AU2007101010A4 - Water storage tank in shipping container - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT WATER STORAGE TANK IN SHIPPING CONTAINER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IS A FULL DESCRIPTION OF THIS INVENTION, INCLUDING THE BEST METHOD OF PERFORMING IT KNOWN TO ME: ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION: AUSTRALIAN APPLICATION NUMBER 2007902870 APPLICANT RICHARD JOHANNES CORNELI HUISMAN FILING DATE 30 MAY 2007 1 WATER STORAGE TANK IN SHIPPING CONTAINER 0 This invention relates to configuring a shipping container as a bulk water storage tank. An improved wall bracing system is fitted to stop the shipping container walls from bulging outwards under sideways water pressure.

Specifically the said shipping container is an ISO-standard sea freight C 5 shipping-container, generally known as a 20-foot or 40-foot container, hereafter referred to as a shipping container.

It is known in the prior art that various suggestions have been made for mounting bulk liquid tanks in shipping containers, one suggestion being bag like flexible tanks but these have shown not to be particularly reliable and leakage of a movement of transported liquid has occurred,at least in part. This has been due to movement of the the liquid within the tank, resulting in abrasion between the tank walls and the shipping container walls.

This abrasion also happens if the said flexible tanks are refilled while still in the shipping containers.

WO 9701498 is one example of a bulk liquid tank mounted in a shipping container. A bag-like flexible tank with an abrasion resistant outer skin is proposed but advice is given to scrap the entire tank once used to transport a liquid from one place to another.

The main problem with this tank is that it is not suitable for regular re-use.

2 c Q US 5499 743 This document discusses another sort of easily transportable (when empty) bulk liquid tank, being flexible and double walled. One suggestion for its use is as a water reservoir in service camps or wilderness areas. The recommended method of filling it with water is to first lay it on 5 slightly sloping ground. The main problem with this tank is that the location CN where the tank is needed may consist of only flat ground, also the tank being left unprotected in the open would expose it to the danger of being vandalised or to being interfered with in other ways.

During a storm a falling tree branch or blown debris could also damage it.

IT IS KNOWN in the prior art that various other types of transportable bulk water storage tanks have been proposed but at the present time there are no tanks readily available to satisfactorily serve the purpose for which the present invention is intended for.

THERE IS A NEED for easily transportable, secure and strongly constructed bulk water storage tanks fitted with water truck compatible inlet and outlet hose connectors. Such tanks are required for storing bulk water on site for numerous projects such as road construction, major landscapers, construction sites and other large volume users of bulk water.

It is essential that these tanks are suitable for regular long term use and can be refilled as and when required.

3 THE PRESENT INVENTION is purpose built to fulfil all of the above said needs.

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ISO standard shipping containers are ideal for configuring as transportable bulk water storage tanks because of Containerization, the known universal system of intermodal freight/cargo transport using ISO-standard sea freight O 5 shipping-containers that can be easily loaded onto container specific ships, O railroad cars, planes and trucks. The fact that they can also be easily moved using general purpose trucks(both flat bed and tilt tray) with or without trailers means that they can be conveniently and economically transported to almost anywhere.

ONE FORM of the present invention is a 20-foot ISO-standard sea freight shipping-container configured as a tank for storing bulk water.

A lockable service hatch is fitted into the roof of the shipping container through which a person can enter so as to carry out cleaning or repairs as may be needed. So as to form a water tight tank the interior of the shipping container is lined with polyethelene plastic sheets and a strongly braced water tight bulkhead is fitted just inside the two doors that are located at one end of the shipping container.

Water truck compatible specialized water inlet and outlet hose couplings are fitted to the exterior of the said bulkhead and are accessed by opening the said two end doors which are lockable so as to secure the said water tight tank against vandalism or other interference.

4 The side walls of the shipping container are strengthened with an internal 0 bracing rod and pipe system placed at intervals along the length of the shipping container at a height halfway from the floor to the roof, this bracing isessential and stops the shipping container walls from bulging outwards which they otherwise would do under sideways pressure when the said water 0 tight tank is full of water. This happens because shipping containers were originally designed to bear most of the carried freight weight on the floor and sideways pressure on the said walls was not an issue.

The present inventions internal bracing rod and pipe system stops the shippingcontainer walls from bulging. Importantly the said system addresses the need for wall bracing without increasing the shipping containers exterior maximum measurements beyond those which are set within strict limits to conform with the said Universal Containerization System.

IN ANOTHER FORM of the present invention a 40-foot ISO-standard sea freight shipping container is configured as a tank for storing bulk water.

The same methods are used as those stated above for configuring a ISO-standard sea freight shipping- container except that an extra four said internal bracing rods and pipes are used together with enough extra polyethelene plastic liner sheets to address the extra 20-foot length.

To assist with understanding the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which show one example of the invention.

C IN THE DRAWINGS: 0 FIG 1 represents a 20 foot ISO standard sea freight shipping-container 1 (hereafter referred to as the container) prior to being configured as a water storage tank.The walls and roof of the container 1 are made from steel Ssheets having the usual evenly spaced corrugations 2. Two lockable steel doors 3 are shown in the open position at one end of the container 1.

Ci The floor 4 of the container 1 consists of timber planks, containers are also readily available with floors consisting of sheets of plywood (not shown).

