14

Concrete Tanks for Cottonseed Oil Storage
J. E. FREEMAN, Engineer
Technical Bureau Portland Cement Association
D
TIRING the past 20 years
the increase in plants
producing cottonseed oil in the south has been
more than -300 per cent. In the same period the in-
crease in the north has been 85
per
cent or more.
The production of cottonseed oil in sixteen sou-
thern states in 1918 was very close to $500,000,000.
With the many extensions of use that have been
found for cottonseed oil during recent years, the
industry has attained an importance little dreamed
of but a few years ago, and when an industry
reaches such magnitude, :t is evident that all meas-
ures of
economy
which
may be introduced affect
profits to a material degree, just as does neglect
to introduce such economy and efficiency reduce
profits and perhaps result in failure of the enter-
prise.
One of the problems attending the manufacture
of cottonseed oil is that of storing the oil until
marketed. This involves suitable tankage of short
lived structures. Of course, there is a way to avoid
this*, which is to build as nearly permanent and de-
preciation free as possible. Any structure whicl
requires continual maintenance to remedy or count-
eract depreciation due to exposure to the elements
or other
causes, soon becomes an expensive proposi-
tion and might better have been designed and built
without regard to first cost in order to eliminate if
possible the perpetual annual charges of upkeep.
Of the various materia’s which may be used to
build storage tanks for cottonseed oil, concrete in
vites particular attention because of qualities char-
acteristic of concrete alone. It becomes stronger
in contact with moisture, does not rot. rust or in
other ways
deteriorate and is more nearly mainten-
ance free than any other
type of construction. Tin*
average
life of
any
kind of tank may probabV
be taken as less than 30 years, with an unkno- .
yet burdensome cost, such as painting and genei.d
repair throughout the period of its life.
The concrete tank involves no investment other
than its first cost and because of this maintenance
free characteristic, soon stands as a better invest-
ment than the one which seemed to have a better
favor because of considerably lower first cost.
Since in most cottonseed oil crushers, the tanks
are below ground under the presses, the concrete
tank is the logical solution of cottonseed oil storage
problems. Contact with the soil causes no deprecia-
tion, regardless of whether soil is wet, moist or dry.
The tank cannot go to pieces when empty, cannot
mst when full, nor in any other way suffer injury
through normal use.
Because of the fact that the most convenient
and natural location for the tank is below ground,
concrete adds its insulating value to contents, which
are kept at a fairly even temperature both winter
and summer. As concrete can be placed so that the
required tank shall have any desired form, all sharp
corners or pockets are eliminated, thereby permit
ting thorough cleaning of the tank, thus leaving
no oil into it to sour.
The success of concrete tanks for use by cotton-
seed oil crushers is proven by examples of tanks
which have been in use for a number of years.
The Houston Oil Mill and Manufacturing Co..
Crocket, Tex., in 1916 built a 6,000-gallon concrete
tank for cottonseed oil. This is below ground, the
interior coated with a portland cement mortar, fol-
lowed with a paint coat of neat cement. The com
pany reports that this tank has been in continuous
use up
to the present time; furthermore, no bad
effects have been noticed either on the concret or
contents.
Th Rule Cotton Oil Co., Rule, Tex., built one
1,500-gallon concrete tank in 1912 and, after four
years
of use, one 2,000-gallon tank in 1916 showing
their confidence in concrete containers for cotton-
seed oil. One of these structures was lined with
paraffin, the other with neat cement. Both have
been in satisfactory service from the time of erection
to the present date.
The Lenoir Oil and Ice Co., Kinston, N. C.. han-
dle cottonseed oil direct from the presses
into con-
crete containers built below the presses.
In 1914 a
2,000-gallon tank was built, finished on the inside
with a 1:2 portland cement mortar. This company
also reports entirely satisfactory results, with no
effects upon either the oil or the concrete.
The Baker Cotton Oil
Co., Hobart, Okla., have
about 10 concrete tanks varying in size from 6,000
to 12,000 gallons, used for storing fuel oil, cotton-
seed and kerosene. These are for the most part
circular, finished with a mortar coat. *
In addition to handling cottonseed oil, the prob-
lem of storing the raw cottonseed must be consider-
ed. Here the concrete container has also solved the
storage problem. Last year the Pine Bluff Cotton
Oil Co., Pine Bluff, Ark., built six concrete tanks
above ground for storing the seed, each with a
capacity of 1.000 tons. The reputation of concrete
in so many other structures and under so many