Methods of tank construction
OwnerKeith B. Fisher, Mark R. Miskininventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tank for fluids and processes for manufacturing the same. The tank includes a first end plate and a second end plate, wherein the end plates are substantially planar. The tank also includes an interior wall, wherein a periphery of the interior wall comprises a flange. A sheet is attached to a periphery of the first end plate or the second end plate, and another portion of the sheet is attached to the flange by a seam located on an exterior of the tank. A first end and a second end of the sheet each define a portion of the first surface of the tank, and a portion of the sheet between the first end and the second end define a portion of a second, opposing surface of the tank.
Claims14
A method of fabricating a tank substructure, the method comprising:
- forming a framework of a tank, wherein the framework comprises a first end plate, a second end plate and at least one interior wall;
- sizing a sheet such that a first end of the sheet will define a portion of a first surface of the tank and a second end of the sheet will define another portion of the first surface of the tank when the sheet is placed in contact with the framework of the tank such that the sheet circumscribes a portion of a periphery of the first end plate or the second end plate;
- placing a portion of the sheet in contact with the framework of the tank, such that the sheet circumscribes a portion of a periphery of the first end plate or the second end plate, and such that the sheet circumscribes a portion of a periphery of the at least one interior wall, such that a first end of the sheet defines a portion of a first surface of the tank and a second end of the sheet defines another portion of the first surface of the tank, wherein a portion of the sheet disposed between the first end and the second end defines a portion of a second, opposing surface of the tank;
- and
- forming a seam between the sheet and the framework, wherein the seam is formed on an exterior of the tank.
A method of fabricating a tank substructure, the method comprising:
- forming a framework of a tank, wherein the framework comprises a first end plate, a second end plate and at least one interior wall;
- sizing a sheet such that a first end of the sheet defines a portion of a first surface of the tank and a second end of the sheet defines another portion of the first surface of the tank when the sheet is placed in contact with the framework of the tank, wherein the sheet circumscribes a portion of a periphery of the first end plate, a portion of a periphery of the second end plate, and a portion of a periphery of the at least one interior wall;
- forming a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening in the sheet, wherein the first opening is substantially aligned with the periphery of the first end plate, the second opening is substantially aligned with the periphery of the second end plate, and the third opening is substantially aligned with the periphery of the at least one interior wall;
- placing the sheet in contact with the framework of the tank, such that the sheet circumscribes a portion of the periphery of the first end plate, the second end plate, and the at least one interior wall, such that a first end of the sheet defines a portion of a first surface of the tank and a second end of the sheet defines another portion of the first surface of the tank, wherein a portion of the sheet disposed between the first end and the second end defines a portion of a second, opposing surface of the tank;
- welding an inside edge of the first opening to the periphery of the first end plate;
- welding an inside edge of the second opening to the periphery of the second end plate;
- and
- welding an inside edge of the third opening to the periphery of the at least one interior wall;
- wherein the welding is performed from an exterior of the tank substructure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.