Construction of two stainless steel tanks in LDX 2101 | Advanced System with Wheel Trolley | Nordweld 

See how Nordweld delivered the Advanced System with Wheel Trolley for the construction of two stainless steel tanks in LDX 2101, each with a capacity of 10,300 m³, using the top-down method, material processing from coil and flat sheets, and mechanized welding at ground level.  

Construction of two stainless steel tanks in LDX 2101 using the Advanced System with Wheel Trolley 

The project involved the construction of two large industrial tanks made of stainless steel LDX 2101. Nordweld delivered the Advanced System with Wheel Trolley for this project — a solution that makes it possible to carry out erection using the top-down method, with tank rotation and mechanized welding at ground level. 

The key objective of the project was to carry out the entire tank construction process efficiently: from foundation preparation and installation of the first components, through shell forming from both coil and flat sheets, to roof assembly and final dismantling of the equipment. This made it possible to adapt the work organization to the tank parameters and the required material thickness. 

Technical parameters of the project: 

• number of tanks: 2 

• capacity: 10,300 m³ per tank 

• diameter: 25,600 mm 

• height: 20,000 mm 

• weight: 220 tonnes per tank 

• material: stainless steel LDX 2101 

• shell thickness: 6–10 mm from coil 

• shell thickness: 11–15.5 mm from flat sheets 

• total production hours: 9,600 hours for two tanks 

• productivity rate: 22 man-hours per tonne 

Top-down tank erection using Lift Jacks, Wheel Trolley, Tank Rotator, Decoiler and Plate Track 

The system was delivered in a 20 ft HC container with the internal transport rack system. The configuration included Lift Jacks 100-00 15T, Wheel Trolleys,Tank Rotators, Vertical Bending Machine, Decoiler, Plate Track, two automated Arc Tig stations for horizontal joints, and one container  for the vertical assembly and welding of sheet metal plates.  

The work began with placing the annular and bottom plates on the prepared foundation. The electromechanical lift jacks and the main support structure were then installed, preparing the system for operation in the top-down method. The next stage was the installation of the Wheel Trolleys and Tank Rotators, which enabled the continuation of the erection process with tank rotation. 

After the main system had been assembled, material preparation began. For plates with a thickness of 6–10 mm, the Vertical Bending Machine and Decoiler were used for direct processing from coil. For thicker shell sections, Plate Track and an automated container for the vertical assembly and welding of flat sheets were used. This approach made it possible to match the processing method to the material parameters while maintaining continuity of the erection process. 

Mechanized shell welding and roof assembly in one organized process 

The horizontal joints were welded using automated Arc Tig stations installed in 10 ft containers. During operation, the welding station remained fixed while the tank rotated, making it possible to carry out welding in a repeatable and controlled way at ground level. 

The vertical joints were prepared and welded in a separate container designed for the vertical assembly and welding of sheet metal plates. Gullco KAT 300 was also used in this part of the process. Separating the horizontal and vertical operations simplified work organization and reduced the need for manual handling of heavy components during key stages of construction. 

The roof was assembled using the rotation system for the shoring tower. After this stage had been completed, the tanks were brought to their final configuration, the equipment was removed, the structures were lowered to the final position, and the Lift Jacks were dismantled. 

Project result: a controlled construction process for two stainless steel tanks 

This project shows how the Advanced System with Wheel Trolley supports the construction of large stainless steel tanks by combining container transport, on-site material processing, top-down erection, tank rotation, and mechanized welding. The applied configuration made it possible to organize the entire process — from foundation works to the completion of erection — and to adapt the working method to the structure parameters and the material type. 

With a total weight of 440 tonnes for two tanks, the total production time reached 9,600 hours, which corresponds to a productivity rate of 22 man-hours per tonne. This shows that a properly selected Nordweld system can support predictable work organization and efficient construction of large industrial tanks. 

Planning the construction of stainless steel tanks? Contact the Nordweld team to select the right solution for your project.