US2716958A - Fluid cargo barge tank assembly - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 6, 1955 c. w. BRANDON FLUID CARGO BARGE TANK ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 4, 1949 Clarence W. Brandon IN V EN TOR.

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United States Patent 0 FLUID CARGO BARGE TANK ASSEMBLY Clarence W. Brandon, Tallahassee, Fla., assignor, by

direct and mesne assignments, of fourteen and onesixth per cent to N. A. Hardin, fourteen and one-sixth per cent to Hazel H. Wright, and fourteen and onesixth per cent to Catherine H. Newton, all of Forsyth, Ga., and fifteen per cent to Harvey B. Jacobson, Washington, D. C.

Application February 4, 1949, Serial No. 74,546

13 Claims. (Cl. 11474) This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a multiple unit barge, and in general comprehends apparatuses and methods for the storage, cooling and transportation of volatile liquids and other fluids. More specifically, it consists of a barge comprising a plurality of spaced, liquid containing tanks, which are rigidly attached together to form a seaworthy vessel.

The industry of storing and transporting liquified volatile fluids has long recognized that the basic difficulties to be overcome arise from the necessity of maintaining the confined volatile fluids at a suificiently low temperature to prevent their absorption of heat and concomitant temperature and pressure rises, with the mechanical problems associated therewith.

Moreover, in that branch of the industry concerned with marine transportation of such fluids, it has been well known that shallow draft barges are necessary for use on coastal and inland waterways; but that the necessity for shallow draft in conjunction with the preceding ditficulties has heretofore prevented the construction of seaworthy barges.

Still further, in coastal shipping particularly, the above difficulties are accompanied and augmented by the problem of maintaining the barge in trim while loading or unloading portions of its contents.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide an improved barge and an improved method for transporting, storing and/or refrigerating volatile liquids, such as propane, butane, ammonia, and the like.

A very important object of this invention is to effectively unite a plurality of separate fluid storage tanks in rigid, spaced assembly with respect to each other, to form in their entirety a durable and seaworthy barge.

A still further very important object is to provide a prow and/or stern assembly which may be readily applied and secured to a plurality of tanks for rigidly uniting the same to form a barge, to reinforce the ends of the tank assembly, to provide additional buoyancy at stem and stern, to serve as vapor expansion chambers, as well as perform the customary functions of prow and stern.

An additional important object is to provide a barge of the character set forth in the preceding paragraph, which shall be of shallow draft, yet having maximum stability when loading or unloading as well as when in operation.

And a final important object to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a barge for transporting, storing and/ or refrigerating volatile liquids and the like which shall have a maximum of structural strength and rigidity, a minimum of weight and be of a compact, simple and durable construction.

An important feature of the invention resides inproviding a barge having a plurality of liquid containing tanks which are rigidly connected in spaced, side-byside relation.

Still further features of the invention consist 1n providing a barge as set forth in the above p I P Patented Sept. 6, 1955 wherein suitable prow and stern assemblies are associated with the tank units of the barge and directly mounted thereon to adapt the latter for navigational duties and functions. A very important feature comprehends the above mentioned prow and stern assemblies as providing a reinforcing means for rigidly uniting the ends of the plurality of tanks forming the barge; as containing buoyancy tanks for maintaining the barge in trim during loading and unloading and during periods of uneven loading; and as providing expansion means for the confined volatile liquid in the tanks.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of separate vapor chambers mounted in the stem and/ or stern structure of the barge and connected with the liquid storage compartments of the tanks for providing an expansion space therefor, for promoting a refrigerating action by circulation of fluid between the tank and vapor space.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained in the manner and by the arrangements to be hereinafter described, and of which the accompanying drawings are to be regarded as illustrative of the principles of the invention only, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a further modification of the barge having buoyancy or expansion tanks in the prow and stern; and,

Figure 2 is a top plan view, parts being broken away, of the embodiment of Figure 1.

A fundamental principle of this invention is to employ the storage tanks of the volatile liquid as units of and as major components of the hull of a barge, thus reducing the amount of material and the weight of the barge to an absolute minimum. The invention as set forth in the present application is primarily concerned with rigidly securing a plurality of such tank units into a barge assembly having the important desideratum of rigidity, strength, shallow draft, and stability. Various embodiments and arrangements and varying numbers of tanks may be employed, but it is felt that the principles of the invention may be best attained by combining two or more such tanks in spaced side-by-side relationship and rigidly connecting the same together in varying manners including particularly across their ends, as set forth hereinafter. For purposes of simplicity in illustration, the invention has been illustrated in the drawings as being applied to barges having a pair of tanks. Obviously, the principles of the invention are not so limited, and it will be understood that all are applicable to barges with three or more tanks while some are capable of use with barges having but a single tank.

