US20130213969A1 - Fuel tanks - Google Patents
Fuel tanks Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20130213969A1 US20130213969A1 US13/814,092 US201113814092A US2013213969A1 US 20130213969 A1 US20130213969 A1 US 20130213969A1 US 201113814092 A US201113814092 A US 201113814092A US 2013213969 A1 US2013213969 A1 US 2013213969A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- tank
- srs
- wall
- bunded
- outer walls
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D88/00—Large containers
- B65D88/74—Large containers having means for heating, cooling, aerating or other conditioning of contents
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K15/00—Arrangement in connection with fuel supply of combustion engines or other fuel consuming energy converters, e.g. fuel cells; Mounting or construction of fuel tanks
- B60K15/03—Fuel tanks
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D88/00—Large containers
- B65D88/02—Large containers rigid
- B65D88/12—Large containers rigid specially adapted for transport
- B65D88/128—Large containers rigid specially adapted for transport tank containers, i.e. containers provided with supporting devices for handling
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D90/00—Component parts, details or accessories for large containers
- B65D90/02—Wall construction
- B65D90/028—Wall construction hollow-walled, e.g. double-walled with spacers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K15/00—Arrangement in connection with fuel supply of combustion engines or other fuel consuming energy converters, e.g. fuel cells; Mounting or construction of fuel tanks
- B60K15/03—Fuel tanks
- B60K2015/03032—Manufacturing of fuel tanks
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T29/00—Metal working
- Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
- Y10T29/49826—Assembling or joining
Definitions
- the present invention relates to improvements in and relating to fuel tanks. More specifically to improvements in bunded fuel storage tanks.
- One requirement of fuel tanks is that they include an outer wall, or enclosure, to capture spillage in the event of rupture or leaking from an inner enclosure.
- This encapsulation is referred to in the industry as bunding. It should be understood that bunding does not involve complete encapsulation of an inner enclosure, rather the outer enclosure should be capable of capturing any spilt fluid.
- a bunded enclosure could comprise a single layer inner tank, around which is built a walled and open topped structure, such as a surrounding wall.
- the size and/or shape of a tank can be dictated by a number of different criteria depending upon where the tank is to be located, or whether it is to be built in situ, or transported to its final location.
- Tanks which require transporting are typically kept within the bounds of a standard shipping container's dimensions.
- the reason for this limitation is to allow both ease of transport on a standard container transport or (vessel or vehicle) and also to minimise costs.
- Transportation of freight is typically based on containerised rates, or the volumetric equivalence of a standard rectangular shipping crate.
- container width is standard across all lengths, at 8-ft (2.44 m).
- a bunded tank which includes inner and outer walls (“the walls”),
- inner and outer walls when the tank is viewed in transverse cross-section, define a substantially rectangular shape (SRS) wherein each inner or outer wall has an at least partially convex profile,
- inner and outer walls are arranged with respect to one another to create an inner tank and an outer tank.
- wall refers to a material layer or surface which forms a barrier.
- a wall may be configured as a continuous surface which may enclose a space.
- the inner and outer walls of the bunded tank may each respectively have a cross sectional profile which includes two lines of symmetry.
- the two lines of symmetry are a vertical line of symmetry and a horizontal line of symmetry.
- the outer tank shares at least one wall with the inner tank, therefore the respective symmetry of the inner and outer tank should be understood to each include the shared inner/outer wall.
- the inner and outer wall share a single line of symmetry which, in preferred embodiments, is a vertical line.
- Bunded tanks are known in the art of hazardous liquid storage as being any tank having a inner and an outer wall.
- the inner wall defines the area of the tank that contains the stored liquid.
- the outer wall provides redundancy in the event that the inner wall becomes damaged or otherwise fails to contain the liquid therein.
- the inner and outer walls are adjacent each other and may be in direct contact, or separated by a gap, or separated by insulation, between the inner and outer walls.
- the inner wall is formed from steel.
- the inner wall may be any suitably corrosion resistant material.
- the inner wall may be impervious to the fluid contained therein, but may provide no structural support, for example a bladder.
- the inner wall may be a coating on the inside of the outer wall.
- the inner wall is of a seamless construction.
- the inner wall may be identical in structure to the outer wall.
- the outer wall is formed from steel. In other embodiments the outer wall may be a composite material.
- the outer wall is made by way of one or more sections, such as:
- the SRS of the outer wall forming the bunded tank provides a single integrated structure capable of substantially maintaining its shape during transportation and storage of fluid therein.
- the SRS outer wall is substantially monocoque.
- the tank may include one or more plug welds or other joins between the inner and outer walls at one or more locations along the length of the tank. This is particularly advantageous for embodiments which are 12.2 m or greater in length.
- the plug welds prevent the inner walls from bulging under pressure and making contact with the outer walls.
- the end caps of the tank include a partial outwardly convex curved profile.
