Grp liquid tanker 'cuts fire hazard'
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A LIQUID road tanker designed and developed by Trailer Developments of Southampton, built in glass reinforced plastics and believed to be the first of its type, could help to reduce the spillage hazard of dangerous liquids in the event of accidents.
With a design capacity of 30,000 litres (6,600 gals), the tanker consists of six inner tanks of unbridged, twinskinned glass reinforced plastics, which are suspended in load-bearing polyurethane foam and totally encased in an outer skin of electro-static conducting grp.
This multi-hull design is said to make the tanker virtually burn-proof and the manufacturing materials (resin from Cray Valley Products and selfextinguishing foam from Honeywell Atlas) provide a high degree of fire resistance.
The low centre of gravity is claimed to reduce roll and improve general ride characteristics even with an unbalanced load.
The new manufacturing techniques enable the tank to be constructed to more precise tolerances than with conventional methods.
One tanker is already in use for non-dangerous loads and another is completing road trials to enable the tanker to comply with the petroleum regulations.