Reinforced storage tanks
OwnerNorman C. Fawleyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid storage tank made of a plurality of steel plates welded together is reinforced by winding a plurality of continuous, high tensile strength, non-metallic filaments around and in contact with the plates and applying a resin to the filaments to define a composite material of the filaments in a resin matrix. In one embodiment, substantially the entire exterior surface of the shell is covered by the composite material to form a reinforcing jacket. In another embodiment, the composite material is formed into a plurality of spaced reinforcing bands extending around the shell.
Claims6
A reinforced tank for storing fluid under loading conditions comprising:
- a cylindrical shell strong enough to withstand stresses imposed on the shell by the fluid stored in the tank, said shell comprising a plurality of metal plates welded together, said shell having a vertical axis, an exterior surface, a top end and a bottom end, said shell being supported at its bottom end and being subject to bursting under load due to a rapidly propagating fracture from increased stresses in the shell above the stresses imposed by the fluid;
- and
- a reinforcing jacket of composite material extending around said shell and in contact with the exterior surface of said shell, said composite material defined by a plurality of continuous, high tensile strength, nonmetallic filaments wound around said shell and a resinous matrix for said filaments, wherein said composite material defines a plurality of spaced circumferential bands.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.