- the tank includes isoblock connectors or the like on the lower side of the tank.
- isoblock connectors or the like are located symmetrically on the bottom of the tank.
- isoblock connectors or the like are located on the upper side of the tank.
- the isoblock connectors are located on the outer corners of the tank. It will be appreciated that the isoblock connectors provide a connection point to which lifting chains or strops can be attached. A person skilled in the art would understand that the isoblock connection points will be positioned evenly about the centre of gravity of the tank; such that the tank is evenly supported when being lifted at the isoblock connection points.
- the isoblock connectors are located at the ends of the tank. However it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the isoblock connectors could be located at any position on the tank that allows balanced lifting of the tank.
- the tank includes one or more lower support members.
- lower support members are in the form of two parallel supports substantially running the length of the tank.
- the lower support members comprise a plurality of supports running in either a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction or a combination of longitudinal and transverse directions.
- the configuration of the lower support members should therefore not be seen as being limiting.
- the purpose of the lower support members is to distribute the weight of the tank and the tanks contents into a support platform such as the ground or a concrete slab. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that:
- the isoblock connectors may be integral with the lower support members.
- the isoblock connectors may be attached to the tank by way of support struts or the like.
- each inner or outer wall has an at least partially convex profile
- inner and outer walls are arranged with respect to one another to create an inner tank and an outer tank, the method including the steps of:
- the section of the inner tank that is enclosed by the outer SRS tube in method step f) comprises substantially three sides and both ends of the inner SRS tube.
- the method of constructing a fuel tank includes the further step j) wherein one or more apertures are cut through the section of the inner SRS tube that is not enclosed by the outer SRS tube. It is preferred not to cut through both the outer and inner SRS layers as this would result in introduction of a weakness in the bund. Therefore access to the tank contents is typically configured through access ports cut in the upper surface of the tank.
- the side of the inner SRS layer that is not enclosed by the outer SRS tube is the upper surface of the tank.
- the sheet material is steel.
- the sheets of steel are joined by welding.
- a bunded tank substantially as described above wherein the tank includes at least two longitudinally extending support structures on the underside of the floor region.
- FIG. 1 a an isometric drawing showing a bunded tank according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 1 b shows a transverse cross section of the bunded tank of FIG. 1 a
- FIG. 2 a an isometric drawing showing the inner wall middle section of the bunded tank shown in FIG. 1 a;
- FIG. 2 b an isometric drawing showing the inner wall end section of the bunded tank shown in FIG. 1 a;
- FIG. 2 c an isometric drawing showing the inner wall end cap of the bunded tank shown in FIG. 1 a;
- FIG. 3 a an isometric drawing showing the outer wall middle section of the bunded tank shown in FIG. 1 a;
- FIG. 3 b an isometric drawing showing the outer wall end section of the bunded tank shown in FIG. 1 a;
- FIG. 3 c an isometric drawing showing the outer wall end cap of the bunded tank shown in FIG. 1 a;
- FIG. 4 an isometric view of an inner tank of the bunded tank shown in FIG. 1 a;
- FIG. 5 an isometric view of an outer tank of the bunded tank of FIG. 1 a ;
- FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of a bunded tank.
- FIGS. 1 a , 1 b and 6 there is shown a bunded tank, as generally indicated by arrow 1 .
- the bunded tank 1 has an inner steel sheet wall 2 (of which only the top is visible) and an outer steel sheet wall 3 .
- the relationship of the inner wall 2 and the outer wall 3 are illustrated in the transverse cross-sectional profile of FIG. 1 b , wherein the inner wall 2 is enclosed by the outer wall 3 on substantially three sides.
- the uppermost surface 202 of the inner wall 2 forms both an inner wall 2 and at least a portion of an outer wall 3 of the tank.
- FIGS. 2 a - 2 c With respect to FIGS. 2 a - 2 c the various components which make up the inner wall 2 are shown.
- the inner wall 2 of the tank 1 has 3 SRS sections in the form of strakes, shown in FIGS. 2 a - 2 c which include:
- the inner wall 2 also includes two end caps 2 c.
- the orientation in which inner wall 2 , sections 2 a, 2 b and 2 c are connected together is shown in FIG. 4 . It will be appreciated that the inner wall 2 sections could be attached to one another in a number of ways without departing from the scope of the invention. However, in the embodiment shown the sections are welded together.
- the inner wall 2 of FIG. 4 also includes an access port in the top surface thereof over which is bolted a hatch plate 100 . Also visible shown in FIG. 4 are overhanging lips 101 found in inner wall end sections 2 b.
- FIGS. 3 a - 3 c the various components which make up one portion of the outer wall 3 are shown. It will be appreciated that the uppermost surface 202 of the inner wall 2 also forms part of the outer wall. However, for the purposes of clarity the outer wall is described only in terms of the components that only comprise outer walls.
