Portable, Rapid-Test Fuel Tank Leak Detection System

In 1988, the EPA issued Underground Storage Tank (UST) regulations for fuel storage in order to implement monthly monitoring and annual tightness testing. Monthly monitoring requires that the leak detection system be certified for a leak rate of 0.2 gallons per hour (GPH), and annual tightness testing requires a certified leak rate of 0.1 GPH, both with a probability of detection of at least 95%, and a probability of false alarm of no more than 5%. The DoD owns and operates hundreds of underground storage tanks that are less than 100,000 gallons. These tanks, commonly operating at base fuel farms, must comply with EPA, state, and local regulations, and require that either an annual tightness test with monthly inventory reconciliation or monthly monitoring tests be conducted in accordance with published performance standards. Existing technologies either cannot meet performance standards for the large 50-K to 100-K gallon USTs or do not provide a cost-effective solution. The Portable Rapid Test (PRT) is designed and recommended for testing tanks containing lower-volatile, heavier-type fuels such as diesel, JP-5, JP-8, etc.