Apparatus and method for protecting floating roof tanks from the effects of lightning strikes
AssigneeChevron U.S.A. Inc.
InventorsPaul Hamer, William J. Johnston
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for protecting a floating roof tank from the effects of a lightning strike are disclosed. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises an electrically conductive bonding strap in electrical communication with an inner tank wall and the floating roof located below liquid level, the bonding strap being of a length to minimize its self inductance, so as to provide a preferred electrically efficient path for conduction of lightning stroke current through an oxygen deficient environment.
Claims21
In an apparatus for sealing the space between a floating roof and a tank wall in a liquid storage tank which includes means for mounting a shoe assembly on the floating roof in the storage tank and maintaining the shoe in contact with an inner wall of the tank, the improvement which comprises an electrically conductive bonding strap connected at one end to a lower portion of the shoe assembly below liquid level and at a point where the shoe assembly contacts the inner wall and connected at a second end to the floating roof below liquid level, the bonding strap being of a length to minimize its self inductance, wherein the bonding strap is entirely below liquid level so as to provide a preferred path for dissipating electrical current through an oxygen deficient environment.
A method of protecting a floating roof tank from the effects of a lightning strike comprising the steps of placing an electrically conductive bonding strap at one end into electrical contact with an inner wall of the tank through a sliding shoe seal assembly at a point where the shoe assembly contacts the inner wall below liquid level in the tank and connecting a second end of the bonding strap to the floating roof below liquid level, the bonding strap being of a length to minimize its self inductance, wherein the bonding strap is entirely below liquid level so as to provide a preferred electrically efficient path for conducting electrical current through an oxygen deficient environment.
In an apparatus for sealing the space between a floating roof and an inner tank wall in a liquid storage tank, the improvement which comprises means for establishing electrical communication between the inner tank wall and the floating roof located entirely below liquid level, said means being of a length to minimize its self inductance, so as to provide a preferred path for dissipating electrical current through an oxygen deficient environment.
In a liquid storage tank having an inner tank wall and a floating roof, the improvement which comprises means for establishing electrical communication between the inner tank wall and the floating roof, said means being located entirely below the liquid level and being configured to have minimum self inductance, so as to provide a preferred path for dissipating electrical current through an oxygen deficient environment in the storage tank.
A method of protecting a floating roof tank from the effects of a lightning strike comprising the steps of providing means for establishing electrical communication between inner tank wall and the floating roof whereby said means is located entirely below liquid level, said means being of a length to minimize its self inductance, so as to provide a preferred electrically efficient path for conduction of lightning stroke current through an oxygen deficient environment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.