Custom Aluminum Tank Heads Manufacturer

The aluminum tank heads have a lot of great features such as:

• Highly durable
• Excellent corrosion resistance
• Heavy-duty and high-quality aluminum material
• Easy to install
• Easy to maintain
• Superior temperature resistance
• Optimal performance
• Long use time
• Low density
• Safe to use
• High plasticity
• Extremely robust
• Good thermal conductivity
• Excellent tensile strength
• Strong pressure resistance
• Good weldability
• Low tendency of cracking

The aluminum tank heads are commonly used for vessels and tanks in many industrial sectors such as:

• Food and beverage industries
• Pharmaceutical industries
• Petroleum industries
• Cryogenic industries
• Propane industries
• Biotech industries
• Chemical industries
• Petrochemical industries
• Electric power industries
• Metallurgical industries
• Brewing industries
• Extractive industries
• Industrial & municipal waste treatments
• LNG or Liquid Natural Gas industries
• Nuclear power industries
• Pulp & paper industries
• Aerospace industries
• Mining industries
• Transportation and storage industries
• Offshore
• Desalination plants
• Power generation industries
• Water treatments
• LNG industries

The aluminum tank heads can be machined or fabricated according to the customers’ specifications.

Some of the optional fabrication processes that can be done on the aluminum tank heads are:

• Edge bevel
• Edge taper
• Square edge machined
• Landing zone weld
• Inner diameter or outside diameter bevel
• Inner diameter or outside diameter bevel with land
• Inner diameter or outside diameter tapers with land and bevel
• Untrimmed or trimmed

The details and specifications of the aluminum tank heads can be customized.

Details such as:

• Shapes
• Styles such as dished or flanged
• Straight flange length
• Inside or corner knuckle radius
• Dish radius
• Custom polishing
• Materials
• Special tolerances
• Segmented construction (an option for bigger aluminum tank heads)
• Polish requirements
• Dimensions such as outside diameter, inside diameter, overall height, thickness, inside height, inside depth of the dish, and more.
• Weld preparations
• Heat transfer option

These details are just some of the customization options. Any custom specifications can be done on the aluminum tank heads. However, this will need to be clarified in detail with a professional salesperson.

Drawings of the custom aluminum tank heads are also warmly welcome.

Yes, the aluminum tank heads can be used for applications that involve high levels of pressure.

Specifically, the aluminum hemispherical tank heads are ideal to use for high-pressure applications.

The aluminum tank heads are suitable for any type of pressure from low-pressure, moderate pressure, to high-pressure applications.

The aluminum tank head comes in many different diameters.

However, its diameter commonly ranges from 89 mm up to 10000 mm.

The aluminum tank heads come in a wide array of thicknesses.

But typically, their thickness ranges from 2 mm up to 300 mm thick. Custom thickness is also available.

The aluminum tank heads have a lot of usage.

They can be used on:

• Silos
• Truck tanks
• Pressure vessels
• Boiler tanks
• Heat exchanger tanks
• LPG tanks
• LNG tanks
• Fire pit
• Gas storage tanks
• Driving cylinders
• Hydrogen storage tanks
• Distillation towers
• Tank reactors
• Water storage tanks
• Hyperbaric chambers

When choosing an aluminum tank head, the most important details to consider includes:

• Tolerance
• Material thickness
• Diameter
• Radius

The standard aluminum tank heads are also a great choice for any type of tank and vessel. However, there is one notable advantage of custom aluminum tank heads.

The great advantage of the custom aluminum tank heads over standard aluminum tank heads is that they will surely fit in your specific applications.

The custom aluminum tank heads will surely fit since they can be produced based on your exact specifications.

Since they will fit, it will reduce your effort and time going back and forth, unlike the standard aluminum tank heads.

There are a lot of surface treatments and finishing options that can be done on aluminum tank heads.

Some of the suitable surface treatments and finishing options are:

• Sand Blasting
• Powder Coating
• Painting
• Anodizing
• Polishing
• Pickling finish
• Chrome Plating
• Zinc plating
• Laser engraving
• Descaling
• Transparent oil treatment
• Intermediate stage heat treatment
• Final stage heat treatment

The aluminum tank heads are available in many different head types.