- the outer wall 3 of the tank includes 3 SRS sections in the form of strakes, shown in FIGS. 3 a - 3 c which comprise:
- the outer wall 3 also includes two end caps 3 c.
- the manner in which outer wall 3 , sections 3 a and 3 b are connected together is shown in FIG. 5 . It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the open tub shape excluding the inner tank 2 as depicted in FIG. 5 would never exist in reality as the inner tank would always be located inside the outer tank 3 prior to completion of welding. It will be appreciated that the outer wall sections could be attached to one another in a number of ways without departing from the scope of the invention. However in the embodiment shown the sections are welded together.
- the upper most surface 202 of the inner wall 2 is welded to the outer wall 3 along the edges 201 of the open top of the tub shape shown in FIG. 5 .
- the inner tank 2 shown in FIG. 4 fits entirely within the outer open topped tank of FIG. 5 and welding in this manner effectively suspends the inner tank 2 within the outer tank 3 .
- This is illustrated in the transverse cross section of FIG. 1 b where a gap 200 can be seen between substantially 3 sides of the inner 2 and outer 3 walls of the tank 1 . Whilst not shown in the drawings, it will be appreciated that a similar gap will exist between the inner end wall 2 c and outer end wall 3 c of the tank.
- the inner end walls 2 c are spaced apart from the outer end walls 3 c, if an overhanging lip 101 , or the like, is not included a gap will be left at the top of the tank between the inner 2 c and outer 3 c end walls.
- the lips 101 both cover the gap that would otherwise be left and also provide a greater weld area by which to attach the inner 2 c and outer 3 c tanks.
- the body of the tank 1 is substantially rectangular in form, bounded by four distinct sides 4 , each opposed side 4 of the inner 2 and outer 3 walls is further defined by a partial convex curved profile 4 a. Adjacent sides 4 of the inner 2 and outer 3 walls are connected by rounded corners 4 b along adjacent edges 4 c of the partial convex curved profile 4 a.
- the tank 1 is constructed in a number of SRS tube sections. For the purposes of clarity, the tank 1 has been described in terms of one preferred length only, comprising 3 SRS tube sections. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the length of the tank 1 can be altered by using more or less of the SRS tube sections.
- the tank 1 also includes longitudinally extending support structures 7 welded to the bottom of the tank 1 .
- the longitudinally extending support structures 7 include integrated isoblock connection points 8 , of which only 3 are visible.
- FIG. 1 a shows an embodiment in which welded to the upper surface of the tank 1 are support struts 10 , into which upper isoblock connectors 9 , are integrated.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Sustainable Development (AREA)
- Sustainable Energy (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
Abstract
A bunded tank is provided which includes inner and outer walls, wherein the inner and outer walls, when the tank is viewed in transverse cross-section, define a substantially rectangular shape, wherein each inner and outer wall has an at least partially convex profile, wherein adjacent sides of the inner and outer walls are connected by rounded corners, and wherein the inner and outer walls are arranged with respect to one another to create an inner tank and an outer tank.
Description
- This application is based on the Provisional specification filed in relation to Australian Patent Application Number 2010903302, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
- The present invention relates to improvements in and relating to fuel tanks. More specifically to improvements in bunded fuel storage tanks.
- A large number of styles and configurations of fuel tanks exist. One requirement of fuel tanks is that they include an outer wall, or enclosure, to capture spillage in the event of rupture or leaking from an inner enclosure. This encapsulation is referred to in the industry as bunding. It should be understood that bunding does not involve complete encapsulation of an inner enclosure, rather the outer enclosure should be capable of capturing any spilt fluid. For example, a bunded enclosure could comprise a single layer inner tank, around which is built a walled and open topped structure, such as a surrounding wall.
- The size and/or shape of a tank can be dictated by a number of different criteria depending upon where the tank is to be located, or whether it is to be built in situ, or transported to its final location.
- Tanks which require transporting, whilst not restricted to any particular shape or configuration, are typically kept within the bounds of a standard shipping container's dimensions. The reason for this limitation is to allow both ease of transport on a standard container transport or (vessel or vehicle) and also to minimise costs. Transportation of freight is typically based on containerised rates, or the volumetric equivalence of a standard rectangular shipping crate. There are five common standard lengths of container, 20-ft (6.1 m), 40-ft (12.2 m), 45-ft (13.7 m), 48-ft (14.6 m), and 53-ft (16.2 m), container width is standard across all lengths, at 8-ft (2.44 m).
- In order to maintain structural integrity (rigidity) of a tank in:
-
- an empty form;
- a transport ready form; and
- a fully laden fuel storage state,
the fuel tank body is either shaped to provide the required structural integrity, or external or internal reinforcement is added to the tank to provide additional strength.
- Both methods of adding external, or internal, reinforcement and/or configuring the shape of the tank, result in significant loss in capacity of the tank. This can best be explained with reference to the following prior art tank embodiments.
