Back to results
US 12,304,726 B2Granted
Liquid storage tank and method of producing the same
AssigneeEnergy Vault, Inc.
InventorMauro Pedretti-Rodi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A liquid storage tank with a storage unit has a flexible wall assembled from liquid-impermeable, flexible membrane sections. Due to their dimensions, these membrane sections give the liquid storage tank a predetermined operational shape when filled with the target amount of liquid. In the vertical operational position, this predetermined operational shape is drop-shaped, featuring an upper tip and a lower, bulged bottom area, where the tip is equipped with a supporting suspension for the storage unit, and a first liquid connection is provided in the bottom area. A method for manufacturing the liquid storage tank includes iterative calculations for the predetermined operational shape.
Claims20
A liquid storage tank, comprising:
- a storage unit configured to expand into a droplet shape, the storage unit comprising a flexible wall of a liquid impermeable material assembled from a plurality of membrane sections;
- a vertical support post coupled to a tip of the flexible wall with an upper attachment ring and coupled to a bottom area of the flexible wall with a lower attachment ring, the upper attachment ring and the lower attachment ring forming a fluid tight seal between the flexible wall and the vertical support post, the flexible wall extending symmetrically about the vertical support post;
- a first liquid connection port positioned on the flexible wall and proximate to the bottom area, the first liquid connection port being in fluid communication with an interior volume of the storage unit and configured to allow a liquid to flow out of the storage unit;
- a second liquid connection port positioned on the flexible wall and proximate to the tip, the second liquid connection port being in fluid communication with the interior volume of the storage unit and configured to allow the liquid to flow into the storage unit;
- an air connection port positioned on the flexible wall, the air connection port being in fluid communication with the interior volume of the storage unit and configured to receive a flow of air therethrough to maintain the flexible wall in an expanded condition as the liquid is withdrawn from the storage unit;
- and
- one or more flexible tension members positioned on an outer surface of the flexible wall and extending from the tip to the bottom area, the one or more flexible tension members being configured to exert a pressure along a line of contact between the one or more flexible tension members and the flexible wall to reduce an amount of stress exerted on the flexible wall by the liquid within the storage unit.
4 more elements
A liquid storage tank, comprising:
- a storage unit configured to expand into a droplet shape, the storage unit comprising a flexible wall of a liquid impermeable material assembled from a plurality of membrane sections;
- a vertical support post coupled to a tip of the flexible wall with an upper attachment ring and coupled to a bottom area of the flexible wall with a lower attachment ring, the upper attachment ring and the lower attachment ring forming a fluid tight seal between the flexible wall and the vertical support post, the flexible wall extending symmetrically about the vertical support post;
- a first liquid connection port positioned on the flexible wall and proximate to the bottom area, the first liquid connection port being in fluid communication with an interior volume of the storage unit and configured to allow a liquid to flow out of the storage unit;
- a second liquid connection port positioned on the flexible wall and proximate to the tip, the second liquid connection port being in fluid communication with the interior volume of the storage unit and configured to allow the liquid to flow into the storage unit;
- and
- an air connection port being in fluid communication with the interior volume of the storage unit and configured to receive a flow of air therethrough to maintain the flexible wall in an expanded condition as the liquid is withdrawn from the storage unit.
3 more elements
A liquid storage tank, comprising:
- a storage unit configured to expand into a droplet shape, the storage unit comprising a flexible wall of a liquid impermeable material;
- a vertical support post coupled to a tip of the flexible wall and coupled to a bottom area of the flexible wall forming a fluid tight seal between the flexible wall and the vertical support post, the flexible wall extending symmetrically about the vertical support post;
- a liquid connection port being in fluid communication with an interior volume of the storage unit and configured to allow a liquid to flow out of the storage unit and configured to allow the liquid to flow into the storage unit;
- and
- an air connection port being in fluid communication with the interior volume of the storage unit and configured to receive a flow of air therethrough to maintain the flexible wall in an expanded condition as the liquid is withdrawn from the storage unit.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.