pit corrosion which happens when inferior steels like lead corrode on the surface. This can temporarily break the protective shell against oxygen, causing a “pit” to occur. Therefore it is important to keep any stainless steel products wiped down and clean to avoid rust and corrosive stains. more
Poly tanks are fabricated through a rotomoulding process where plastic resin is heated up, rotationally spun inside a cast and then cooled and allowed to set. Poly tanks are either rotomoulded:
The Australian Standard for polyethylene tanks (AS/NZS 4766) requires that quality poly tanks be rotomoulded as one piece.
Poly water tanks made in Australia today are often made to withstand the Sun and are safe to use for drinking water. To verify this is the case ensure that your tank is made from food-grade UV-stabilised polyethylene approved to Australian Standards for products used for drinking water (AS/NZS 4020).
The electrocoated zinc-nickel product is painted on both sides with an aluminum-rich epoxy. Industry accelerated tests on the corrosion of painted zinc-nickel confirm that it will meet a ten-year life in current fuels and flex-fuels and resist external corrosion. here
Plastic acts as an insulator to retard heat transfer to the fuel when compared to a steel tank. In the case of an under-car fire, plastic tanks will retard the rise in fuel temperature, but they will soften, sag, and eventually release the fuel. A steel tank does not sag in a fire; however, the fuel temperature may rise rapidly, perhaps resulting in over pressurization and release of fuel through a mechanical fitting. The American Iron and Steel Institute reports 16 that a series of more than 75 tests undertaken by the National Fire Prevention Research Foundation and Factory Mutual Research Corporation indicated that plastic containers storing flammable or combustible liquids in general purpose warehouses fail abruptly when exposed to a small fire. This failure results in a rapidly developing spill fire that overpowers conventional sprinkler systems. The same tests conducted with flammable and combustible liquids stored in steel containers resulted in no spill fire, no excessive temperatures, no content involvement, and no significant loss of visibility due to smoke. The fires involving the steel containers extinguished themselves. These findings have led to a return to steel containers from plastics for safety and fire insurance cost reasons. It is not known if tests have been conducted by OEMs to compare the performance of steel and plastic tanks in under-car fire situations.
Aero Tec Laboratories of Ramsey, New Jersey, has developed a semiflexible safety fuel tank made from an undisclosed olefin compound of polymers and antidiffusion-barrier additives. 12 The tank can be used for race cars and military vehicles as well as general automotive aftermarkets. here
Solvay Automotive of Troy, Michigan, has developed technology to keep HDPE tank emissions down to 0.2 g/24 h or less, even with methanol-containing fuels. 11 Using technology called Solvay-optimized fluorination, Solvay equals or exceeds the permeation performance of coextrusion with EVOH barrier resin. Solvay continues to add multilayer capacity to meet Chrysler's requirements. here
Belgium-based Solvay is the exclusive supplier of plastic fuel tanks to General Motors' Saturn Division. Solvay has also expanded their Canadian subsidiary in Blenheim, Ontario, and installed two new blow-molding machines to make HDPE tanks for the Chrysler's LH series and Viper sports car. Chrysler expects to sell 300,000 LH vehicles, all with HDPE tanks that offer more volume capacity than steel tanks. Monolayer-HDPE tanks offer long-term structural integrity but will not meet future permeation requirements. Chrysler started to switch in 1995 to multilayered HDPE to meet the more stringent SHED test.