Vacuum leak monitoring for double-walled storage tanks

Maximum environmental and plant safety for double-walled tank containers

When handling water-polluting substances such as diesel, gasoline, or kerosene, plant safety allows no compromises. Vacuum leak monitoring is currently considered the most reliable method for detecting leaks in tank systems early and accurately.

As an internationally operating tank manufacturer, Krampitz Tanksystem GmbH consistently relies on this system. Unlike simple liquid detectors, vacuum-based monitoring offers the highest level of prevention. It proactively prevents fuels from leaking unnoticed into the environment or water from penetrating the stored medium.

Function of the vacuum leak detector:

This is how the principle of negative pressure works

The technical foundation of all Krampitz tank systems is a double-walled structure made of robust steel. A second inner wall is welded in front of the load-bearing outer wall at a precise, small distance. The resulting space is used as a monitoring chamber.

Vacuum leak detector instead of liquid detector

The exact function of the vacuum leak detector is based on a permanent, artificially generated vacuum:

Vacuum generation: An integrated vacuum pump extracts the air from the monitoring chamber until a defined operating pressure is reached.
Permanent monitoring: The measuring unit continuously monitors this condition.
Alarm in case of pressure drop: If a leak occurs in the outer or inner wall, air or fluid flows in. The vacuum breaks down. The system immediately registers the pressure drop and triggers a visual and audible alarm.

Krampitz - Function vacuum leak detector

Vacuum leak detector instead of liquid detector:

Why this system is superior

Various methods for damage detection exist on the market. However, a direct comparison reveals significant differences in reliability. An electronic vacuum leak detector offers significant advantages over conventional liquid leak detectors:

100% detection rate: While liquid detectors often only react when considerable amounts of fuel have already leaked out, vacuum monitoring immediately sounds an alarm at the slightest leak.
Intrinsic safety of the system: The system is self-monitoring. A defect in the leak detector or an interruption in the suction line automatically triggers a fault message.
Double-sided protection: The tightness of both the inner tank (protection against fuel loss) and the outer tank (protection against ingress of groundwater or rain) is monitored simultaneously and around the clock.

A detailed comparison of the two methods can be found in the article "Vacuum Leak Detectors Instead of Liquid Detectors" on our website.

Integration into Krampitz systems:

From storage tank to container filling station

Krampitz seamlessly integrates vacuum technology into its entire product portfolio. Both stationary storage tank containers and fully equipped, turnkey container filling stations come standard with this legally mandated safety equipment.

Depending on the intended use and infrastructure, different system components are used:

Electronic leak detectors (e.g. type LAZ-04/1): These devices generate a constant, active vacuum. They are designed for double-walled tanks with a fixed 230 V mains connection and offer potential-free contacts for direct connection to higher-level building management systems or PLC central controllers.
Static leak detector: For self-sufficient tank systems or transport modules without a permanent power connection, the vacuum in the monitoring chamber is created once using an external pump and locked to prevent vacuum damage. A mechanical indicator visualizes the safe operating status on site.

Each installed leak detection device is protected and easily accessible in a specially designed, lockable functional niche on the front of the tank container.

Vacuum leak detector AE-354.1 Vacuum leak detector AE-350-B Vacuum leak detector AE-350-A Vacuum leak detector AE-350

Environmental protection and legal certainty according to AwSV

In Germany, the construction and operation of tank systems are subject to the strict regulations of the Ordinance on Installations for Handling Substances Hazardous to Water (AwSV). Thanks to Krampitz's comprehensive tank container safety concept , based on double-walled steel and certified vacuum monitoring, operators fully comply with all legal environmental requirements.

Since the double barrier and continuous monitoring physically prevent fuel leakage, the complex and expensive construction of separate concrete containment basins is unnecessary for above-ground installations. This accelerates the permitting process and drastically reduces site development costs.