- Rectangular Tanks with External or Internal Reinforcing:
- It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art of engineering that any weight applied to the centre of a flat sheet will result in a force acting to pull the sheet in on itself, or conversely bulge outward if the flat sided tank is subjected to an internal pressure such as from fuel stored therein. Due to these structural limitations, flat sided tanks require substantial reinforcing to provide the requisite strength. If the tank is limited to the dimensions of a containerised footprint, the dimensions of any external, or internal, reinforcing will subtract from the available capacity of the tank. A further disadvantage of flat walled fuel tanks is the tendency for water and debris to pool or collect on the top of the tank. This is undesirable as it can result in corrosion and premature failure of the tank, resulting in contamination and further cost.
- Round or Oval Tank Shapes:
- Both round and oval tanks provide substantial advantages over rectangular tanks in terms of structural integrity and also in the ability to naturally shed any water or debris from the tank. However these advantages come at the expense of capacity. Per unit volume a round tank is poor value when compared to rectangular tanks with respect to the same containerised volumetric area.
- All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country.
- Throughout this specification, the word “comprise”, or variations thereof such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.
- It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.
- Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.
- According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a bunded tank which includes inner and outer walls (“the walls”),
- wherein the inner and outer walls, when the tank is viewed in transverse cross-section, define a substantially rectangular shape (SRS) wherein each inner or outer wall has an at least partially convex profile,
- wherein adjacent sides of the inner and/or outer walls are connected by rounded corners, and
- wherein the inner and outer walls are arranged with respect to one another to create an inner tank and an outer tank.
- As used herein the term ‘wall’ refers to a material layer or surface which forms a barrier.
- A wall may be configured as a continuous surface which may enclose a space.
- Preferably the inner and outer walls of the bunded tank may each respectively have a cross sectional profile which includes two lines of symmetry.
- In especially preferred embodiments the two lines of symmetry are a vertical line of symmetry and a horizontal line of symmetry. It will be appreciated that the outer tank shares at least one wall with the inner tank, therefore the respective symmetry of the inner and outer tank should be understood to each include the shared inner/outer wall. Collectively the inner and outer wall share a single line of symmetry which, in preferred embodiments, is a vertical line.
- Bunded tanks are known in the art of hazardous liquid storage as being any tank having a inner and an outer wall. The inner wall defines the area of the tank that contains the stored liquid. The outer wall provides redundancy in the event that the inner wall becomes damaged or otherwise fails to contain the liquid therein. In the present invention the inner and outer walls are adjacent each other and may be in direct contact, or separated by a gap, or separated by insulation, between the inner and outer walls.
- In preferred embodiments the inner wall is formed from steel. However the inner wall may be any suitably corrosion resistant material.
- In some embodiments the inner wall may be impervious to the fluid contained therein, but may provide no structural support, for example a bladder.
- In some embodiments the inner wall may be a coating on the inside of the outer wall.
- In some preferred embodiments the inner wall is of a seamless construction.
- In other preferred embodiments the inner wall may be identical in structure to the outer wall.
- In preferred embodiments the outer wall is formed from steel. In other embodiments the outer wall may be a composite material.
- In preferred embodiments the outer wall is made by way of one or more sections, such as:
-
- at least one centre section; and
- at least two end cap sections.
- It will be appreciated that the SRS of the outer wall forming the bunded tank provides a single integrated structure capable of substantially maintaining its shape during transportation and storage of fluid therein.
- In preferred embodiments the SRS outer wall is substantially monocoque.
- In some preferred embodiments the tank may include one or more plug welds or other joins between the inner and outer walls at one or more locations along the length of the tank. This is particularly advantageous for embodiments which are 12.2 m or greater in length. The plug welds prevent the inner walls from bulging under pressure and making contact with the outer walls.
- In preferred embodiments the end caps of the tank include a partial outwardly convex curved profile.
- In preferred embodiments the tank includes isoblock connectors or the like on the lower side of the tank.
- In preferred embodiments the isoblock connectors or the like are located symmetrically on the bottom of the tank.
- In some preferred embodiments isoblock connectors or the like are located on the upper side of the tank.
- In preferred embodiments the isoblock connectors are located on the outer corners of the tank. It will be appreciated that the isoblock connectors provide a connection point to which lifting chains or strops can be attached. A person skilled in the art would understand that the isoblock connection points will be positioned evenly about the centre of gravity of the tank; such that the tank is evenly supported when being lifted at the isoblock connection points.
- In preferred embodiments the isoblock connectors are located at the ends of the tank. However it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the isoblock connectors could be located at any position on the tank that allows balanced lifting of the tank.
- In some preferred embodiments the tank includes one or more lower support members.
- In one preferred embodiment lower support members are in the form of two parallel supports substantially running the length of the tank.
