AU2013205100B2

AU2013205100B2 - Petroleum storage system

Info

Publication number: AU2013205100B2
Application number: AU2013205100A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Wayne Ashley Lamb; Grant Alexander Mcpherson
Original assignee: Waydon Entpr Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Waydon Enterprises Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2013-04-13
Filing date: 2013-04-13
Publication date: 2016-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 2033-04-13
Also published as: AU2013205100A1

Abstract

An underground petroleum storage system or UPSS is a collective system comprising together an underground tank, canopy support frame assembly, integrated turret and dispenser sump assembly and bases thereof 10 all seated on a concrete base 11 in a hole 12 along with the relevant piping so the system is prefabricated so it may be used as a drop in unit. v~4

Description

PETROLEUM STORAGE SYSTEM TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] THIS INVENTION relates to a petroleum storage and in particular but not limited to a prefabricated petroleum storage system typically for implementation in a retail or commercial fuel facility.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Retail and commercial fuel outlets commonly employ fuel dispensers located aboveground which are serviced by underground fuel tanks located elsewhere on the site. This is commonly referred to as an Underground Petroleum Storage System or UPSS. The present fuel storage and delivery systems have been used for many years and it would be desirable to provide an alternative to the present arrangements. Applicant has devised a number of improvements in relation to underground fuel storage, dispenser mountings, piping systems, canopy column footings, and tank anchoring systems and these are described below independently and in combination. Applicant reserves the right to divide any of these improvements either independently of in combination.

OUTLINE

[0003] In one aspect there is provided a fuel storage and delivery system including an underground storage tank, a frame assembly supporting the tank and providing refuelling canopy column mounts so that a canopy can be mounted directly above the tank, and there being tank turret and dispenser bottom units located above the tank, characterised in that, the tank, frame assembly and tank turret and dispenser bottom units are prefabricated to be assembled as a drop in unit for use in fuel storage and delivery. Typically, the bottom units include sump units being located directly above the tank preferably in combination with the canopy column mounts. Preferably, the tank turret and dispenser sump units are integrally formed single units having a tank turret sump section and a contiguous dispenser sump section.

[0004] In another aspect there is provided a prefabricated drop in underground fuel tank and dispenser mount assembly, the fuel tank having a frame assembly including frame members spaced along the tank, fuel dispenser bottom units, typically base or sump units being mounted directly to the frame members directly above the frame members and the frame members being adapted to support a canopy directly above the tank via canopy columns connected to the frame members on either side of the tank. Preferably associated piping and conduiting systems are prefabricated and included as part of the drop in tank assembly with some additional connections between components and other tank assemblies required to be completed insitu.

[0005] In still a further aspect there is provided an integrated tank turret and dispenser bottom unit, typically an integrated sump unit having on one side a turret section and on the other side a dispenser section integrally molded as a single unit, the turret section being adapted to receive and mount a tank turret lid and the dispenser section being adapted to mount there on a dispenser base. Preferably, the sump is formed as a single sump and will include a floor or base. Thus, in a preferred form, in combination there is provided a fuel dispenser and tank turret assembly comprising an integrated tank turret and dispenser sump unit, a tank turret lid assembly fitted to the turret section of the integrated sump and a dispenser base unit mounted to the dispenser section of the integrated sump.

[0006] Preferably, the underground tank is dropped into a prepared hole having a concrete base, the concrete base is preferably formed to secure the tank supporting frame in the base and to provide a load bearing column footing for the canopy. To this end the frame typically includes vertical side frame members anchored in or otherwise in load bearing relation to the concrete base and canopy mounts, the canopy mounts being located above the tank and formed as part of the tank supporting frame. The concrete may be poured in situ after the tank assembly has been lowered into place or prior to the tank assembly being lowered into place.

[0007] The underground storage tank may be of any form known in the art but is preferably of the double wall type. The frame assembly is preferably connected to the tank using a threaded tank socket, a matching threaded plug with a threaded bolt fixed to the plug and screwed into the tank socket and there being a cross frame member extending across the tank with the other threaded end of the bolt being secured to the cross frame member.

[0008] Typically, the frame assembly includes spaced support cradles holding the lower section of the tank. Preferably, the frame assembly has spaced rectangular frames surrounding the tank, and each rectangular frame has a support cradle.

