FLEX-ING™ Fiberglass Manways

A tank sump is only as useful as the hole above it. The FLEX-ING™ fiberglass manway is sized for Franklin's large tank sumps, so a technician can reach the pump, probe and fittings without fighting the frame. Franklin's datasheet gives a 43" inner diameter for the opening, and the whole unit, skirt included, is fiberglass, so there is no steel to rust in the wet ground around a tank.

The skirt is the distinctive part. It is 15" deep and runs down around the neck of the sump, then flares out to 47" at the base. That flare does two jobs: it moves surface water away from the sump opening, and it gives the surrounding concrete a larger bearing area, so more of the traffic load is carried by the slab instead of the cover. A reinforced fiberglass ring adds strength, and the rigid construction holds its shape as the ground moves.

The lid is a lightweight composite, built from layers of fiberglass and resin that thicken from 1" to 1¼" at the centre to limit deflection. One technician can lift it, yet it exceeds the H20 and HS20 load standards for forecourt traffic. The manway suits Franklin 42" and 48" fiberglass sumps and 45" polyethylene sumps. Apex specifies it with Franklin tank sumps on new Lebanese stations.