DE10217997A1 - Double-walled tank for liquids which pollute water has inner and outer walls and spacers made from highly translucent (but not transparent) material in area where leakage must be detected and made by same process from identical materials - Google Patents

Abstract

The double-walled tank is made from glass fiber reinforced plastic. The inner (1) and outer (2) walls and spacers (4) are made from highly translucent (but not transparent) material in the area where leakage must be detected and are made by the same process from identical materials. The inner wall has an opaque stripe which is several centimetres wide.

Description

Liquid tanks for water-polluting liquids are due to safety precautions fonts often executed in double wall design.

Here the outer wall ( 1 ) serves as a collecting tank. The space between the outer surface of the inner wall ( 2 ) and the inner surface of the outer wall serves as a leak detection space ( 3 ). The fill level of the tank content is usually indicated by a separate display device. In a similar manner, this is usually done by a second display device for the leak detection space or, if the inner tank is damaged, leaked liquid from the inside tank contents.

The possibility of leak detection of the outer wall is also known to be translucent so that the second display device can be replaced.

The possibility of making the inner wall translucent is therefore apparently obvious guide and thereby replace the indicator for the tank content.

However, this goal has not been achieved with the necessary reliability is enough because this ver the optical laws of reflection and refraction of light different media and material layers do not allow easily.

Through a goal-oriented development and tests, a way has now been found that these difficulties can be overcome and a reliable and clear Optical detection and checking of both the tank level and leakage can be ensured without separate display devices.

The prerequisite for this is that both water levels are clearly visible, but face each other which is clear in the degree of brightness of the filler image and in the sharpness of the upper level edge differ.

These properties must be ensured at least in all the tank wall areas be in which both the level as well as possibly emerged from the inner container Leakage fluid must be visible. As a rule, these are the tank sides walls.

In the present case, these properties are achieved constructively by the following technical features:

• a) outer wall ( 1 ), inner wall ( 2 ) and spacer elements ( 4 ) are well translucent. However, they are not crystal clear, but contain refracted light.
• b) The same, well translucent glass fiber reinforced plastic (GRP) is used for all these parts. used, which consists of identical basic components and in the same process is processed.
• c) The layer thicknesses of both the outer wall ( 1 ) and the inner wall ( 2 ) and the leak detection space ( 3 ) must be as constant as possible. On the other hand, however, they can deviate from one another depending on the purpose.
• d) The layer thickness of both the outer wall ( 1 ) and the inner wall ( 2 ) should not exceed 10 mm because of the maintenance of the good translucency. For the same reason, the layer thickness of the leak detection area should not exceed 100 mm. The latter should also not fall below 0.1 mm, since otherwise the unimpeded flow of leakage fluid is no longer ensured.

If certain conditions require it, it can be done without large production There is an additional effort to improve the detection of the liquid level can be achieved by having the inner wall with one or more in the tank side area a few centimeters wide, vertically arranged, opaque color stripes becomes. As a result, the visual separation between the tank contents and the leakage fluid is still further optimized.

The tasks underlying the innovation are solved by teaching the main claim in conjunction with the subclaims. The innovation is illustrated in the drawing by FIGS . I to III, in each of which the basic details are shown.

The drawings show in

Fig. Ia, b, c: Total tank into 3 main views;

Fig. II: section AA of Figure I;.

Fig. III: Section BB of Figure I..

A closed or open tank consists of translucent side walls ( 5 ), bottom ( 6 ) and possibly roof ( 7 ).

At least the bottom and the side walls are double-walled. Since the roof i. d. R. in this case, it can also be single-walled.  

In contrast, all surfaces exposed to liquid must be double-walled, ie the outer and inner walls are firmly connected to one another at least at several points distributed over their entire surface. The resulting inner and outer tanks must each be sealed. The mutual dimensions should be selected so that there is an intermediate space ( 3 ) between the outer surface of the inner tank and the inner surface of the outer tank, which serves as a leak detection space.

In the floor and roof area ( 6 + 7 ), the translucency of the materials can be dispensed with if necessary, because these areas i. d. Usually have no influence on the optical detection of the tank contents or the leakage fluid.

The distance between the tank outer walls ( 1 ) and the tank inner walls ( 2 ) is achieved by spacer elements ( 4 ), which can either be non-positively connected to the tank outer or inner walls or stand loosely on them. The practicality decides on the formation of these spacer elements. It should also be noted that the unhindered flow of the leakage fluid is maintained.

Another gain in safety for the tanks described is achieved by the fact that glass fiber reinforced plastic is used for at least the entire outer tank, which also has the property that it does not splinter when subjected to heavy impact, son only at the direct impact point due to clearly visible micro-crack formation (white breakage) responding. Such material formulations are generally known.

This means that the inner container is practically completely protected against impact given. In addition, possible violent damage to the outer container easily recognized and repaired without affecting the inner container.

Tanks in the present design achieve a very high level of safety and are nevertheless relatively simple and inexpensive.

They are particularly suitable for water-polluting liquids.

Claims (8)

1. Liquid tank in double wall design with optical level and leak detection, characterized in that it consists of glass fiber reinforced plastic and that both the outer wall ( 1 ) and the inner wall ( 2 ) and the spacer elements ( 4 ) at least in the areas in which leakage liquid must be visible from the inner container, be well translucent (translucent), but not crystal clear and correspond to one another. These properties are achieved in that these components consist of identical basic material components and are manufactured in the same process. 2. Liquid tank according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective roof ( 7 ) - or floor area ( 6 ) or both are not translucent and therefore do not necessarily consist of the same basic components and must be produced in the same process. 3. Liquid tank according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that in the tank sides area the inner wall with one or more, several centimeters wide, vertical arranged, opaque color stripes is provided. 4. Liquid tank according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that the layer thickness of the leak detection space ( 3 ) is in the range between 0, 1 and 100 mm. 5. Liquid tank according to claim 1 to 4, characterized in that the spacer elements ( 4 ) are designed so that they ensure the unimpeded flow of leakage liquid in all directions. 6. Liquid tank according to claim 1 to 5, characterized in that the spacer elements ( 4 ) can be both non-positively connected to the adjacent wall surfaces or stand loosely on them. 7. Liquid tank according to claim 1 to 6, characterized in that at least for a glass fiber reinforced plastic is used throughout the outer tank, which too has the property that it does not splinter under heavy impact, but only at the direct impact point due to clearly visible micro-crack formation (whitening) rea yaws. 8. Liquid tank according to claim 1 to 7, characterized in that it consists of others Materials exist that have the described or similar properties.