Armor-Clad is most commonly used to drain water from the floating roof of an aboveground storage tank (AST). Armor-Clad is also used in flexible skimmer systems (used to drain a light liquid product from a tank) and foam delivery systems (used to distribute foam around the storage tank's rim area).

Armor Clad features a single coil, repeating lay pattern and smooth internal fluidway. Armor-Clad is available in specifications to meet 70% & 100% compatibility with aromatic storage products. Armor-Clad is available in specifications to meet extreme temperatures.

Armor-Clad assemblies can be trusted to operate in the storage tank for up to 20 years of service. Life expectancy of all drains is dependent on the product in tank throughout the service life and are within parameters of design specifications.

Armor-Clad has a smooth inner wall (non turbulent) and no swivel joints to ensure optimum flow rates. Armor-Clad boasts the highest gallons per minute (GPM) rate of any drain available. Other articulating designs have elbows at every joint. Each elbow introduces 7-10 feet of additional hard piping to flow calculations. Still other designs include interior corrugation, which restricts flow. These other designs include space for build-up of abrasive compactable dust (fine sand) from the floating roof. These systems cannot remove as much water in GPM as the Mesa designs.

Armor-Clad features compression sealed end fittings to provide non-leaking couplings at each end of the assembly. Articulating rigid pipe systems have fittings on each side of the pivot. On a typical 48 ft tall tank, an articulating design will incorporate 10 flanges, thus 10 potential leaks.

Armor-Clad features negative buoyancy in all storage tank products. External ballast may be necessary on the Armor-Clad to ensure negative buoyancy. Armor-Clad is available in specifications for 100% aromatic compatibility on the interior and exterior of the assembly. It will not slide on the tank floor as the roof raises or lowers. Armor-Clad can be ordered in any length--no restrictions on the length of the assembly. The assembly can be used without hard piping if desired. Armor-Clad will connect sump to shell nozzle without rigid piping. Armor-Clad is not susceptible to internal PSI pressures as are non-reinforced visco-elastic nylon covers that are limited to 60 PSI internal pressures. Armor-Clad is recommended for maximum working pressures up to 150 PSI.

Standard Armor-Clad specifications operate in temperatures ranging from -40° to 180°F. Armor-Clad suffers no damage from freezing and is available in high temperature specifications. Optional Armor-Clad specifications allow the drain system to operate in temperatures up to 300ºF. All of Mesa Rubber designs are cold weather tested and certified. All are capable of freezing solid without damage to the units. Even the Resist-All-Clad design, which requires hard piping in its design, can be fitted with straight sections of flexible pipe in lieu of hard piping to ensure cold weather compatibility. Articulating rigid pipe systems are susceptible to freezing and bursting due to the expansion of water when it freezes.

Armor-Clad roof drains will never “manipulate” the floating roof. Being a flexible design, the Mesa system will move with the roof, allowing the roof to move as it will without putting undue pressure on the roof, roof drain, or shell connection.

Articulating rigid pipe systems work in a scissor design. In order for these to work properly, the floating roof must actuate in a vertical only altitude. Any side movement, such as rotation about the gauge pole or simple lateral movement at the seals will cause the pivots to bind and gaul resulting in premature failure. Also, if the pipe lengths used in conjunction with the articulating designs are not precisely fitted properly, the scissor design will be affected. This can result in the roof being shifted to one side causing larger than normal rim spaces at the seal on one side and smaller than normal at the other, which could put the seals out of air quality seal compliances. It can also cause excessive pressures on the floating roof and the shell nozzles. The articulating roof drains in these instances are manipulating the roof where, in the case of Mesa’s flexible system, the roof manipulates the roof drain.

If the hard piping on a Mesa design does not line up correctly linearly, the flexibility will compensate. The installation of Mesa designs is much less critical and time consuming to install. It is very forgiving for irregularities in the tank.   

Armor-Clad's smooth bore with no short radius elbows yields higher flow rates for any given bore size. Armor-Clad's torsionally elastic conduit ensures consistent lay down pattern with a single coil. Armor-Clad does not skid on the tank floor. Armor-Clad is available in 100% chemical tolerance--inside and outside. Stainless steel fittings are optional.  Armor-Clad is not susceptible to damage from internal abrasive contamination or lateral roof movement.

Armor-Clad features a stainless steel exterior "armor" for protection during installation and service. This protective exterior has a low coefficient of friction.

Armor-Clad has been a proven drain solution for over 30 years. Armor-Clad is designed for specific applications, including roof drains, skimmers and foam systems, and is not an afterthought.

Armor-Clad is Made in the USA.