# US 2016/0355332 A1 · Container for transport of bulk liquids using dry trailers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0355332 A1 - Document ID: US20160355332A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/172,439 - Filed: 2016-06-03 - Published: 2016-12-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-05 - Assignees: Intermodal Sciences, LLC - Applicants: Intermodal Sciences, LLC - Inventors: Erik D. Scudder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160355332A1 ## CPC - B65D 90/52: Anti-slosh devices (vehicle fuel tanks with means modifying or controlling distribution or motion of fuel, e.g. to prevent noise, surge, splash or fuel starvation B60K15/077) - B65D 88/54: characterised by means facilitating filling or emptying - B65D 88/744: {heating or cooling through the walls or internal parts of the container, e.g. circulation of fluid inside the walls} - B65D 88/745: {blowing or injecting heating, cooling or other conditioning fluid inside the container} - B65D 90/00: Component parts, details or accessories for large containers (B65D88/34 - B65D88/78 take precedence) - B65D 90/046: {Flexible liners, e.g. loosely positioned in the container} - 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 ## Abstract A system includes a rigid container configured to receive a dry cargo and a flexible container configured to receive a bulk liquid. The flexible container is configured to be disposed within the rigid container when the flexible container contains the bulk liquid. The flexible container includes a set of container portions and a set of restriction portions. Each container portion has a first cross-sectional area and each restriction portion defines a second cross-sectional area less than the first cross-sectional area. Each restriction portion is disposed between a pair of adjacent container portions and is configured to restrict a flow of the bulk liquid therebetween. The restricting of the flow of the bulk liquid between the container portions is configured to limit load shifting associated with the flexible container when disposed in the rigid container. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a rigid container configured to receive a dry cargo; and a flexible container defining an interior volume configured to receive a bulk liquid, the flexible container configured to be disposed within the rigid container when the flexible container contains the bulk liquid; the flexible container including a plurality of container portions and a plurality of restriction portions, each container portion from the plurality of container portions having a first cross-sectional area, each restriction portion from the plurality of restriction portions defining a second cross-sectional area less than the first cross-sectional area, each restriction portion from the plurality of restriction portions being disposed between a pair of adjacent container portions and configured to restrict a flow of the bulk liquid therebetween, the restricting of the flow of the bulk liquid between the container portions configured to limit load shifting associated with the flexible container when disposed in the rigid container. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each container portion from the plurality of container portions has a first volume, each restriction portion from the plurality of restriction portions at least partially defines a second volume less than the first volume. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible container includes a port, a volume of the bulk liquid configured to be conveyed into the interior volume of the flexible container via the port. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the port is a first port, a volume of gas configured to be evacuated from the interior volume of the flexible container via a second port. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the port is a first port, a volume of an inert gas is configured to be conveyed into the interior volume of the flexible container via a second port. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible container is configured to transition between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration, a volume of gas configured to be evacuated from the interior volume of the flexible container when a volume of the bulk liquid is contained in the flexible container to transition the flexible container to the collapsed configuration. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible container is configured to transition between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration when a volume of the bulk liquid is contained in the flexible container, the system further comprising: a forming device configured to exert a uniform pressure on at least one side of the flexible container, a gas contained in the interior volume configured to be evacuated to a volume outside of the flexible container while the forming device exerts the uniform pressure to transition the flexible container from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the bulk liquid is a heavy oil, the flexible container having a substantially rigid form when in the collapsed configuration such that a flow of the heavy oil within the interior volume is limited. ### Claim 9 An system, comprising: a flexible container defining an interior volume configured to receive a volume of heated heavy oil; a cooling means configured to be in thermal contact with the interior volume of the flexible container to transfer thermal energy away from the heated heavy oil; and a forming device configured to exert a uniform pressure on at least one side of the flexible container, a gas contained in the interior volume configured to be evacuated to a volume outside of the flexible container while the forming device exerts the uniform pressure to transition the flexible container from an expanded configuration to a collapsed configuration, the flexible container having a substantially rigid form when in the collapsed configuration such that a flow of the heavy oil within the interior volume is limited. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the flexible container includes a first container portion, a second container portion, and a restriction portion disposed between the first container portion and the second container portion, the restriction portion configured to restrict a flow of the heavy oil between the first container portion and the second container portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the flexible container includes a first port and a second port, a volume of the heated heavy oil configured to be conveyed into the interior volume of the flexible container via the first port, the cooling means including a cooling element configured to be placed in thermal contact with the heated heavy oil contained in the interior volume of the flexible container via the second port. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the cooling means includes at least one of a cooling rod, an inert gas, and an inflatable baffle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the cooling means is configured to cool the heated heavy oil as the forming device transitions the flexible container to the collapsed configuration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the cooling means is configured to remove a sufficient amount of thermal energy from the heavy oil such that a core portion of the heavy oil is substantially not heated, the flexible container configured to substantially prevent a flow of the heavy oil when the flexible container is in the collapsed configuration and the heavy oil is substantially not heated. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the forming device includes at least one movable member, the movable member configured to be moved into contact with the at least one side of the flexible container to exert the uniform pressure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the forming device includes the cooling means such that the forming device removes thermal energy from the heated heavy oil as the forming device exerts the uniform pressure to transition the flexible container to the collapsed configuration. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the flexible container includes at least one inflatable bladder coupled to an outer surface of the flexible container. ### Claim 17 A method for packaging bulk liquids, comprising: conveying a bulk liquid into an interior volume of a flexible container, the flexible container having a plurality of container portions and a plurality of restriction portions, each restriction portion from the plurality of restriction portions being disposed between a pair of adjacent container portions and configured to restrict a flow of the bulk liquid therebetween; evacuating a gas from the interior volume of the flexible container; and disposing the flexible container in a rigid shipping container configured to receive a dry cargo, the restricting of the flow of the bulk liquid between the container portions configured to limit load shifting associated with the flexible container when disposed in the rigid container. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: conveying an inert gas into the interior volume of the flexible container. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the bulk liquid is a heavy oil, the evacuating the gas from the interior volume of the flexible container includes evacuating a volatile gas within the interior volume. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the bulk liquid is a temperature sensitive bulk liquid, the evacuating the gas from the interior volume includes evacuating oxygen from the interior volume such that a storage temperature threshold associated with the temperature sensitive bulk liquid is increased. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the bulk liquid is a heated heavy oil, the method further comprising: cooling the heated heavy oil disposed within the interior volume of the flexible container prior to the disposing the flexible container in the rigid shipping container. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: exerting a uniform force on at least one exterior surface of the flexible container via a forming device after the conveying the bulk liquid into the interior volume to transition the flexible container from an expanded configuration to a collapsed configuration.