Below are some of the head types or shapes of the aluminum tank heads.

1. Hemispherical Head

The aluminum tank head that has a hemispherical shape is able to bear a higher pressure. Its dish radius is equal to half of its diameter.

As a result, it is usually used in high-pressures and large diameter applications.

The aluminum hemispherical tank head can withstand up to twice the pressure rating of a cylindrical shell or elliptical dished head with the same diameter and thickness.

This type of aluminum tank head is the most expensive to produce. Also, among the 3 shapes, this is the most efficient shape for pressurized storage tanks.

1. Semi Ellipsoidal Head

The semi ellipsoidal is also known as semi or semi elliptical. The aluminum semi ellipsoidal tank head has a bigger blank size and deeper dish. As the name implies, it has an elliptical form.

Because of that, it has a higher expense for forming and for the materials. Also, it can resist more pressure than the Torispherical head for the same thickness and diameter.

The aluminum semi ellipsoidal tank head comes in various ratios. But the commonly used ratio of it is 2:1. This means that the width of the ellipse is double the depth. Also, the width of the head can be four times the depth of the head.

1. Torispherical (Tori) Head or Flange and Dished Head

The aluminum torispherical tank head is also known as flange and dished tank head. It has a fixed radius dish. Also, its transition among the disk and the cylinder and its knuckle has a toroidal shape.

It needs to be thicker than its corresponding cylinder. It is typically used in applications where overall height is needed and the pressure is moderate.

The aluminum torispherical tank head has a greater radial section for pressure distribution. As a result, it is able to resist maximum pressure yet at a lower pressure than the ellipsoidal heads.

Because of that, it is less economical than the ellipsoidal tank heads. However, it is also more commonly used because it requires less time in forming, unlike the ellipsoidal tank heads. It is also commonly used due to its simplicity.

The aluminum torispherical tank head comes in 2 different types such as:

• Klopper Head

The klopper tank head is also known as the decimal tank head. It has a dish radius that is the same to the cylinder’s diameter.

Also, it has a knuckle radius that is equivalent to 10% of the diameter of the pressure cylinder.

• Korbbogen Head

The korbbogen tank head has a dish radius that is 80% of the diameter of the cylinder.

1. Flat Head

The flat head is the most basic shape of the head. This type of head is not as used as other shapes since it has less capacity for pressure resistance. Also, it has a smaller radial section available for pressure distribution.

The flat aluminum tank heads are commonly used in processes that need a flat interior surface.

The flat tank heads are made up of a toroidal knuckle that is attached to a flat plate.

1. Conical Head

As the name implies, the aluminum conical tank head has a cone shape. Also, it has a tapered surface on its housing.

The aluminum conical tank head enables the removal and accumulation of solids at the bottom of its head.

Also, its conical sections are formed using the same rolling equipment used to roll the cylindrical shells.

The aluminum conical tank head is commonly used in process equipment such as spray driers, settling tanks, evaporators, crystallizers, and more.

When the aluminum tank head has poorer quality than expected, the pressure vessel or tank might fail while in service. That could lead to an explosion, injury, or even death.

The Non-ASME aluminum tank heads come in a wide range of options such as:

• Shallow Flanged and Dished Aluminum Tank Head
• Standard Flanged and Dished Aluminum Tank Head
• Reversed Flanged and Dished Aluminum Tank Head
• Aluminum Tank Head (Flanged Only)
• Aluminum Tank Head (Dished Only)
• Aluminum Conical Tank Head
• Dished and Flared Aluminum Tank Head
• Custom Aluminum Tank Heads are available as per customers’ request

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers or ASME certified aluminum tank heads have a lot of types such as:

• ASME Flanged and Dished Aluminum Tank Heads
• 2:1 Elliptical Aluminum Tank Heads
• 80:10 Elliptical Aluminum Tank Heads
• 80:6 Elliptical Aluminum Tank Heads
• Aluminum Hemispherical Tank Heads
• Aluminum Toriconical Tank Heads
• High Crown Flanged and Dished Aluminum Tank Heads

The aluminum tank heads can be produced in many ways.

