System and method for detecting leaks in underground storage tank
AssigneeXerxes Corporation
InventorsRobin L. Berg, Sr., John Burwell, Richard J. Kelber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A double walled storage tank includes an outer wall, an inner wall, a plurality of ribs disposed between the inner and outer walls, and a plurality of annular spaces between the ribs. The annular space between each pair of ribs is connected to other annular spaces only at the top of the tank. When a leak occurs in either the outer or inner wall, the annular space corresponding to the leak will at least partially drain while the other annular spaces will remain full. Thus, the leak location can be determined by simply examining the annular spaces between pairs of ribs.
Claims15
A double walled storage tank comprising:
- an inner wall;
- an outer wall in a closely spaced adjacent relationship thereto;
- and
- a plurality of ribs adjacent to the inner wall and the outer wall such that the ribs, the inner wall and the outer wall form a plurality of annular spaces, each of the ribs having at least one passage formed therethrough;
- wherein all of the passages are located at approximately a top of the tank and the annular spaces are filled with leak detection fluid and are in fluid communication only through the passages, so as to determine the approximate location of the leak in the annular spaces.
A method for determining the approximate location of a leak in an underground storage tank, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an underground storage tank having an inner wall, an outer wall in a closely spaced adjacent relationship to the inner wall, and a plurality of ribs disposed between and adjacent to the inner and the outer wall such that a plurality of annular spaces are formed, each of the ribs having at least one passage therethrough, all of the passages being located at approximately a top of the tank, the tank having a monitoring tube in direct fluid communication with one of the annular spaces at an end of the tank;
- introducing an amount of leak detection fluid into the monitoring tube to fill all of the annular spaces;
- detecting a leak;
- and
- determining whether and which of at least one of the annular spaces is approximately filled with the leak detection fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.