[0009] Preferably, the frame assembly includes a cross frame member coupled to the tank and spaced from a tank manway and the tank manway having a turret sump above it in an offset from the frame member position and thereby a dispenser sump located directly above the cross frame member between bilateral canopy mounts. Preferably, the tank turret sumps and the dispenser sumps may be individual units or an integrated unit.

[0010] Preferably, the dispenser unit bases fit to respective upper units fitted to the tank frame assembly via the bottom units or sumps. Typically the tank turret sump section is secured to the tank via the tank manway. Preferably, the bottom units or sumps include a full floor or base to provide an integral containment sump.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011 ] In order that the present improvements may be more readily understood and put into practical effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view, showing an integrated tank, tank frame assembly, turret and dispenser mounts;

Figure 2 is an end view;

Figure 3 is a top view;

Figures 4 and 5 are detailed pictorial and top views illustrating a part of a frame assembly;

Figure 6 is a drawing illustrates an integrated tank turret and dispenser sump unit Figure 7 is a drawing illustrating the upper units, turret lid and dispenser base, fitted in line with the bottom unit or integrated tank turret and dispenser sump unit of Figure 6; Figure 8 is a top view schematic showing part of a dispenser pipe layout as well as other services to and from the bottom unit; and

Figures 9 and 10 are drawings illustrating a tank fitting for a top frame cross member to the tank which top cross frame in turn supports the integrated sump turret lid and dispenser base and in turn dispensers mounted on the base.

METHOD OF PERFORMANCE

[0012] Referring to the drawings and initially to Figures 1 to 3 there is illustrated for an underground petroleum storage system or UPSS a collective system comprising together an underground tank, canopy support frame assembly, integrated turret and dispenser sump assembly and bases thereof 10 all seated on a concrete base 11 in a hole 12. The approximate ground level of the service station roadway is shown by broken line at 13. The unit is prefabricated so it may be used as a drop in unit.

[0013] Part of the canopy columns are shown at 14, 15, 16 and 17 but these do not form part of the collective system. Practically speaking, the system 10 may be fabricated most away from the site and simply dropped in the hole and connected up to the dispensers (not shown) and other components on the site.

[0014] The assembly 10 comprises a fuel storage tank 18, spaced frames 19 and 20 and respective tank manways and dispenser assemblies 21 and 22.

[0015] The manways are shown at 23 and 24 and the tank turrets secured to these. Dispenser sumps are secured to the frames 19, 20 through cross frame members 25, 26 using the fitting arrangement to be described below in relation to Figures 9 and 10.

[0016] Each frame assembly 19, 20 comprises a base frame member 27, side frame members 28 and 29, cross frame members 30, 31 and canopy column mountings 32 and 33. Between the members 30, 31 is an angle section 34 with a hole 35 for use with the fitting arrangement to be described below in relation to Figures 9 and 10. A tank cradle section 36 extends across the frame members 27, 28 and 29.

[0017] Referring now to Figures 6 and 7 there is illustrated an integrated tank turret and dispenser base or sump unit 37 which is exemplary only as this unit will be molded to suit dispenser models as these vary. The unit 37 includes a turret base section 38 and a dispenser base section 39 and lid units 40, 41 and 42 fitted on top of these. The depth of the units 40 and 42 will vary as these will be prefabricated being cut to size or to sit depending on the prevailing ground surface at the site.

[0018] Referring to Figure 8 this is illustrated an arrangement of pipes used for the dispenser base assembly, illustrated in Figure 7 (like numerals illustrated like features) 42 is the specific dispenser base suited to the particular dispenser (not shown) and the various pipes 43-46 supply the various fuels to the individual dispenser via lines 47, 48, 49 and 50 with electrical and data services being admitted at 51. Lines 43-46 extend along the tank to the next unit 37,42. Thus it will be appreciated that in terms of the whole drop in unit it may be made with the pipework in place and generally speaking after the collective unit is in place it is simply a matter of connecting the dispensers in operative configuration and the canopy.

[0019] Under the turret base is a manway shown at 52 with a vent pipe 53 vent fitting 54 as well as fill pipe at 55 and a submersible turbine pump and pipe at 56.