The common methods of producing the aluminum tank head include:

• Hot and Cold Forming

There are a lot of types of hot and cold forming processes such as:

Cold Press Forming

At room temperature, the fully-automated press machine uses stamping dies to apply pressure on the head plates. It will be pressed until it forms into the size and shape that we want.

In cold press forming, it is possible to form the head plate with an internal diameter that ranges from 200 mm up to 3200 mm. It can also produce aluminum tank heads that are about 28 mm thick.

Cold Spinning Forming

The cold spinning process is a plate forming process that saves a lot of money on stamping molds.

This process is commonly used to produce non-standard and medium-sized head tanks with large diameters.

In the cold spinning process, the spinning machine will transfer the points of application by spinning the metal head plates. It can transfer a certain local point to a whole place surface. And at the same time, pressure is applied to the head plate. As a result, it will flow and deform in a specific direction.

Before the cold spinning process, the aluminum head tanks usually undergo a pre-shaping process, except for flanged-only tank heads.

Hot Spinning Forming

The hot spinning forming process is used to manufacture tank heads that have plate thicknesses of about 80 mm. It can also produce an aluminum tank head that has an internal diameter that ranges from 600 mm up to 7000 mm.

In comparison to the hot stamping process, the hot spinning forming is better when it comes to producing tank heads with a wide variety of head diameters.

Also, this process is used to manufacture non-standard tank heads for pressure vessel tanks.

Hot Pressing Process

The hot pressing process is suitable to use for producing thick aluminum tank heads. It can produce aluminum tank head with a thickness of about 8 inches.

It can also produce an aluminum tank head that has 192 inches of inner diameter.

• Deep Drawing

The deep drawing process is the ideal process for repeating pressed heads since the tools are adjusted for each size. So, the operating expenses will be estimated on the serial production of the aluminum tank heads.

The deep drawing process works by forming the metal blanks into irregular or geometrical shapes that are deeper than half their diameters.

This process includes stretching the metal blanks around with a plug. Then, the metal blank will be placed into a molding cutter known as a die.

The final shape of the metal blank will depend on the final position in which they are pushed down.

• Metal Spinning

Metal spinning is a type of machining that produces axially symmetrical and high-performance parts. It is also a cold working process.

This process works by transforming the flat metal disc into any shape. It will be transformed by rotating and forming it into a mandrel.

After that, it will be clamped to a lathe and it will create a round shape.

The metal spinning has some benefits such as:

• High-quality construction – They can produce seamless, weldless, smooth, and durable aluminum tank heads.
• Maximum design versatility – They can easily transform metals into any design.
• Lower cost – Compared to other forming methods, they are 10% of the cost.
• Shorter lead times
• Dishing and Flanging Method

This type of method is widely used around the world. It is a versatile method of processing since it is able to produce a large number of plate thickness, quality, and diameters.

When using this method, two types of machines will be used such as:

• drum pressing machine
• flanging machine

The dishing and flanging method can form the aluminum tank heads into any shapes such as:

• Conical
• Flat
• Semielliptical
• Torispherical
• Ellipsoidal
• Standard

This method works by cutting the flat plate into a circular shape using laser, shear, or other tools. After that, it will be formed under a dishing press.

The dishing press is fitted with a die set that is shaped with different radii. So, it will produce different sorts of diameters and dished ends.

The dishing process usually takes a lot of time depending on the material and plate dimensions. However, the production output of dishing process will increase by using a double-speed press.

After the dishing process, the next step is the flanging process. This process is needed to complete the aluminum tank heads.

The flanging process forms the edge. It will enable the dished end to be welded to the body of the tank so it will handle the pressure inside.

During the flanging process, the edge of the plate will be formed by a flanging roll that is moving against each other. The flanging rolls will turn and then bend the material at the required radius.

The dished end tank heads can be flanged with a center hole or without.

• Hydroforming Process

The hydroforming is an efficient, fast, and low-cost process of metal forming. It can produce structurally strong components with a very little material waste.

It is the chosen process for shaping intricate components out of ductile metals such as aluminum. Also, it is a great alternative to traditional methods such as metal stamping and welding.

The hydroforming process is forming metal components using pressurized hydraulic fluids.