- In some preferred embodiments the lower support members comprise a plurality of supports running in either a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction or a combination of longitudinal and transverse directions. The configuration of the lower support members should therefore not be seen as being limiting. The purpose of the lower support members is to distribute the weight of the tank and the tanks contents into a support platform such as the ground or a concrete slab. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that:
-
- the number of supports;
- the spacing of the supports; and
- the shape or configuration of the supports, will be defined by:
- the resiliency of the tank structure; and
- the resiliency of the support platform.
- In preferred embodiments the isoblock connectors may be integral with the lower support members.
- In other embodiments the isoblock connectors may be attached to the tank by way of support struts or the like.
- According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of constructing a bunded fuel tank having inner and outer walls,
- wherein each inner or outer wall has an at least partially convex profile; and
- wherein adjacent sides of the inner and/or outer walls are connected by rounded corners, and
- wherein the inner and outer walls are arranged with respect to one another to create an inner tank and an outer tank, the method including the steps of:
-
- a) pre-forming one or more standard sheets of material into one or more SRS sections for the inner walls;
- b) forming one or more standard sheets of material into end caps for the inner wall;
- c) pre-forming one or more standard sheets of material into one or more SRS sections for the outer wall;
- d) forming one or more standard sheets of material into end caps for the outer wall;
- e) joining the one or more SRS sections forming the inner wall together to form a single inner SRS tube;
- f) joining the one or more SRS sections forming the outer wall together to form a single outer SRS tube forming an enclosure about at least a section of the inner SRS tube;
- g) joining the end caps for the inner wall to the inner SRS tube;
- h) joining the end caps for the outer wall to the outer SRS tube; and
- i) joining the one or more lower support members and integrated isoblock connectors to the lower surface of the SRS tank.
- In preferred embodiments the section of the inner tank that is enclosed by the outer SRS tube in method step f) comprises substantially three sides and both ends of the inner SRS tube.
- In preferred embodiments the method of constructing a fuel tank includes the further step j) wherein one or more apertures are cut through the section of the inner SRS tube that is not enclosed by the outer SRS tube. It is preferred not to cut through both the outer and inner SRS layers as this would result in introduction of a weakness in the bund. Therefore access to the tank contents is typically configured through access ports cut in the upper surface of the tank.
- In preferred embodiments the side of the inner SRS layer that is not enclosed by the outer SRS tube is the upper surface of the tank.
- In preferred embodiments the sheet material is steel.
- In preferred embodiments the sheets of steel are joined by welding.
- According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a bunded tank substantially as described above wherein the tank includes at least two longitudinally extending support structures on the underside of the floor region.
- Preferred embodiments of the bunded tank substantially as described above may have one or more of the following advantages:
-
- the tank is self supporting whether it is filled, or not filled, with liquid;
- the tank is capable of having isoblock connection points attached to the top of the tank and upon the support structures which may allow the tanks to be more easily handled for shipping and transportation purposes;
- the dimensions and SRS of the tank provides comparable volumetric capacity to a standard shipping container;
- the configuration of the tank provides a high volume, aesthetic relocatable, fuel tank; and
- the tank may be permanently sited as the convex sides and top do not allow water and debris to collect on the tank.
- Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
-
FIG. 1 a an isometric drawing showing a bunded tank according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 1 b shows a transverse cross section of the bunded tank ofFIG. 1 a; -
FIG. 2 a an isometric drawing showing the inner wall middle section of the bunded tank shown inFIG. 1 a; -
FIG. 2 b an isometric drawing showing the inner wall end section of the bunded tank shown inFIG. 1 a; -
FIG. 2 c an isometric drawing showing the inner wall end cap of the bunded tank shown inFIG. 1 a; -
FIG. 3 a an isometric drawing showing the outer wall middle section of the bunded tank shown inFIG. 1 a; -
FIG. 3 b an isometric drawing showing the outer wall end section of the bunded tank shown inFIG. 1 a; -
FIG. 3 c an isometric drawing showing the outer wall end cap of the bunded tank shown inFIG. 1 a; -
FIG. 4 an isometric view of an inner tank of the bunded tank shown inFIG. 1 a; -
FIG. 5 an isometric view of an outer tank of the bunded tank ofFIG. 1 a; and -
FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of a bunded tank. - With respect to
FIGS. 1 a, 1 b and 6 there is shown a bunded tank, as generally indicated byarrow 1. Thebunded tank 1 has an inner steel sheet wall 2 (of which only the top is visible) and an outersteel sheet wall 3. The relationship of theinner wall 2 and theouter wall 3 are illustrated in the transverse cross-sectional profile ofFIG. 1 b, wherein theinner wall 2 is enclosed by theouter wall 3 on substantially three sides. Theuppermost surface 202 of theinner wall 2 forms both aninner wall 2 and at least a portion of anouter wall 3 of the tank. - With respect to
FIGS. 2 a-2 c the various components which make up theinner wall 2 are shown. Theinner wall 2 of thetank 1 has 3 SRS sections in the form of strakes, shown inFIGS. 2 a-2 c which include: -
- an inner wall
middle section 2 a; and - a first and second inner
wall end sections 2 b.
