Frac tanks
AssigneeCrown Tank Company, LLC
InventorTom W. Musso
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A frac tank adapted for vehicular transport and field storage of a liquid, comprising two parallel, elongated, hollow, intersecting cylinder sections that are capped at the longitudinal ends. Each section has an arcuate wall defining a cross-section of greater than 180°, a major diameter, and a minor diameter at the ends of the arcuate wall, wherein the ends of the arcuate wall of each section are sealingly joined to form the tank wall. The joined ends of the arcuate walls form inwardly directed cusps along the length of the tank with the major diameters spaced apart on either side of the cusps.
Claims13
A frac tank extending between longitudinal ends, comprising:
- two elongated hollow sections, each section having an imperforate arcuate section wall defining an arcuate wall of greater than 180 degrees in cross section from one end of the arcuate section wall to another end of the arcuate section wall, a major diameter, and a minor diameter at the ends of the arcuate section wall, wherein
- the tank is composed of a plurality of longitudinally abutting and welded rings, each ring composed of two opposed segments welded together, with one segment forming a portion of one section and the other segment forming a portion of the other section, each segment having an arcuate segment wall defining a cross section of greater than 180 deg. from one end of the arcuate segment wall to another end of the arcuate segment wall, a major diameter, and a minor diameter at the ends of the arcuate segment wall, with the ends of the arcuate wall of each segment sealingly joined and with the ends of the arcuate wall of each section sealingly joined;
- and
- a cap is provided at each longitudinal end of the tank.
A method for fabricating a frac tank formed as two parallel, elongated, hollow, intersecting cylinder sections, comprising:
- fabricating a plurality of metal rings, each ring composed of two opposed segments, with one segment forming a portion of one cylinder section and the other segment forming a portion of the other cylinder section, each segment having an arcuate wall defining a cross section of greater than 180 deg., a major diameter, and a minor diameter at the ends of the arcuate wall;
- sealingly joining the ends of the arcuate wall of each segment to produce a plurality of said metal rings;
- means for reinforcing each metal ring between the ends of the arcuate walls of the respective opposed segments;
- joining the rings to form an elongated tank wall having open ends;
- and
- capping the open ends of the tank wall.
An array of adjacently spaced frac tanks extending vertically between top and bottom longitudinal ends, wherein each frac tank comprises:
- two elongated hollow sections, each section having an imperforate arcuate wall defining a cross section of greater than 180 degrees from one end of the arcuate wall to another end of the arcuate wall, a major diameter, and a minor diameter at the ends of the arcuate wall, wherein the ends of the arcuate wall of each section are sealingly joined and thereby join the sections;
- a valve at the bottom end of the tank;
- further wherein
- when viewed longitudinally, the joined sections form intersecting parallel cylinders having respective spaced apart centerlines, with inwardly directed cusps formed at the minor diameters, along the length of the tank, and with the major diameters passing through the respective centerlines;
- a perforated support plate extending between the ends of the segments thereby joining the cusps along the length of the tank;
- the ends of each arcuate wall span an included angle within a range of 200-250 degrees around the respective centerlines;
- a plurality of said tank is arrayed in upright position on a pad exposed to weather;
- and
- each tank has a top cap angled to shed precipitation and a bottom cap angled downwardly toward said valve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.