PEI Class 7 Test key terms

Any method or combination of methods used to determine whether a regulated substance has escaped from a storage tank system into the surrounding environment or interstitial space.

A barrier, such as a double wall, liner, or dike, placed outside the primary container so that a leak is held and detected rather than released to soil or groundwater.

The gap between the inner and outer walls of a double-walled tank, pipe, or sump, monitored to reveal a leak in either wall before product reaches the environment.

A release detection method that checks the space between primary and secondary containment for liquid or vapor, using sensors, vacuum, pressure, or manual observation.

A liquid-tight basin installed below grade around tank fill, gauge, or dispenser connections to catch spills and leaks and allow inspection of the fittings inside it.

A container fitted at the fill opening of a tank to catch product that drips or overflows during delivery, keeping it out of the sump and soil.

A probe placed in a containment sump or spill bucket that detects the presence of liquid or product vapor and signals an alarm to the monitoring panel.

A device that responds to the physical presence of liquid, often by change in conductivity or float position, and is used in sumps, interstitial spaces, and dispenser pans.

A cased borehole screened in groundwater near a tank system, sampled or fitted with probes to detect dissolved product or floating product migrating from a release.

A release detection method in which wells are installed and sampled on a set schedule to detect contamination of the water table beneath or downgradient of a tank site.

Release detection that measures product vapor in the soil or in a monitoring well, used where the stored substance is volatile enough to produce a detectable signal.

A release detection method that reconciles measured product deliveries, sales, and tank contents over time, sometimes with automatic tank gauging, to reveal unexplained losses.

An electronic system that continuously measures product level and temperature in a tank, performs leak tests during quiet periods, and can generate inventory and alarm reports.

A controlled procedure that pressurizes or otherwise stresses a tank and its connected piping to show whether it holds product without measurable loss over a specified period.

A test of the product piping alone, isolating it from the tank, to confirm that the line does not leak under the specified pressure or vacuum and time conditions.

A piping system in which the pump pushes product under positive pressure from the tank to the dispenser, requiring leak detection and often line leak detectors.

A piping arrangement in which product is drawn from the tank by a dispenser pump or a suction pump, so a line leak tends to admit air rather than release product.

A device on pressurized product piping that senses a loss of pressure or flow and shuts down or alarms when the line leaks, often with a slow-leak test mode.

Equipment or practice that stops a delivery before a tank is filled beyond a safe level, such as an automatic shutoff valve, ball float valve, or alarm.

A device in the fill line that restricts or stops flow when the tank reaches a set level, preventing overfill during a delivery.

A float-operated valve installed at the tank top or in the fill line that closes as product rises, limiting the fill level to prevent overfilling.

The pipe through which product is delivered into a tank, terminating at the fill connection and typically fitted with a spill bucket and overfill prevention device.

Equipment and procedures that capture product vapors displaced during delivery or dispensing and return them to the tank or a processing unit instead of releasing them to air.

A system that captures vapors displaced from a tank during product delivery and routes them back to the delivery truck rather than venting them to the atmosphere.

A system at the dispenser that captures vapors displaced from a vehicle tank during refueling and returns them to the storage tank instead of releasing them.

A pipe that allows air and vapor to move in and out of a tank as product levels change, keeping pressure within safe limits and often fitted with a pressure-vacuum vent.

A device on a tank vent that opens at set pressures to relieve excess internal pressure or vacuum while normally keeping the tank closed to the atmosphere.

The routine movement of air and vapor through a tank vent as product is added or withdrawn, keeping internal pressure near atmospheric without activating emergency relief.

Relief capacity sized to release pressure from a tank exposed to fire or other abnormal heat, preventing rupture of the tank shell or fittings.

A technique that applies a small electrical current or sacrificial anodes to a buried steel tank or piping so corrosion of the metal surface is suppressed.

A metal, usually magnesium or zinc, installed to corrode in place of a steel tank, protecting the tank from corrosion until the anode is consumed.

A cathodic protection method that uses an external power source and inert anodes to drive protective current to a buried tank or pipeline.

Measures taken during delivery, maintenance, and operation, such as spill buckets, careful filling, and drip control, to keep product from reaching the ground or water.

The required notification to the appropriate regulatory agency when a leak or spill is confirmed or suspected, usually within a set time and with specified details.

The investigation and cleanup steps taken after a confirmed release, including site assessment, free-product removal, soil or groundwater remediation, and monitoring.

The requirement that an owner or operator demonstrate the ability to pay for cleanup and third-party damages from a release, through insurance, guarantees, or other approved means.

Required instruction and assessment for people who operate tank systems, covering release detection, spill prevention, overfill prevention, and emergency response duties.

The status of a tank system taken out of service for a limited period, during which it must be kept empty or otherwise protected and later tested before being returned to service.

The process of removing a tank from service for good, by removal or by filling with an inert solid, after cleaning and documenting the work.