- an inner wall
- The
inner wall 2 also includes twoend caps 2 c. The orientation in whichinner wall 2,sections FIG. 4 . It will be appreciated that theinner wall 2 sections could be attached to one another in a number of ways without departing from the scope of the invention. However, in the embodiment shown the sections are welded together. Theinner wall 2 ofFIG. 4 also includes an access port in the top surface thereof over which is bolted ahatch plate 100. Also visible shown inFIG. 4 are overhanginglips 101 found in innerwall end sections 2 b. - With respect to
FIGS. 3 a-3 c the various components which make up one portion of theouter wall 3 are shown. It will be appreciated that theuppermost surface 202 of theinner wall 2 also forms part of the outer wall. However, for the purposes of clarity the outer wall is described only in terms of the components that only comprise outer walls. Theouter wall 3 of the tank includes 3 SRS sections in the form of strakes, shown inFIGS. 3 a-3 c which comprise: -
- an outer wall
middle section 3 a; and - a first and second outer
wall end sections 3 b.
- an outer wall
- The
outer wall 3 also includes twoend caps 3 c. The manner in whichouter wall 3,sections FIG. 5 . It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the open tub shape excluding theinner tank 2 as depicted inFIG. 5 would never exist in reality as the inner tank would always be located inside theouter tank 3 prior to completion of welding. It will be appreciated that the outer wall sections could be attached to one another in a number of ways without departing from the scope of the invention. However in the embodiment shown the sections are welded together. - Further to the welding of the individual sections of the inner 2 and outer 3 walls of the
tank 1, the uppermost surface 202 of theinner wall 2 is welded to theouter wall 3 along theedges 201 of the open top of the tub shape shown inFIG. 5 . It will be appreciated that theinner tank 2 shown inFIG. 4 fits entirely within the outer open topped tank ofFIG. 5 and welding in this manner effectively suspends theinner tank 2 within theouter tank 3. This is illustrated in the transverse cross section ofFIG. 1 b where agap 200 can be seen between substantially 3 sides of the inner 2 and outer 3 walls of thetank 1. Whilst not shown in the drawings, it will be appreciated that a similar gap will exist between theinner end wall 2 c andouter end wall 3 c of the tank. Because theinner end walls 2 c are spaced apart from theouter end walls 3 c, if an overhanginglip 101, or the like, is not included a gap will be left at the top of the tank between the inner 2 c and outer 3 c end walls. Thus thelips 101 both cover the gap that would otherwise be left and also provide a greater weld area by which to attach the inner 2 c and outer 3 c tanks. - As most clearly shown in the transverse cross section of
FIG. 1 b, the body of thetank 1 is substantially rectangular in form, bounded by fourdistinct sides 4, eachopposed side 4 of the inner 2 and outer 3 walls is further defined by a partial convexcurved profile 4 a.Adjacent sides 4 of the inner 2 and outer 3 walls are connected byrounded corners 4 b alongadjacent edges 4 c of the partial convexcurved profile 4 a. - The
tank 1 is constructed in a number of SRS tube sections. For the purposes of clarity, thetank 1 has been described in terms of one preferred length only, comprising 3 SRS tube sections. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the length of thetank 1 can be altered by using more or less of the SRS tube sections. - As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 6 , thetank 1 also includes longitudinally extendingsupport structures 7 welded to the bottom of thetank 1. The longitudinally extendingsupport structures 7 include integrated isoblock connection points 8, of which only 3 are visible. -
FIG. 1 a shows an embodiment in which welded to the upper surface of thetank 1 are support struts 10, into whichupper isoblock connectors 9, are integrated. - Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.
Claims (23)
1. A bunded tank which includes inner and outer walls, comprising:
the inner and outer walls, when the tank is viewed in transverse cross-section, define a substantially rectangular shape wherein each inner and outer wall has an at least partially convex profile:
adjacent sides of the inner and outer walls are connected by rounded corners;
the inner and outer walls are arranged with respect to one another to create an inner tank and an outer tank; and
the SRS of the outer wall is substantially monocoque.
2. The bunded tank as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the outer wall is made by way of one or more sections, including:
at least one centre section; and
at least two end cap sections.
3. The bunded tank of claim 1 , wherein the tank includes one or more plug welds or other joins between the inner and outer walls at one or more locations along the length of the tank.
4. The bunded tank of claim 2 , wherein the end cap sections of the tank also include an at least partially convex profile.
5. The bunded tank of claim 1 , wherein the tank includes one or more isoblock connectors on a lower side of the tank.
6. The bunded tank of claim 5 , wherein the one or more isoblock connectors are located symmetrically on the bottom of the tank.