A flat metal disc will be placed on a mandrel that is mechanically driven. Then, the hydraulic fluid or oil will be pumped into the chamber that is at the back of the rubber diaphragm. The rubber diaphragm acts as a counterpressure to the mandrel.

As a result, the metal will draw until it takes the mandrel’s shape. After that, the metal that is in its formed state can be detached from the mandrel.

The hydroforming process offers some benefits such as:

1. Because the hydroforming process only requires a single tooling, the changes to the mold design is fast, such as a few days, are even possible.
2. It has easy access to resources. That is because the pressure that forms the metal is using water. And water is inexpensive and abundant.
3. It will lower your overall costs and time of designing and producing the mold since it uses a single form of surface tooling.
4. Its material wastage can go down from 50% up to 70%.
5. It has a high-quality surface finishing since it is forming process uses water, not steel dies.
6. It has the flexibility in forming shapes. It can form many different shapes such as oval, circular, elliptical, and even complex shapes can be formed.

The most effective method to use for producing polycentric and oval dished end tank heads is the hydroforming process and an accurate CNC measuring laser.

That process is used for an effective plate handling system and dished end depth control.

Some aluminum tank heads that have 10 inches of depth and diameters up to 20 inches or more are produced using the hydroforming process.

7. Segment Process

The segmenting process is commonly used for cold processing. This process is only optional and used under some special situations.

When there are products that are made using spinning or stamping equipment, the segment process is recommended.

8. Joggling Process

The joggling is a special type of processing the edge of the aluminum tank heads.

Moreover, after producing the aluminum tank heads, they can be processed with optional processes such as:

• High-end surface treatment such as sand blasting, powder coating, and more
• Weld preparations such as bevel, taper, and land

The aluminum tank heads have a lot of advantages.

As an example, when it is exposed to air and oxidant aqueous solution form of media, its surface will develop a thick aluminum oxide passive film. Because of that, it has a great anticorrosive performance in the oxidant aqueous solution medium.

Also, at low temperatures, the aluminum tank heads will not change their plasticity, unlike those tank heads that are made of ferrous metals.

Some aluminum tank heads can bear low temperatures at about -269°C.

So, they are great to use for applications that have an extremely low temperature.

Purchasing a low-quality aluminum dished end tank head may have bad effects such as:

1. A low-quality aluminum head tank is not recognizable until it is really in service. However, a low-quality aluminum head tank may have cracks on it that no one can see.
2. A low-quality aluminum head tank might not fit the tank, barrel, or vessels.
3. The dished end of the low-quality aluminum dished end head tank might fail. That will lead to an explosion, injury, or even worse, death.

The aluminum tank heads are manufactured in a wide variety of types to meet the needs of different applications.

These are some examples:

1. Aluminum Dished Tank Heads

The aluminum dished tank head does not have the flanged feature that wraps around tank head circumference.

This type of aluminum tank head is typically used for vacuum chambers, pressure vessel reinforcement, storage tank roofs, and many more.

2. Aluminum Elliptical Tank Heads

Usually, the aluminum tank heads are characterized by the size of their knuckle radius or dish radius. The aluminum elliptical tank heads, on the other hand, are classified based on what is their shape.

The aluminum elliptical tank heads have a dome shape that is deeper. Due to that, they can accommodate more volume.

Moreover, the aluminum elliptical tank heads comply with ASME to ensure product quality and safety.

3. Standard Aluminum Flanged Tank Heads

The standard aluminum flanged tank heads have a simple design that makes them easy to use in the factory or on the job site. Their knuckle radius is smaller than most ASME aluminum flanged tank heads.

Moreover, the aluminum flanged tank heads have diameters that range from 14 inches up to 300 inches.

Also, the standard aluminum flanged tank heads are a less expensive option than ASME aluminum flanged tank heads.

4. ASME Aluminum Flanged Tank Heads

The ASME aluminum flanged tank head complies with and exceeds the ASME or American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ regulatory standards.

They are commonly used in tandem with ASME-regulated tanks.

All of the ASME aluminum flanged tank head has a knuckle radius or flanged edge that matches with the main tank body’s cylindrical shape.

5. Aluminum Flared and Dished Tank Heads

The aluminum flared and dished tank heads are dished and then flanged so its outside circumference will be straightened.

