Method and apparatus for testing the integrity of a tank
OwnerJoseph D Jatckoinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for detecting a leak or structural defect in a tank are provided. The system includes a removable test plate to seal an opening in a tank to be tested with all other openings in the tank to be sealed. The system also includes a motor-driven blower or other vacuum-generating device coupled to a first opening in the test plate. When the blower is activated, it generates a vacuum inside the tank of a predetermined value. A vacuum-monitoring device is coupled to a second opening in the test plate and monitors the vacuum in the tank. A leak or structural defect in the tank is indicated if the vacuum decreases from the predetermined value by more than a predetermined differential within a predetermined time.
Claims14
A system for detecting a defect in a tank, comprising:
- a removable test plate to seal an opening in a tank to be tested, all other openings in the tank being sealed;
- a motor-driven blower coupled to a first opening in the test plate to generate a vacuum of a predetermined value inside the tank;
- and
- a vacuum-monitoring device coupled to a second opening in the test plate and operable to monitor the vacuum in the tank generated by the blower, whereby a defect in the tank is indicated if the vacuum decreases from the predetermined value by more than a predetermined differential within a predetermined time.
A method for detecting a defect in a tank, comprising:
- securing a test plate over an opening in a tank;
- sealing all other openings in the tank;
- activating a motor-driven blower to generate a vacuum of a predetermined value inside the tank;
- and
- monitoring the vacuum inside the tank to determine if the vacuum decreases from the predetermined value by more than a predetermined differential within a predetermined time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.