Hybrid tanks
AssigneeAmtrol Licensing Inc.
InventorsChristopher Kampf, Christopher A. Van Haaren
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A commercial hybrid tank includes a metal liner with an upper wall and a lower wall. The upper wall and the lower wall define a cavity therebetween. A weld joint joins the upper and lower walls together. A fiber winding layer is wrapped around an outer surface of the metal liner. A method for manufacturing a commercial hybrid tank includes overlapping surfaces of an upper wall and a lower wall to form a metal liner defining a cavity. The method includes joining the surface of the upper wall and the surface of the lower wall together by welding to form a weld joint between the upper wall and the lower wall. The method includes wrapping the metal liner with a fiber winding layer around an outer surface of the metal liner to form a hybrid tank.
Claims20
A tank, comprising:
- a metal liner that is cylindrical in shape which includes an upper wall having an upper dome wherein the upper wall is coupled by a weld joint to a lower wall having a lower dome, the upper wall and the lower wall defining a cavity therebetween, and the lower wall including a radially inwardly extending hoop groove;
- a diaphragm positioned within the cavity connected to an inner diameter surface of the lower wall, the diaphragm separating the cavity into an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion is for a gas and the lower portion is for a liquid;
- an inner hoop ring that mates with the radially inwardly extending hoop groove to secure the diaphragm in place against the lower wall;
- a plastic liner that is disposed radially between the diaphragm and the lower wall, wherein the plastic liner corresponds in shape to the lower wall and is secured by the inner hoop ring to form a corrosion resistant volume in the lower portion for the liquid for a potable water application;
- and
- a fiber winding layer wrapped around an outer surface of the metal liner.
A method of manufacturing a tank, comprising:
- overlapping surfaces of an upper wall and a lower wall to form a metal liner which defines a cavity;
- joining a surface of the upper wall and a surface of the lower wall together by welding to form a weld joint;
- positioning a diaphragm within the cavity and connecting to an inner diameter surface of the lower wall, the diaphragm separating the cavity into an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion is for a gas and the lower portion is for a liquid;
- priming an outer surface of the metal liner;
- wrapping the metal liner with a fiber winding layer around the outer surface;
- applying a pressure to the metal liner from within the cavity to oppose forces applied to the outer surface of the metal liner during the step of wrapping the metal liner.
A tank, comprising:
- a metal liner that is cylindrical in shape which includes an upper wall having an upper dome wherein the upper wall is coupled by a weld joint to a lower wall having a lower dome, the upper wall and the lower wall defining a cavity therebetween, and the lower wall including a radially inwardly extending hoop groove;
- a diaphragm positioned within the cavity connected to an inner diameter surface of the lower wall, the diaphragm separating the cavity into an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion is for a gas and the lower portion is for a liquid;
- an inner hoop ring that mates with the radially inwardly extending hoop groove to secure the diaphragm in place against the lower wall;
- a plastic liner that is disposed radially between the diaphragm and the lower wall, wherein the plastic liner corresponds in shape to the lower wall and is secured by the inner hoop ring to form a corrosion resistant volume in the lower portion for the liquid for a potable water application;
- and
- a fiber winding layer wrapped around an outer surface of the metal liner;
- the metal liner having a longitudinal liner axis, wherein the fiber winding layer includes fibers helically or circumferentially wound around the outer surf ace of the liner with respect to the longitudinal liner axis;
- and
- a ratio of a wall thickness of the metal liner to an outer diameter of at least one of the upper wall or lower wall that results in a pressure rating of up to 300 psi at 240° F.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.