US 5,597,948 A · Storage tank system with independent monitoring of ribs and tank wall

Abstract

A double wall ribbed storage tank system is provided with the capability of independent monitoring of support rib areas and secondary containment areas of the tank system. The storage tank system comprises (a) an inner storage tank for primary containment of stored liquid with a set of support ribs for strengthening purposes, (b) an outer wall over the inner tank for secondary containment of the stored liquid, (c) rib communication means connecting together the support rib areas, (d) wall communication means connecting together secondary containment areas of the inner storage tank and outer wall, and (e) a monitoring station operably associated with the rib and wall communication means. Any structural damage to a support rib, inner storage tank wall or outer wall is detectable and generally located by the monitoring station.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A double wall ribbed storage tank system for independently monitoring support rib areas for leakage and secondary containment areas for leakage, said storage tank system comprising:

(a) an inner storage tank having side walls and end walls to form an enclosed primary storage space for stored liquid and further having a set of support ribs extending around the side walls at spaced intervals to create support rib areas encompassed by the support ribs and to add strength to said inner storage tank;
(b) an outer wall extending over the inner storage tank to create secondary containment areas between adjacent support ribs and over the end walls for the stored liquid;
(c) an independent rib fluid communication means which fluidally connects together the support rib areas;
(d) an independent wall fluid communication means which fluidally connects together the secondary containment areas;
and
(e) a monitoring station operably associated with the independent rib fluid communication means and the independent wall fluid communication means to identify a structural failure in a support rib from a structural failure in the side wall or end walls of the inner storage tank or in the outer wall.

3 more elements

A double wall ribbed storage tank system for independently monitoring support rib areas for leakage and secondary containment areas for leakage, said storage tank system comprising:

(a) an inner storage tank having a cylindrical-shaped side wall and end walls to form an enclosed primary storage space for stored liquid and further having substantially uniformly spaced support ribs extending around the side wall to create support rib areas encompassed by the support ribs and to add strength to said inner storage tank;
(b) an outer wall extending over the inner storage tank to create secondary containment areas for the stored liquid between adjacent support ribs, the side wall of the inner storage tank and said outer wall and secondary containment areas between each end wall of the inner storage tank and said outer wall;
(c) an independent rib fluid communication means which fluidally connects together the support rib areas;
(d) an independent wall fluid communication means which fluidally connects together the secondary containment areas;
and
(e) a monitoring station operably associated with the rib fluid communication means to identify a structural failure in a support rib and operably associated with the wall fluid communication means to identify a structural failure in the side wall or end walls of the inner storage tank or in the outer wall.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Storage tank system with independent monitoring of ribs and tank wall

Life of this patent

Storage tank system with independent monitoring of ribs and tank wall

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15