Inflatable Hatch Seal

OPW Engineered Systems developed the 7300IHS inflatable hatch seal, a new vapor recovery device for applications where loading is done through an open hatch. It provides a reliable means of sealing off different size and depth hatch openings on tank trucks and rail cars, preventing the release of vapors to the atmosphere. As the seal is inflated, it expands outward, centering itself and forming a tight seal against the inner wall of the hatch.

The new inflatable hatch seal has a number of advantages over other vapor recovery attachments:

• It fits around the inside perimeter of the hatch for a tighter seal than tapered hatch plugs can provide.

• It requires no downward force to achieve a seal, so it can be used accurately on scale equipped racks.

• Unlike flat plates, a single inflatable seal covers a wide range of hatch sizes.

The OPW inflatable hatch seal is effective in hatches from 15 to 24 inches in diameter with tank pressures up to 2 psig. It is available in EPDM and fluorosilicone for a wide range of chemical compatibility and can be used on loading arms or for conventional hose loading. The inflatable hatch seal requires only a supply of dry compressed air or nitrogen for operation.

The inflatable hatch seal comes complete with a pneumatics / nitrogen package that is preset at the factory for a maximum inflation pressure of 5 psig. The core assemblies for these units are customized with the pipe sizes, lengths, and connections required for each specific application. Stainless steel core construction and a stop bar are standard. An optional lockdown mechanism is also available.

OPW Engineered Systems, 2726 Henkle Drive, Lebanon, OH 45036. Phone: (800) 547-9393 or (513) 932-9114. Fax: (800) 245-8536 or (513) 932-9845.