Patent · US Expired

Double shell thickener

US4971214A · kind A · utility

15Cited by
7References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 19, 1989
Grant dateNov 20, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 19, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB65D90/505
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A double-walled thickener tank has an outer shell bottom and an inner shell bottom spaced to form interconnected or a discrete void space therebetwee. An incompressible load-carrying permeable material such as oil-impregnated sand is compacted in the void space(s) to provide a support for the inner shell bottom and confined fluid in the tank. Any leakage of fluid from the tank through the inner shell bottom is initially confined in the void space and conveyed down a slight slope on the top surface of the outer shell bottom so the leaking fluid drains into an interior space of a double-wall or single-wall discharge cone at the center of the tank where the leak and void spaces are accessed to detect any leaking of fluid from the tank. Various modifications utilize either a replacement of a new inner tank liner, a bottom sheet of imprevious material such as a plastic liner; a series of pie-shaped steel sheets forming each bottom; or a grooved concrete bottom, all providing a flat or inclined void space, with or without load-carrying permeable material therein, which is accessed for leak detection.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.