The flare together with the hinges and bolts, are used to connect the tank and the tank head. Whereas the aluminum flared and dished tank head are only used for non-code applications.

They offer versatility that other head types can’t offer. They offer versatility for cleaning, product removal, tank entry, and more.

Usually, the diameter of the aluminum flared and dished tank head ranges from 18 inches up to 144 inches.

Moreover, the aluminum flared and dished tank head can be used as baffles in tank trailers to compartmentalize them.

6. Aluminum Shallow Flanged and Dished Tank Head

The dish radius of the aluminum shallow flanged and dished tank head is smaller than the types of aluminum tank heads. The radius of its dish is 150% of its diameter.

As a result, you can save space and money on the overall length and height of the tank. Also, the pressure rating of the aluminum tank head will be reduced. This makes them not suitable for ASME code applications.

The aluminum shallow flanged and dished tank head is commonly used for non-code applications and atmospheric to low-pressure applications.

The diameter of the aluminum shallow flanged and dished tank head usually ranges from 14 inches up to 260 inches.

Moreover, they are less expensive than similar tank head types while maintaining the same high quality.

7. 80:10 Aluminum Flanged & Dished Tank Head

When compared to ASME tank heads, the aluminum 80:10 flanged and dished tank head also meets the ASME code requirements whilst also increasing the volume.

This type of aluminum tank head has an 80:10 ratio since the diameter of its dish radius is 80%. And its knuckle radius is 10%.

The aluminum 80:10 flanged and dished tank head is suitable to use as an alternative to 2:1 aluminum elliptical tank head. They are also less expensive than them.

Moreover, the aluminum 80:10 flanged and dished tank heads are commonly used for moderate to high pressure applications.

8. Aluminum Flanged & Reverse Dished Tank Head

Among many types of tank head shapes, the shape of the aluminum flanged and reverse dished tank heads are the most distinctive.

The aluminum flanged and reverse dished tank heads are sometimes used as an alternative method of drainage in processing vessels. They are used to enable product drainage from the tank.

Also, they are suitable to use in creative and unique applications, including meat processing carousels.

The aluminum flanged and reverse dished tank head is very useful in atmospheric to low pressure applications.

Also, their volume is less than other types of tank heads with the same diameter.

9. 2:1 Aluminum Elliptical Flanged & Dished Tank Head

This type of aluminum tank head is ASME compliant.

The 2:1 aluminum elliptical tank head is usually made with a specific shape rather than a specific knuckle and dish radius.

Its knuckle radius is about 17% of its diameter. And its dish radius is about 90% of its diameter.

The 2:1 aluminum elliptical tank head is suitable for medium to high pressure applications. They also have more volume than other shapes of aluminum head tanks with the same diameter.

10. ASME Aluminum Flanged & Dished Tank Head

The ASME aluminum flanged & dished tank head is the most cost-effective type of ASME compliant tank head.

They are commonly used in many different processing industries. The ASME aluminum flanged & dished tank heads are used since quality and safety are the greatest priority in those industries.

Also, the ASME aluminum flanged & dished tank heads are inspected by an ASME authorized inspector for compliance.

These are some of the examinations and tests that can be done on the aluminum tank heads:

1. Ultrasonic Testing of welds, materials, and more
2. Liquid Penetrant Examination
3. Magnet Particle Examination
4. Hardness Testing
5. Charpy Impact Testing
6. Weld X-ray Testing
7. Salt Spray Testing
8. Eddy Current or Electromagnetic Testing
9. Time of Flight Diffraction or TOFD Testing
10. 100% Radiography Testing of the weld seams
11. Inspection under a variety of Third party Inspection Agencies
12. NDT or Non-Destructive Testing such as Dye Penetrant Test, Radiographic Testing, Magnetic Particle Inspection, and many more. These tests can be done after the forming process.
13. NDT such as 100% Dye Penetrant Test, Radiography Testing of the weld joints, and others.
14. Raw Material Testing
15. Testing Using 3D Coordinate Measuring Machine, Flaw Detector, 2.5D Projector, Spectrometer, and more

Destructive testing, non-destructive testing, and other testing are available as per customers’ requests.