{{unreferenced, date=January 2010
Collapsible tanks are used for storage of
fuel
A fuel is any material that can be made to react with other substances so that it releases energy as thermal energy or to be used for work. The concept was originally applied solely to those materials capable of releasing chemical energy but ...
,
water
Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...
, or
chemical
A chemical substance is a form of matter having constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. Some references add that chemical substance cannot be separated into its constituent elements by physical separation methods, i.e., wi ...
s and are manufactured using industrial fabrics.
These tanks are manufactured in a variety of sizes and styles, with various fabrics available depending on the liquid being contained. They are assembled using fabric
welding
Welding is a fabrication (metal), fabrication process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by using high heat to melt the parts together and allowing them to cool, causing Fusion welding, fusion. Welding is distinct from lower ...
techniques such as hot air, hot bar, and radio-frequency (RF) welding.
In contrast to
steel
Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...
tanks, collapsible fabric tanks can be relatively easily and quickly transported, unfolded, and deployed–features that make them a logical choice for applications in remote sites (such as
mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the economic via ...
exploration camps) and temporary installations (such as
military operation
A military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state, or a non-state actor, in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state or actor's favor. Operations may ...
s).
Collapsible tanks have been used successfully in the
Arctic
The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...
, where challenges such as
climate
Climate is the long-term weather pattern in an area, typically averaged over 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables over a time spanning from months to millions of years. Some of the meteorologic ...
, location, and
logistics
Logistics is generally the detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation. In a general business sense, logistics manages the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of consumption to meet the requirements of ...
costs make other tank types impractical.
A number of
manufacturer
Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer to a ran ...
s produce collapsible fabric tanks for general-purpose use.
U.S. Marines with 2nd Marine Logistics Group, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, Bulk Fuel Company, lift and load a 20,000 gallon collapsible tank into a fueling pit on Bogue Field, North Carolina, April 23, 2012 120423-M-KS710-033.jpg, Transport of a folded 20,000 gallon tank
U.S. Marines with 2nd Marine Logistics Group, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, Bulk Fuel Company, unravel a 20,000-gallon collapsible tank into a fueling pit on Bogue Field, N.C., April 23, 2012 120423-M-KS710-034.jpg, Unfolding of a 20,000 gallon tank
Marines of the Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit team sit on a 20,000 gallon tank of water .jpg, A 20,000 gallon tank in use
U.S. Marines with 2nd Marine Logistics Group, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, Bulk Fuel Company, stand-by while a 20,000 gallon collapsible tank is lifted to drain all remaining fuel inside on Bogue Field, North 120423-M-KS710-025.jpg, Draining of a 20,000 gallon tank
Containers