Structural Optimisation of 10ft Solids Removal TANK

Image of containerised water solids removal tank. Steel frame is blue with steel safety rails on top

🧩 Project Overview

OSSO is a leading integrated rental company specialising in separation, fluid treatment, mud temperature control, and heat exchangers. Their focus is on reducing the environmental impact of client projects while ensuring operations run smoothly, safely, and in full compliance.

To support these goals, OSSO approached PKJ Engineering to optimise their existing 10ft Solids Removal Tank (SRT). The objective: significantly reduce the weight of the tank to lower material usage and manufacturing cost - without compromising its performance or structural integrity across multiple lifting scenarios.

🚧 The Challenge

The original design of the SRT was fully functional but over-engineered for its intended use. OSSO needed the tank to remain operational under several onshore lifting and usage scenarios, including:

Hydro-static pressure loads
Single-point top lifting
Two-point base lifting
Forklift pocket lifting

Any redesign had to maintain form, fit, and function across all these cases - with no impact on operational performance.

🔍 Our Solution

PKJ Engineering was given full scope to carry out advanced non-linear Finite Element Analysis (FEA) on the container. Our approach included:

3D CAD modelling and FEA setup
Simulating complex load combinations
Identifying high and low stress regions
Proposing material reduction in low-stress areas
Validating performance under each load case

The result was a lighter, smarter design with no compromise on safety or usability.

📉 Results

The optimisation process led to a significant weight reduction:

Initial Weight: 3048.1 kg
Final Weight: 2314.3 kg
Weight Saved: 733.8 kg (27.37% reduction)

This not only reduced material and production costs but also made transportation and handling of the unit more efficient.

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