Modular systems for contructing liquid storage tanks

A modular system for the construction of storage tanks for liquids, comprising modular elements to build the walls of the storage tank, said modular elements comprising:

• a) a plurality of wall elements (10) which are interconnected side by side to define jointly a predetermined length of wall of the tank;
• each wall element (10) comprising:
• a.1) a head or crown (11) at the top, which includes coupling elements for coupling with additional elements to the tank;
• said head further acting as a support for cover elements when a covered tank is constructed;
• a.2) at least one cofferdam (12) extending longitudinally in the wall element, said cofferdam directly supports the hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces of the fluid stored in the tank and is sized to optimize the weight and rigidity of the wall element (10);
• a.3) central and lateral buttresses (14, 15) that support the cofferdam and transmit the forces exerted on it to the foundation;
• and
• a.4) a shoe (17) acting as an element for coupling the wall with the tank bottom slab by mechanical connectors or rebars overlappings.
• b) fitting elements (20) for connection with the outermost wall element of the wall formed by the wall elements;
• each fitting element (20) comprising:
• b.1) a head or crown (21) at the top, which includes coupling elements for coupling with additional elements to the tank;
• said head further acting as a support for cover elements when a covered tank is constructed;
• b.2) at least one cofferdam (22) extending longitudinally in the fitting element, said cofferdam directly supports the hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces of the fluid stored in the tank and is sized to optimize the weight and rigidity of the fitting element (20);
• b.3) lateral buttresses (24) that support the cofferdam and transmit the forces exerted on it to the foundation;
• and
• b.4) a shoe (27) acting as an element for coupling the wall with the tank bottom slab by mechanical connectors or rebars overlappings;
• and
• c) corner elements (30), adapted to be placed at each corner of the tank structure, said corner elements are connected laterally with respective fitting elements;
• each corner element comprising:
• c.1) a head or crown (31) at the top, which includes coupling elements for coupling with additional elements to the tank;
• said head further acts as a support for cover elements when a covered tank is constructed;
• c.2) a cofferdam (32) extending longitudinally in the corner element, said cofferdam directly supports the hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces of the fluid stored in the tank and is sized to optimize the weight and rigidity of the corner element (30);
• c.3) central and lateral buttresses (34, 35) that support the cofferdam and transmit the forces exerted on it to the foundation;
• said lateral buttresses form a 45° angle relative to the central abutment (35);
• and
• c.4) a shoe (37) acting as an element for coupling the wall with the tank bottom slab by mechanical connectors or rebars overlappings;
• wherein the elements (10, 20, 30) further include coupling elements to be connected to the foundation or bottom slab of the tank.

A system for constructing liquid storage tanks based on prestressed concrete prefabricated elements, comprising prefabricated reinforced concrete modular elements that fit together to form the walls of the storage tank, said system comprising:

• a) a plurality of reinforced concrete wall elements that are interconnected side by side so that together define a predetermined length of tank wall;
• each wall element comprises a head or crown on the top, which includes elements for coupling with other additional elements to the tank;
• said head is also adapted to support slab elements when a covered tank is constructed;
• at least a cofferdam longitudinally extending in the wall element;
• said cofferdam directly supports the hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces of the liquid stored in the tank and is sized to optimize the weight and rigidity of the wall element;
• and central and lateral buttresses adapted to support the cofferdam and transmit the forces exerted on it to the foundation;
• and a shoe acting as an element for engagement with the bottom slab of the tank by mechanical connectors or corrugated rod overlappings;
• b) fitting elements interconnecting with the outermost wall element of the wall formed by the wall elements;
• and
• c) corner elements placed in each corner of the tank structure;
• said corner elements are connected laterally with respective fitting elements;
• each of the wall and fitting and corner elements includes coupling means to connect to the foundation or bottom slab of the tank;
• wherein the wall elements comprise at least one prestressing wire or strand embedded in its structure, and once the concrete has reached a compression strength as a result of the concrete setting a tensile force is applied to the wire or strand which travels through the entire causing a compression strength on the wall surface in contact with the stored liquid.