US 5,343,908 A · Vaporless liquid containment system

Abstract

A vaporless liquid containment system for storing volatile and other liquids while preventing the formation and escape of vapors. The vessel includes a base and a first membrane, the first membrane defines a fluid containment space for containing stored liquid. A fluid-tight gas containment space is located above the first membrane. The gas containment space is adapted to house a gas under pressure. As liquid to be stored is supplied to and withdrawn from the fluid containment space, the gas housed in the gas containment space supplies fluid pressure to the first membrane so that the pressure on the first membrane is maintained above the vapor pressure of the stored liquid. This prevents the formation of vapor caused by the evaporation of the stored liquid.

Claims21

Dependent claims

An apparatus for storing a liquid and for preventing the formation of vapor from the liquid, the apparatus comprising:

a support structure having a supporting surface and a rigid wall structure surrounding and extending upwardly from the supporting surface,
a first membrane supported by the support structure, the first membrane and the supporting surface defining therebetween a fluid containment space for storing the liquid,
a member supported by the wall structure, the member in conjunction with the first membrane and the wall structure defining therebetween a fluid-tight gas containment space, the gas containment space being adapted to house a gas under pressure, and
means for supplying the gas under pressure to and withdrawing the gas under pressure from the gas containment space such that pressure is applied to the first membrane sufficient to maintain the liquid in the fluid containment space in a liquid state and to prevent the formation of vapor in the fluid containment space.

1 more element

An apparatus for preventing the formation of vapor from a stored liquid, the apparatus comprising:

a support structure,
a first membrane supported by the support structure, the first membrane and the support structure defining therebetween a fluid containment space for storing liquid,
a member supported by the support structure, the member and the first membrane defining therebetween a gas containment space,
a sensor for sensing the pressure of the gas in the gas containment space,
a gas storage vessel,
means for adding gas from the gas storage vessel to the gas containment space whereby a pressure is maintained on the first membrane above the vapor pressure of the stored liquid, and
means for withdrawing gas from the gas containment space to the storage vessel when the pressure of the gas in the gas containment space exceeds a preselected pressure.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vaporless liquid containment system

Life of this patent

Vaporless liquid containment system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21