Abstract
Storage tanks are essential components in various industries, particularly in power generation,
where they are utilized for oil storage. The stress developed within these tanks due to
internal pressure significantly influences their useful life and buckling behaviour during service.
In this study, finite element analysis is employed to investigate the stress development
and buckling behaviour of a fixed, closed-rooftop cylindrical oil storage tank used in a
power generation company when filled and half-filled with diesel. The stress analysis results
reveal that the stress developed in the tanks under both operating conditions considered is
below the yield stress of the tank material. This suggests that, under these conditions, the
tank is poised to have an infinite useful life, as long as it is not subjected to external pressure.
The eigenvalue buckling analysis indicates that the during buckling of the storage tank
the maximum displacement in the filled tank will occur in the middle if the bifurcation point
is reached while the maximum displacement in the half-filled tank varies depending on the
mode being considered. Based on the finite element analysis, it is concluded that the oil
storage tank, under the specified conditions, experiences stresses below the yield point,
thus, ensuring an extended useful life.