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Spherical buried oil tank found by home inspector David Grudzinski (C) InspectApedia.com Grudzinski Spherical Oil & Gas Storage Tanks
The Horton Sphere


History of the Horton Sphere: globular or spherical oil & gas storage tanks.

Underground oil storage tanks, or UST's, whether still present or previously removed, involve a risk of costly oil leaks and soil contamination which may need to be addressed. Here are investigation methods that any home buyer, owner, or home inspector can apply to reduce these risks by looking for evidence that a buried oil tank is or was at a property.

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History of Spherical Oil & Gas Storage Tanks in the U.S.: the Horton Sphere

Spherical oil storage tank, removed, cleaned, and retained by the excavation contractor (C) Inspectapedia.com GrudzinskiSpherical Storage Tanks: the Horton Sphere

- David Grudzinski & Daniel Friedman

In the U.S. spherical tanks for the storage of liquids and gases were first described in detail by George Horton in the 1920s.

Photo: a spherical oil storage tank discovered by Rhode Island home inspector David Grudzinski; the excavation contractor cleaned the tank and decided to keep it.

During and just after WWII spherical storage tanks were also made of concrete because of the shortage of steel in the U.S. (Wallace 1946) Horton's 1924 spherical tank patent described use of a sphere for storage of fuels including volatiles.

The Horton application was first filed in 1923!

Spherical storage tanks require the least surface area for a given volume of stored fuel, liquid or gas, so there is the least heat transfer between the tank and its surroundings - useful in some applications

Spherical storage tanks were historically used most-often to store gases or LPG

Spherical storage tanks are of particular use in areas where the tank may be exposed to seismic or other disturbances, and where a leak or explosion that could result would be catastrophic.

Also in 1934 Boardman also described a spherical tank in 1934 and cited the need to address difficulties in thermal expansion and contraction of storage tanks

Spherical Storage Tank Research & Patents

Boardman's spherical storaget tank patent (C) InspectApedia.com Boardman

Horton's 1924 patent for a spherical storage tank - at InspectApedia.com

Reader Comment: Cut-off copper tubing leads to a buried oil tank

Spherical buried oil tank found by home inspector David Grudzinski (C) InspectApedia.com GrudzinskiI was inspecting a home on the edge of a lake built in 1972. I saw evidence of copper fuel lines cut off penetrating the foundation of the home behind the oil boiler. The homeowner bought the home 20 years ago and it had an exterior tank on a slab.

No one had ever suspected there was a buried oil tank on the property. I informed my client that this was evidence a buried tank had once been on the property.

No one had any idea if it was still present, or had been removed.

I searched around for some time with a ground probe, and eventually hit an object 18 inches below ground, but the size and shape was not consistent with a standard size and shape tank that would have been buried.

I decided it needed to be investigated so, with permission from the seller, I got to digging. I hit the tank surface 18 inches down, with 2 inch pipes consistent with the size for the fill and vent. I informed the client and realtors the tank was there, and should be investigated to see if the tank contained oil. I received the attached photo from the realtor.

The tank is a 275 gallon Ball shaped tank. Ive never seen one before, and it resembled a wrecking ball. Pretty neat.

The tank was empty and had not leaked. - David Grudzinski, Rhode Island 2019/11/23

BTW: a fellow inspector told me his parent were in the HVAC wholesale biz in the 50s and these ball shaped tanks were remnants of WW11 bomb casings that they decided to use as oil tanks. I thought that was awesome. Some old buoys were also made from them.


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SPHERICAL OIL STORAGE TANKS - the HORTON SPHERE at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to HEATING OIL, OIL BURNERS, OIL FIRED HEATERS, OIL TANKS

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