Product - Patriot - Elliptical There are three main issues affecting tankers for fire suppression: Safety response time cost Elliptical, or round tanks are used commercially for hauling bulk liquids on the highways. The elliptical design make it the best way to build a tank capable of holding pressure and the safest way to transport liquid fuels and chemicals. Fire tankers are not pressurized vessels but they do benefit from the other characteristics of this design, especially strength. The baffles or swash partitions are a very important part of the design. They contribute to the strength of the tank and reduce the movement of the water while in motion, making these vehicles more manageable and safe on rural roads. The tanks built for U S Tanker by UPF use full head baffles, which cover the full cross section for strength and stability. They are fully welded around the circumference. Holes are cut into the baffles to allow the water to flow freely down the exit channel. In other words, full baffles provide the design with a great deal of strength, while still allowing the fire tanker to unload quickly and make its role in rural fire fighting more efficient. The design of our elliptical tank allows the use of thinner material for the sidewalls resulting in a lighter tank - which translates to faster travel and better handling. The advantage of this for the fire department is that you can either carry more water on a given GVWR truck or downsize the GVW rating and reduce the cost of the chassis. These options provide flexibility that rural fire departments require when re-equipping, by making the fire tenders more affordable or just to get more for your money. The effectiveness of tankers is measured by the speed with which they dump a load and return to replenish the water supply. A study done by the Illinois Fire Service Institute showed that, because of the sloped walls, an elliptical design the tank dumps it's load considerably faster than a square tank. U S Tanker insures that items such as vent/overflows are located out of the main waterway so they do not impede the water flow. The elliptical design tank that we feature for the Patriot class truck enables you to haul the water to the scene in a safe, fast and cost effective manner. For more information see the UPF website.