Air Soap Testing is conducted on storage tanks and their pipelines before the container is set permanently or to maintain road tanker safety.
This test is the best chance to determine if welds, joints, and the tank itself do not have any leaks before everything is set underground.
The Environmental Protection Agency will only certify a tank when it has no leaks.
The tank is filled with water that is infused with soap. Here’s more on the best practices for tank car leak prevention.
The fuel tank is then pressurized. A careful inspection of all the weld points and pipe joints are conducted.
Leakage in storage tanks can cause loss of product and environmental damage. Air Soap testing reveals leaks.
Testers are looking for leaks that would be visible by the presence of bubbles where any hole is.
The next check is on the tank itself.
Inspectors view the weld spots and the main body of the container. They are looking for micro-fissures that would be revealed by the bubbling of the pressurized air soap mixture.
If leaks are found they are marked and then repaired after the tank is drained.