[0020] Referring now to Figure 9 each of the cross frame members 30, 31 of the frame previously described in relation to Figures 4 and 5 have a section of angle 34 extending between them and the tank 18 can be fitted with a proprietary threaded socket without interfering with the integrity of the double walled tank. This permits the construction of a threaded plug with a bolt 58 to be screwed into the socket so that the section of frame can be secured to the tank and each of the frame assemblies 19,20. This socket, plug and threaded bolt system can be used to support other components of the assembly.

[0021] Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example many variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as herein set out in the appended claims. For example, while the example is with respect to a prefabricated underground storage system it will be appreciated that some aspects of the present improvements may also be applied to an underground petroleum storage system that is not prefabricated. In addition in the present specification words “comprised”, “comprising”, “including” and similar words used herein are non-limiting and are used in the non-exhaustive inclusive sense, that is to say they do not mean “made up of but rather “include”.

Claims

1. A fuel storage and delivery system including an underground storage tank, a frame assembly supporting the tank and providing canopy mounts so that a canopy can be mounted directly above the tank, and there being tank turret and dispenser bottom units located above the tank, characterised in that, the tank, frame assembly and tank turret and dispenser bottom units are prefabricated to be assembled as a drop in unit for use in fuel storage and delivery.

2. A fuel storage and delivery system according to claim 1 wherein the tank and frame assembly comprises a drop in underground fuel tank and dispenser mount assembly, comprising substantially of a fuel tank having a frame assembly including frame members spaced along the tank, fuel dispenser base sump units being mounted directly to the frame members directly above the frame members and the frame members being adapted to support a canopy directly above the tank via canopy columns connected to the frame members on either side of the tank.

3. A fuel storage and delivery system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the underground tank is dropped into a prepared hole having a concrete base, the concrete base being formed to secure the tank supporting frame assembly in the base and to provide a load bearing column footing for the canopy.

4. A fuel storage and delivery system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the frame assembly includes spaced frames, each of the spaced frames includes vertical side frame members anchored in or otherwise in load bearing relation to the concrete base and canopy mounts, the canopy mounts being located above the tank and formed as part of the tank supporting frames.

5. A fuel storage and delivery system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the underground storage tank is of the double wall type, the frame assembly being connected to the tank using a threaded tank socket, a plug and threaded bolt with one end screwed into the tank socket and a frame member extending across the tank with the other threaded end of the plug and bolt being secured to the cross frame member.

6. A fuel storage and delivery system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the frame assembly includes spaced support cradles holding the tank.

7. A fuel storage and delivery system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the frame assembly has spaced rectangular frames surrounding the tank, and each rectangular frame has a support cradle.

8. A fuel storage and delivery system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the frame assembly includes a cross frame member coupled to the tank and spaced from a tank manway and the tank manway having a turret sump above it in an offset from the cross frame member position and thereby a dispenser sump located directly above the cross frame member between bilateral canopy mounts.

9. A fuel storage and delivery system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each tank turret lid and dispenser base have respective upper and bottom sump units fitted to the tank frame assembly.

10. A fuel storage and delivery system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the tank turret and dispenser sump units are integrally formed single units with a full floor having a tank turret sump section and a contiguous dispenser sump section.

11. An integrated tank turret and dispenser sump unit when used in a fuel storage and delivery system according to any one of the preceding claims and having on one side a turret sump section and on the other side a dispenser sump section integrally molded as a sump, the turret section being adapted to receive and mount a tank turret lid and the dispenser sump section being adapted to mount thereon a dispenser base.

12. An integrated tank turret and dispenser sump unit according to claim 11 wherein the sump is formed as a single sump.

13. In combination a fuel dispenser and tank turret base assembly when used in a fuel storage and delivery system according to any one of the preceding claims comprising an integrated tank turret and dispenser sump unit, a tank turret lid assembly fitted to the turret section of the integrated sump and a dispenser base unit mounted to the dispenser section of the integrated sump.

14. In combination a fuel dispenser base and tank turret lid assembly according to claim 13 when used in a fuel storage and delivery system according to any one of claims 1 or 3 to 10.

15. A fuel storage and delivery system substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A drop in underground fuel tank and dispenser mount assembly substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. An integrated tank turret and dispenser sump unit when used in a fuel storage and delivery system according to any one of the preceding claims substantially as described with reference to Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.

18. In combination a fuel dispenser base and tank turret lid assembly when used in a fuel storage and delivery system according to any one of the preceding claims substantially as described with reference to Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.