In the drawings, it will be seen that the barge proper includes a pair of tanks indicated at 19, which may be of any desired material, shape and construction in accordance with the performance required of these tanks, and which may satisfactorily be of elongated cylindrical construction with rounded ends fore and aft as indicated at 12. As will be clearly apparent these tanks 10 are secured in parallel, spaced, side-by-side relation and are rigidly connected together.

There may be conveniently secured to the outermost side surfaces of the barge one or more channel iron members 22 welded or otherwise rigidly attached thereto which serve as rub rails or fenders which thereby protect the sponsons from damage by collision, and upon which may be provided customary towing bitts, by means of which the barge may be anchored or moored, or may be lashed or secured to adjacent barges as desired. A

The seaworthiness of the barge may be further enhanced by providing at any suitable location, downwardly extending fin or web members 24 serving as skegs or stabilizing fins for the barge. Obviously, these skegs may extend downwardly any desired distance, and may be positioned at various locations upon the barge, as desired.

As shown best in Figures 1 and 2, the fore and aft portions of the barge are provided with hollow prow and stern assemblies, separately formed and directly attached to and carried by the tanks. The. assemblies, which may be either permanently or detachably connected in any suitable manner to the tanks, include decks 34 and 36, respectively, which extend transversely of, overlie the front and rear ends of the tanks 10, and are rigidly attached thereto, serve the dual function of imparting rigidity to the structure as well as providing-a deck space for the customary purposes. The rear deck 361s provided with suitably contoured depending plates 38 which merge into the lower surface of the tanks 1t) and are shaped to constitute a stern for the barge, while the front deck 34 is provided with similar plates contoured to form a prow for the same. Thus, it will be seen that the plurality of tanks, two or more, are rigidly attached in sideby-side relation to form the hull of the barge, and are provided with a stem and stern assembly rigidly attached thereto and directly carried thereby to form the association of tanks into a seagoing vessel.

The prow, indicated at 46, likewise merges from the lower front portion of the tanks 19 upwardly to the front deck 34.

Although the specific construction of the same does not constitute a part of this invention, and hence has not been illustrated, reinforcing members such as webs 65 are provided for imparting the requisite strength and rigidity to the prow and stern assemblies.

The stern assembly of the barge is provided with the usual rudder 50.

It will be further noted that in some instances it may be found desirable to employ the space in the prow and stern assemblies of the barge to accommodate buoyancy and/ or expansion tanks, such for example as the transversely disposed tanks 64 and 66 which may serve a variety of purposes, such as adding buoyancy to the barge, constituting additional storage tanks for liquid cargo, constituting expansion tanks as set forth hereinafter, and additionally serving as part of the reinforcing members in the prow and stern assemblies to rigidify the barge construction.

These transverse tanks may be welded or otherwise secured to suitable reinforcing frame members therein and thus supported by the prow and/ or stern of the barge independently of the main tank units 10, or, if desired, may be directly attached to the ends of the tanks 10 as well as to the prow and stern portions of the barge.

As will be clearly apparent, the prow and stern, comprising the decks 34 and 36, the shells 40 and 38, together with the transverse tanks 64 and 66, are carried directly by the front and rear ends of the tanks 10, and

are assembled thereon, either permanently orremovably, as separate units.

It will thus be seen that the principles of this barge are equally applicable to parallel spaced tanks which contain the liquid cargo of the barge, and which are rigidly connected together in spaced relation by either an open framework which permits the complete access of water therebetween, or by a closed framework which provides a longitudinally extending chamber therebetween. In either event, novel features are believed to reside in a barge assembly consisting of two or more liquid containing tanks disposed in side-by-side relation and connected together by a rigid framework and provided with prow and stern members carried by the tanks to form a seaworthy vessel.

Cooling system It is to be noted that the foregoing construction is possessed of utility as a barge or vessel fortransporting and storing liquid cargo. However, in order to adapt such a vessel forthe specific. requirements pertainingto iii the transporting and storage of volatile liquids, various cooling systems are provided with a view to preventing the liquid contents of the barge from exceeding a predetermined temperature, which would give rise to vaporization and expansion of the liquid contents and a dangerous rise in pressure of the volatile liquids.