7. The bunded tank of claim 5 , wherein one or more isoblock connectors are located on an upper side of the tank.
8. The bunded tank of claim 5 , wherein one or more of the isoblock connectors are located on outer corners of the tank.
9. The bunded tank of claim 5 , wherein one or more of the isoblock connectors are located at the ends of the tank.
10. The bunded tank of claim 5 , wherein one or more of the isoblock connectors are attached to the tank by way of support struts or the like.
11. The bunded tank of claim 1 , wherein the tank includes one or more lower support members.
12. The bunded tank of claim 11 , wherein the lower support members are in the form of two parallel supports running substantially the length of the tank.
13. The bunded tank of claim 12 , wherein the lower support members comprise a plurality of supports running in either a longitudinal, a transverse direction or a combination of longitudinal and transverse directions.
14. The bunded tank as claimed in claim 11 , wherein lower isoblock connectors are integral with the lower support members.
15. A method of constructing a bunded fuel tank having inner and outer walls, wherein each inner or outer wall has an at least partially convex profile;
wherein adjacent sides of the inner and/or outer walls are connected by rounded corners; and
wherein the inner and outer walls are arranged with respect to one another to create an inner tank and an outer tank,
the method comprising:
a) pre-forming one or more standard sheets of material into one or more SRS sections for the inner walls;
b) forming one or more standard sheets of material into end caps for the inner wall;
c) pre-forming one or more standard sheets of material into one or more SRS sections for the outer wall;
d) forming one or more standard sheets of material into end caps for the outer wall;
e) joining the one or more SRS sections forming the inner wall together to form a single inner SRS tube;
f) joining the one or more SRS sections forming the outer wall together to form a single outer SRS tube forming an enclosure about at least a portion of the inner SRS tube;
g) joining the end caps for the inner wall to the inner SRS tube;
h) joining the end caps for the outer wall to the outer SRS tube; and
i) joining one or more lower support members to the lower surface of the SRS tank.
16. The method of claim 15 further including the step of attaching one or more isoblock connectors to the lower supports of the SRS tank.
17. The method of claim 15 further characterised in that the portion of the inner tank that is enclosed by the outer SRS tube in method step f) comprises substantially three sides and both ends of the inner SRS tube.
18. The method of constructing a fuel tank as claimed in claim 15 , including:
j) forming one or more apertures through the portion of the inner SRS tube that is not enclosed by the outer SRS tube.
19. The method of claim 15 wherein the sheet material is plate steel.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein joining the plate steel sheets includes welding.
21. A method of constructing a bunded fuel tank having inner and outer walls, comprising:
forming inner and outer walls which are SRS when viewed in transverse cross section;
each inner and outer wall has an at least partially convex profile;
adjacent sides of the inner and outer walls are connected by rounded corners; and
the inner and outer walls are arranged with respect to one another to create an inner tank and an outer tank.
22. (canceled)
23. (canceled)
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AU2010903302 | 2010-07-23 | ||
AU2010903302A AU2010903302A0 (en) | 2010-07-23 | Improvements in and Relating to Fuel Tanks | |
PCT/NZ2011/000140 WO2012011823A1 (en) | 2010-07-23 | 2011-07-21 | Improvements in and relating to fuel tanks |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20130213969A1 true US20130213969A1 (en) | 2013-08-22 |
Family
ID=45421160
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US13/814,092 Abandoned US20130213969A1 (en) | 2010-07-23 | 2011-07-21 | Fuel tanks |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20130213969A1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2011100901A4 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2012011823A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN111186292A (en) * | 2020-04-01 | 2020-05-22 | 东风(十堰)底盘部件有限公司 | Cab back type 1200L large-volume iron oil tank |
US11565876B1 (en) * | 2017-08-21 | 2023-01-31 | Murray Services Inc | Surface mounted secondary containment system |
Citations (11)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1235128A (en) * | 1916-10-13 | 1917-07-31 | John W Frank | Tank. |
US2869751A (en) * | 1954-09-03 | 1959-01-20 | Pfauder Permutit Inc | Insulated storage tank and method of making a storage tank |
US3696959A (en) * | 1971-01-11 | 1972-10-10 | Lox Equip | Cryogenic storage vessel constructed of dissimilar materials |
