How can waves in a water storage tank be prevented?

[wfjer]

Hi,
I need to find a solution to the following problem:

A 45000 bbls water storage tank has a 24" water inlet, the water that enters the tank is causing a lot of waves. These waves are causing damage to an oil skimmer float located in the surface of the water.

Our client wants to find a method to avoid these waves, any ideas?

 

[Danger]

Welcome to PF, Wfjer.
Does the inlet lie below or above the waterline? In other words, is the water splashing in from a height or causing subsurface turbulence?
I'm thinking along the line of a baffle system if the latter, or a flow-director if the former.

 

[Bob S]

Do the waves have any standing wave characteristics, meaning any relation to the diameter of the tank? The standing waves could be any combination of radial and azimuthal.

 

[FredGarvin]

Baffles.

 

[wfjer]

The tank has an horizontal 24" inlet at 4' from ground and the flow is 200000 BWPD.

@Bob S
I really not sure of the waves characteristics, but they are big enough to damage internal devices inside the tank.

 

[FredGarvin]

By your description, the inlet will set up some serious rotational flow in the tank. Can you modify the inlet pipe to the tank to have it take a 90° turn and direct at the bottom of the tank? It seems like you would also want to flare it out as much as possible to get the velocity down.