Treated Water Tanks Help Transform Dubai Desert

By Mark Jolliffe

The successful Dubai Investments Park (DIP) in the United Arab Emirates is a world-class industrial, residential and commercial complex in the heart of New Dubai near the Jebel Ali Port international airport. This self-contained business infrastructure offers facilities and services for manufacturing, housing, education, trade, research and development, distribution and logistics purposes. The mixed development is shaped as a city in a city with a tax-free environment exempt from foreign exchange controls and trade barriers.

Originally built in the desert outside the city of Dubai, the DIP project required significant amounts of water to turn the dry area into a beautiful green district. The first municipal wastewater treatment plant located within the developed area featured one glass lined storage tank for treated water to be used for irrigation purposes.

As the development quickly expanded, the surge in demand for water meant a decision to double the capacity of the DIP wastewater treatment facility. As part of this expansion, a second storage tank was added to accommodate the increased need for treated water supply for irrigation.

The contractor for the project, Khansaheb Civil Engineering, contacted CST Industries' local office in Dubai. With offices in nine countries and tanks installed in 130 countries worldwide, CST designs, manufactures and installs tanks and domes for both liquid and dry bulk storage use.

The tank design chosen was an 8,000m³ glass lined steel tank, with dimensions of 28 meters (92 feet) diameter and 14 meters (46 feet) tall, chosen to fit the space and process requirements of the project. It offered a superior interior coating fully compliant with the ISO 28765 specification requirements, as well as a high quality, safe installation process.

Tank installed by CST Industries at DIP.

Close and continuous engineering and design support was available during the planning phase from the local CST engineering group. Proximity of the building site to the company's area office also allowed for fast track 24/7 site support as well as easy access to warehouse and supplementary products supply.

Interior of tank by CST Industries at DIP.

Since all aspects of the water treatment facility expansion occurred simultaneously, the job site was active with numerous contractors installing everything from water pipe to pumps to machinery and more. The tank company was provided a compact and specific area for installation of the new structure. Due to its secure mechanical lifting and installation procedure, the build was completed quickly, safely and to specification.

While some tank installations require scaffolding or a time-consuming welding process, CST's bolted tank panels receive their coating at the factory within a controlled environment. Once the prepared panels arrive at the job site, they're installed ring by ring with mechanical lifting jacks that allow for work to be done on the ground level, guaranteeing the safety of personnel. Working on the ground also allows crews to inspect the quality of the tank build from every angle. The bolted panel design requires no welding, but rather simple hardware and gaskets or a sealant to install, ensuring a quick completion process.

The high-quality installation process used drew attention from nearby contractors, as well as from DIP project management, who were impressed with both the speed and safety of the build procedure. The tank's suitability for liquid storage, coupled with its competitive pricing and low-maintenance requirements, made it an excellent choice for the project.

Upon completion of the wastewater treatment plant's irrigation storage tank, DIP has once again engaged CST Industries to build an additional tank, which will be part of the commercial and residential development's West Park second municipal wastewater treatment plant.

Acknowledgment: The author wishes to thank officials at Dubai Investments Park for their assistance on this article. Contact: www.dipark.com

Author's Note: Based in Dubai, U.A.E., Mark Jollife works with CST Industries Inc., of Kansas City, Kansas, USA. With a portfolio that includes Columbian TecTank, Engineered Storage Products and CST Vulcan, it specializes in tanks and structures for numerous applications, including water and wastewater. Contact: [email protected] or www.tanks.com

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