FIG 2 is one view of the exterior of the container configured as a water storage tank 5. corrugations 2 are not shown for ease of illustration. A hatchway hole 7 cut through the roof of the container 5 allows a person to gain access to the interior to carry out maintenance work. A strengthening frame 6 made of x 50 x 4mm. galvanised box steel is welded in place to which a lockable 6mm. thick steel hatch cover 8 (shown open) is attached using hinges (not shown). Four struts 12 can be seen welded in place evenly spaced along one side of the container 5, they consist of 65 x 50 x 5 mm. galvanised steel angle. A hole 13 of 18mm. diam. is drilled through each strut 12 and continued on through the wall 5A of the container 5, the position of these holes 13 is halfway from the base to the roof of the container 5. Another four struts (not shown) exactly the same as 12 are attached in the same manner and position on the opposite wall of the container 6 FIG 2A When the hatch cover 8 is lowered into a closed position it causes a 0 steel tongue 10 to protrude through an elongated slot 9. A hole IOA near the uppermost part of the protruding tongue 10 allows a padlock (not shown) to be inserted thereby locking the hatch cover 8 in its closed position.

The steel tongue 10 is permantly welded to the strengthening frame 6.

c- FIG 3 Depicts the converted container 5 corrugations 2 are not shown for ease of illustration. The plastic sheets 15 that line the interior walls and the floor 16 can be seen, they consist of 10mm thick high density polyethylene and are joined by full thickness extrusion welding 15A and 16A. Also shown is a 110mm. diam. black polyethelene pipe 17 one of four (only one shown).

These four pipes are plastic welded 15B to the wall lining sheets 15 on both sides of the container 5 and positioned to line up centrally with the holes 13 of FIG 2.

FIG 3A is a plan drawing of the interior of the container showing the position of the four pipes 17 plastic welded 15B(FIG3) to the wall lining sheets FIG 3B is a sectional plan depicting a bracing rod 17A (broken line) having been inserted through a drilled hole 13 on one side of the container 5, then on through the polyethelene pipe 17 and out through the drilled hole 13 on the opposite side of the container The bracing rod 17A is fastened in place by welding to the angle struts 12 7 (Nc o and consists of 16mm. diam. galvanised mild steel rod.

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Each one of the four polyethelene pipes 17 (shown in FIG 3A) has a bracing rod 17A inserted and fastened in place as depicted in FIG 3B.

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FIG 3C is a sectional drawing depicting an angle strut 12 with a bracing rod 17A welded in place.

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FIG 4 is a plan drawing showing a small section of the container wall corrugations 2. Studs 2A consisting of 35x35x2mm galvanised steel box are glued with polyurethane adhesive into each recess of the corrugations 2 on the inside of the walls of the container 5. The studs 2A reach vertically from the floor to the roof level of the container 5, their purpose is twofold- they present a more even surface on which to mount the plastic wall liner sheets thus preventing distortion of the said sheets from water pressure. The studs 2A also contribute to the strengthening of the container 5 walls.

FIG 5 illustrates a bulkhead 22 which is fitted just inside the two doors 3 (not shown here for ease of illustration) Four 2.3m.x 100mm x plastic support members 21 are plastic welded to the bulkhead 22 to add strength and act as supports for four 65 x 50 x 5mm. galvanised steel angle braces 20 each one having a galvanised steel lug 23 welded to each end (one end shown),each of these lugs 23 is bolted right through the wall of the container 5. Vertical central bulkhead bracing 19 is shown and is made of the 8 same material as the braces 0 A water inlet pipe 28 can be seen, it passes up through the roof of the container 5 on the outside of the bulkhead 22 and in through the roof on the inside of the bulkhead 22, refer to 28 of FIG 2 this shows the pipe 28 exiting 5 and entering the roof of the container SA water inlet hose coupling 25 is water truck compatible as are water outlet couplings 26 and 27. Also shown is an on site water level indicator 24 it consists of a transparent plastic pipe and simply indicates the water level in the tank, it works by gravity relying on the principal of water finding its own level.

THE COMPLETED CONFIGURATION of the specially strengthened and secure shipping container presents as a specialized easily transportable bulk water storagetank well able to withstand frequent relocating and refilling and having water truck compatable inlet and outlet hose couplings. The maximum capacity of the said water storage tank is 27,580 litres which equates to the maximum legal freight weight a 20-foot ISO standard sea freight shipping- container can carry.

A SKILLED PERSON will appreciate that variations of the disclosed arrangements and materials used are possible without departing from the invention. Therefore the above description is made by way of example and not for the purposes of limitation.

Claims (4)

1. A bulk water storage tank comprising a 20-foot ISO-standard sea freight shipping container being internally fitted with watertight plastic lining sheets, bulkhead and also pipes of which contain steel bracing rods and span from one long side wall across to the opposite one the rods then passing through C both walls and being fastened to external verticle struts.

2. A bulk water storage tank as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shipping container is a 40-foot ISO-standard sea freight shipping-container.

3. A bulk water storage tank according to any claims 1 and 2 wherein the bulkhead is fitted externally with water truck compatable inlet and outlet hose couplings.

4. A bulk water storage tank according to any one of the claims 1-3 wherein the bulkhead is braced externally with steel struts. A bulk water storage tank substantially as herein before described with reference to figures 1-5 of the accompanying drawings. RICHARD JOHANNES CORNELI HUISMAN. 15 OCTOBER 2007.