US3814290A (en) * | 1973-07-10 | 1974-06-04 | Westerwaelder Eisen Gerhard | Freight containers for flowable goods |
US3924773A (en) * | 1974-05-01 | 1975-12-09 | Nelson C Wilkinson | Fuel tank |
US5251473A (en) * | 1990-09-21 | 1993-10-12 | Ace Tank & Equipment Company | Method and storage tank system for aboveground storage of flammable liquids |
US6378823B1 (en) * | 1996-07-16 | 2002-04-30 | Volvo Lastvagnar Ab | Device for a fuel tank in vehicles |
US6422413B1 (en) * | 1989-12-19 | 2002-07-23 | William Y. Hall | Tank vault |
US20080237240A1 (en) * | 2005-04-13 | 2008-10-02 | Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik Ag & Co Kg | Modular Container for Cryogenic Liquids |
US8162164B2 (en) * | 2007-04-19 | 2012-04-24 | Podd Stephen D | Bulk liquid transport system |
US8646641B2 (en) * | 2008-07-21 | 2014-02-11 | Swire Oilfield Services Limited | Storage tank for fluids |
Family Cites Families (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE8801027U1 (en) * | 1988-01-28 | 1988-03-17 | Edelhoff Polytechnik Gmbh & Co, 5860 Iserlohn, De | |
US5695089A (en) * | 1995-01-27 | 1997-12-09 | Steel Tank Institute | Lightweight double wall storage tank |
-
2011
- 2011-07-21 US US13/814,092 patent/US20130213969A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2011-07-21 WO PCT/NZ2011/000140 patent/WO2012011823A1/en active Application Filing
- 2011-07-21 AU AU2011100901A patent/AU2011100901A4/en not_active Ceased
Patent Citations (11)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1235128A (en) * | 1916-10-13 | 1917-07-31 | John W Frank | Tank. |
US2869751A (en) * | 1954-09-03 | 1959-01-20 | Pfauder Permutit Inc | Insulated storage tank and method of making a storage tank |
US3696959A (en) * | 1971-01-11 | 1972-10-10 | Lox Equip | Cryogenic storage vessel constructed of dissimilar materials |
US3814290A (en) * | 1973-07-10 | 1974-06-04 | Westerwaelder Eisen Gerhard | Freight containers for flowable goods |
US3924773A (en) * | 1974-05-01 | 1975-12-09 | Nelson C Wilkinson | Fuel tank |
US6422413B1 (en) * | 1989-12-19 | 2002-07-23 | William Y. Hall | Tank vault |
US5251473A (en) * | 1990-09-21 | 1993-10-12 | Ace Tank & Equipment Company | Method and storage tank system for aboveground storage of flammable liquids |
US6378823B1 (en) * | 1996-07-16 | 2002-04-30 | Volvo Lastvagnar Ab | Device for a fuel tank in vehicles |
US20080237240A1 (en) * | 2005-04-13 | 2008-10-02 | Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik Ag & Co Kg | Modular Container for Cryogenic Liquids |
US8162164B2 (en) * | 2007-04-19 | 2012-04-24 | Podd Stephen D | Bulk liquid transport system |
US8646641B2 (en) * | 2008-07-21 | 2014-02-11 | Swire Oilfield Services Limited | Storage tank for fluids |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US11565876B1 (en) * | 2017-08-21 | 2023-01-31 | Murray Services Inc | Surface mounted secondary containment system |
CN111186292A (en) * | 2020-04-01 | 2020-05-22 | 东风(十堰)底盘部件有限公司 | Cab back type 1200L large-volume iron oil tank |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2012011823A1 (en) | 2012-01-26 |
AU2011100901A4 (en) | 2011-09-01 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
CN102186749B (en) | Tank for storing fluid | |
US3912103A (en) | Pressure-tight transport container for flowable goods | |
KR102052306B1 (en) | Storage tank containment system | |
CA2716895C (en) | Pressure container for a transport container arrangement | |
KR101358630B1 (en) | Storage tank containment system | |
KR20200045534A (en) | Storage tank containment system | |
CN203222190U (en) | Liquid container | |
US9708120B2 (en) | Storage tank containment system | |
KR20170008886A (en) | Ship for gas storage and transport | |
US5779077A (en) | Container tank | |
CN108351070B (en) | Storage tank containment system | |
CN108349576B (en) | Storage tank containment system | |
AU2011100901A4 (en) | Improvements in and relating to Fuel Tanks | |
US10352500B2 (en) | Storage tank containment system | |
US20210348719A1 (en) | Storage tank containment system | |
WO2017177347A1 (en) | Plastic container for storing and transporting agricultural products and method for stacking containers | |
EP3792200B1 (en) | Tank container | |
WO2001070597A1 (en) | Tank for hazardous material | |
JPH01139382A (en) | Tank container | |
JPH0311193Y2 (en) | ||
RU122371U1 (en) | OPEN TOP LOAD CONTAINER | |
RU75378U1 (en) | LIQUID TRANSPORT CONTAINER | |
KR101324625B1 (en) | Liquefied Gas Storage Tank, Ship Having The Same and Manufacturing Method of Liquefied Gas Storage Tank | |
GB2352265A (en) | A reinforced quadrilateral tank | |
RU2245286C9 (en) | Container tank |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: ADVANCED FUEL TANKS LIMITED, NEW ZEALAND Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:BAIN, STEPHEN JOHN;REEL/FRAME:030319/0586 Effective date: 20130213 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |