# US 2014/0151378 A1 · Modular systems for contructing liquid storage tanks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151378 A1 - Document ID: US20140151378A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/093,457 - Filed: 2013-11-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Inventors: Javier Anaya Perez - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151378A1 ## CPC - E04H 7/20: Prestressed constructions - E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D) ## Abstract A modular system for constructing liquid storage tanks, comprising prefabricated reinforced concrete modular elements designed and adapted to be coupled together to form the tank walls and having means for engaging the bottom slab or foundation. Optionally, the system further comprises elements which mate with the tank wall elements in order to build a covered tank. In one embodiment of the system, the modular wall elements include a prestressing wire or strand embedded in its structure and to which a tensile force is applied to produce a compressive stress in the side of the wall element that is contact with the liquid stored in the tank. Optionally, the constructing system comprises elements to form divisions or cells inside the storage tank. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A modular system for the construction of liquid storage tanks comprising modular elements to build the walls of the storage tank, said system 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; b) fitting elements (20) for connection with the outermost wall element of the wall formed by the wall elements; 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; wherein the elements (10, 20, 30) further include coupling elements to be connected to the foundation or bottom slab of the tank. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The modular system of claim 1, wherein the wall element (10) comprises: a head or crown (11) including coupling elements for coupling with additional elements to the tank; said head or crown further acts as a support for cover elements when a covered tank is constructed; 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); central and lateral buttresses (14, 15) that support the cofferdam and transmit the forces exerted on it to the foundation; and a shoe (17) acting as an element for coupling the wall with the tank bottom slab by mechanical connectors or rebars overlappings. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The modular system of claim 1, wherein the fitting element (20) comprises: a head or crown (21) 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; 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); lateral buttresses (24) that support the cofferdam and transmit the forces exerted on it to the foundation; and a shoe (27) acting as an element for coupling the wall with the tank bottom slab by mechanical connectors or rebars overlappings. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The modular system of claim 1, wherein the corner element (30) comprises: 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; 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); central and lateral buttresses (34, 35) that support the cofferdam and transmit the forces exerted on it to the foundation; and a shoe (37) acting as an element for coupling the wall with the tank bottom slab by connecting means; wherein the side buttresses form a 45° angle relative to the central abutment (35). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The modular system of claim 1, further including covering elements to cover the storage tank, said covering elements comprising: a plurality of slab modular elements (40) having ribs or beams strategically placed to give each slab element the stiffness required to cover large gaps; columns strategically placed in the fluid containment area to assist in forming a slab support structure, each column having a head or crown at the top for engagement with the slab modular elements and means for fixing and connecting with the foundation; and girders that are placed on the head of the columns to form alltogether a support structure on which the slab modular elements are placed to cover the tank. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The modular system of claim 5, wherein each slab modular elements includes means for coupling with other adjacent slab modular elements to form jointly the tank cover. ### Claim 7 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. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The modular system of claim 7, further including covering elements to cover the tank, which are configured to couple with the elements (10, 20, 30) forming the tank wall. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The modular system of claim 7, wherein the covering elements for covering the storage tank comprise: a plurality of slab modular elements (40) having ribs or beams strategically placed to give each slab element the stiffness required to cover large gaps; columns strategically placed in the fluid containment area to assist in forming a slab support structure, each column having a head or crown at the top for engagement with the slab modular elements and means for fixing and connecting with the foundation; and beams that are placed on the head of the columns to form alltogether a support structure on which the slab modular elements are placed to cover the tank. ### Claim 10 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. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the compression stress produced on the wall is opposed to the tensile stresses produced by the different forces to be subjected to the wall element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein said wire or strand includes means to allow it to adhere to the surrounding set concrete enough to transmit the required compression force to the wall element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein said shoe of the wall element includes fastening means for anchoring said wire or strand to the bottom of the shoe. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the wire comprises an insulating coating all over its length to assure the distribution of the tensile force and avoid eventual local efforts in said element because of adhesion to the concrete. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising elements to form subdivisions or cells within the tank, said elements comprising: smooth cofferdams (200) comprising: a crown or head (202) having connecting means for connecting with other elements of the tank and which also acts as support of slab elements in case of covered tanks; a cofferdam (204) that receives the hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces and is sized to optimize the weight and rigidity of the smooth cofferdam (200), and a shoe which is to be connected to the bottom slab of the tank to transmit the said forces, which in turn receives said forces from the cofferdam (204); fitting smooth cofferdams (210) having similar characteristics to those of the smooth cofferdams (200) but different lengths, which are used to adjust the longitudinal dimension of the cells or subdivisions; perimeter wall joining elements (220) that act as an interface between the perimeter wall and the dividing wall, each element (220) comprises: a crown or head (222) having connecting means to connect with other tank elements, said crown also serves as support of slab elements in case of covered tanks; a cofferdam (224) that receives the hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces and transmits them to the shoe (228) and the perimeter wall; a buttress (226) joining the perimeter wall and in turn transmits forces to same; and a shoe (228) serving as connecting element of the structure with the bottom slab of the tank; inner wall joining elements (230) acting as elements for connecting two inner walls, each joining element (230) is constituted by a crown (232) which receives an attachment means to connect to other elements of the tank and also serves as support of slabs in case of covered tanks; a supporting element (234) acting as a junction between two perpendicular interior walls and transmitting forces between them; a cofferdam (236) that receives the hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces and transmits them to the supporting element (234) and the shoe (238); and a shoe (238) which serves as connecting element of the structure with the bottom slab of the tank; and cross-shaped members (240) acting as connecting elements between two walls that intersect one another to generate divisions or cells inside the tank; each cross-shaped member comprises: a crown (242) receiving connecting means to connect with other elements of the tank and also to serve as supports of the slab in case of covered tanks; a cross-shaped cofferdam (244) adapted to attach to two perpendicular interior walls and transmit forces between them, said cross-shaped cofferdam receives hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces and transmits them between the walls and the shoe; and a shoe (248) that acts as a connecting element between the structure and the bottom slab of the tank.