As set forth in'my copending applications which have now matured into Patents Nos. 2,869,461 and 2,869,462, it is highly desirable in transporting volatile liquids, such as liquefied butane, propane, ammonia or'the like, that these liquids shall be stored under pressure to maintain the same in liquid condition, and shall completely fill their storage chamber in order to prevent the detrimental effects of a partially filled container, these defects including shifting centers of gravity, rendering the vessel unseaworthy; unduly agitating-the liquid cargo, and the like. The present invention provides various features and structural refinements of a barge with a view to preventing undue heating of the liquid contents. Positively cooling or refrigerating the same by a thermodynamic .action, and providing better heat exchange relation between the contents of the barge'and the cooler regions of the surrounding water may be accomplished as in said patents.

Since in storing volatile liquids it is impossible to completely prevent temperature changes of the contents of the same, it is evident that some expansion and contraction of the liquid cargo-is unavoidable. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide an expansion chamber to permit this expansion and contraction. The present invention makes use of this phenomenon in any of the various methods and constructions set forth in my above identified copending patents, to produce a thermodynamic circulation and cooling or refrigerating of the contents ofthe tanks. These expansion chambers may be positioned in numerous locations, as'within the tanks, upon the exterior surfaces of the tanks, above and/or between the tanks, and in the prow and stern assemblies, and the like.

As was fully set forth in my above mentioned patents, this arrangement is such that when the confined bodies of volatile liquid in tanks it! are exposed to a source of heat, such as the suns rays, the upper portions thereof will be heated, and will therefore, in view of the confinement of the liquid,'produce a rise in pressure which, in turn, overcomes the resistance of a relief valve and causes a-discharge of fluid from the tanks 10, through the conduit-96, past'the spring-loaded pressure relief and reduction valve 97, and from thence into the expansion tanks 64 and 66. This flow will tend to raise the pressure in the tanks 64 or 66, while relieving that within the tanks 16). The difference between the two pressures will obviously be regulated by the predetermined setting of the pressure relief valve. Moreover, this flow of fluid will not only relieve the pressure within the tanks 10, but by the expansion of the volatile liquid so withdrawn will refrigerate'and cool the tanks 64, 66, the partition 86, and the adjacent, heated portions of the tanks 10.

This discharge of volatile liquid from the pressure tanks 10 to the expansion tanks 64, 66 will continue until the augmented pressure within the tanks 64, 66 will, with the asistance of the spring-loaded pressure relief valve, equal the reduced pressure in tanks 10. The cooling of tanks 64, 66 by the expansion of the volatile liquid supplied by conduit 96 will reduce the vapor pressure therein and thus serve to prolong the discharge from tanks'll). As a result of this flow and of the cooling action arising therefrom, it is evident that the heated upper portion of the contents of the pressure tanks 10 will be refrigerated and reduced in temperature, thereby reducing the pressure of the confined fluid therein.

This reduced pressure will now be less than that of the tanks 64, 66, whereupon the greater pressure of the latter which is further increased by the relatively greater absorption of heat from external sources'by the tanks 64, 66 as compared with tanks 10, will force the discharged fluid which has collected in the tanks 64,166,

through the return conduit 104, thereby forcing the latter into the upper end of the tanks 10. During this return flow, the volatile liquid is again expanded, thereby producing a cooling effect in going from the momentarily higher pressure of tanks 64, 66 into storage tanks 10. This return flow will continue until the pressures between the tanks 64, 66 and tanks have been again equalized. It will thus be seen that a step-by-step, non-return circulating flow will be created between the storage or pressure chamber and the vapor or expansion chamber, upon variations in the relative temperatures and pressures of these chambers. The fluid expelled from the storage tanks 10 will be withdrawn from the coolest portion thereof, that is, from the bottom portion which is embedded or submerged into the cooler subsurface layers of water in which the barge is floated, whereby the hotter portions of the confined volatile liquids will be more effectively and rapidly cooled by this flow, and whereby the heated portions will be thus reduced in temperature.

The full operation of this circulating system has been fully set forth in my above identified patents and a more detailed explanation thereof is believed to be unnecessary in this application.

From the foregoing, it is felt that the various constructions and operations in accordance with the principles of this invention will be fully understood, and further explanation thereof is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications and equivalents will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification andaccompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suitable modification and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A barge for the transportation of fluids comprising a pair of fluid storage tanks, means for securing said storage tanks in side by side relation for forming the fluid cargo carrying hull of a barge, and end assembly adapted to constitute the prow or the stern of a barge, means for directly securing said end assembly to one end of said storage tanks in embracing relation thereto to form with said storage tanks an end of the barge, an expansion tank, means establishing communication between said expansion tank and one of said storage tanks for fluid flow therebetween, means mounting said expansion tank in said end assembly in bracing relation thereto to thereby constitute a reinforcing member thereof, means directly securing said expansion tank to said storage tanks for comprising a reinforcing means therefor.

2. A barge for the transportation of fluids comprising a pair of fluid storage tanks secured in side by side relation to constitute a fluid cargo carrying hull of a barge, prow and stern assemblies each directly secured to one of the ends of said storage tanks in embracing relation thereto to constitute with said storage tanks a barge, an expansion tank positioned in one of said assemblies, means connecting the assembly and tank thereby forming a unitary reinforced member, said expansion tank being secured to the ends of the storage tanks to which its assembly is secured for providing a reinforcing brace for said storage tanks, means operably connecting the expansion tank to a storage tank whereby pressure changes may be communicated therebetween.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said last means establishes communication between said expansion tank and each of said storage tanks.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said expansion tank extends transversely of the assembly thereby constituting a transverse strut for its assembly.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said communication establishing means communicates with both of said storage tanks.

6. The combination of claim 2 wherein said one end assembly includes a deck, said expansion tank being secured to and reinforcing said deck.

7. A barge for the transportation of fluids comprising a pair of fluid storage tanks secured in side by side relation to constitute a fluid cargo carrying hull of a barge, prow and stern assemblies each directly secured to one of the ends of said storage tanks in embracing relation thereto to constitute with said storage tanks a barge, an

expansion tank in each of said assemblies mounted therein and braced thereagainst and forming a reinforcing member thereof, each expansion tank being secured to the adjacent ends of said storage tanks for providing a reinforcing brace therefor, means establishing operative communication between each expansion tank and one of said storage tanks.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein one of said assemblies includes a deck and has its expansion tank directly secured to said deck for reinforcing the latter.

9. The combination of claim 7 wherein one of said expansion tanks has its communication establishing means communicating with both of said storage tanks.

10. The combination of claim 7 wherein each of said expansion tanks has its communication establishing means communicating with both of said storage tanks.

11. The combination of claim 7 wherein one of said assemblies has a deck, sa-id deck being secured directly to its expansion tank and to the top surface of the adjacent ends of the storage tanks.

12. The combination of claim 1 wherein said storage tanks are in direct heat transfer relation with the water surrounding the barge and the expansion tank is housed with the hollow interior of said end assembly and is out of direct heat exchange relation with the water.

13. The combination of claim 1 wherein said storage tanks are in direct heat transfer relation with the water surrounding the barge and each of the expansion tanks is housed with the hollow interior of said end assemblies and is out of direct heat exchange relation with the water.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 31,125 Nystrom Jan. 15, 1861 738,171 Dungee Sept. 8, 1903 919,694 Chase Apr. 27, 1909 995,557 Peebles June 20, 1911 1,030,525 Myers June 25, 1912 1,140,250 Cabot May 18, 1915 1,303,690 Leparmentier May 13, 1919 1,474,725 McLeod NOV. 20, 1923 1,759,644 Reed Hill May 20, 1930 1,832,241 Rash Nov. 17, 1931 1,953,389 Bolton et al Apr. 13, 1934 1,980,998 Knight NOV. 20, 1934 2,030,881 Knight Feb. 18, 1936 2,048,312 Zulver July 21, 1936 2,091,264 Berry Aug. 31, 1937 2,120,286 MacDonald June 14, 1938 2,176,741 Kuhl Oct. 17, 1939 2,216,039 Mason Sept. 24, 1940 2,218,264 Luce Oct. 15, 1940 2,401,453 Bell June 4, 1946 2,408,505 Brandon et a1 Oct. 1, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,292 Great Britain Jan. 30, 1903 84,130 Germany May 25, 1921 194,238 Great Britain May 8, 1923 449,697 Great Britain July 2, 1936

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