EP3735504A1

EP3735504A1 - Improvement to a deflector for protecting the feet of a structure

Info

Publication number: EP3735504A1
Application number: EP18842818.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Philippe Denis Gérard COLLAY
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-01-02
Filing date: 2018-12-28
Publication date: 2020-11-11
Anticipated expiration: 2038-12-28
Also published as: EP3735504B1; US20210053754A1; CN111655955B; WO2019135046A1; CA3087559A1; CN111655955A; ES2927992T3; US11377297B2; FR3076313A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a removable deflector for protecting the feet of a structure, which corrode following infiltration of water under the bottom plates and which weakens these areas. The invention concerns a removable device enabling the positioning of protection for the feet of storage tanks without a shut-down of production. The device according to the invention is a deflector element and a deflector assembly consisting of a plurality of deflector elements, capable of being positioned one after the other in order to surround the feet of the wall of the structure. Each deflector element comprises at least one downward-sloping protective plate (1), at least one flexible sealing gasket attached along the upper edge of this plate (1), and: at least one retaining arm (5) for same, wherein one of its ends is fixed to the so-called upper edge of said plate (1) and the other so-called distal end is capable of being rigidly and reversibly attached to an element of said structure and to be detached therefrom, this arm allowing the adjustment of the pressing of the sealing gasket against the wall (14) of the tank, and at least one support (6) arranged towards its lower edge and separable into at least two parts suitable for making the deflector removable, of which the upper one is attached underneath the plate (1) and the other, lower one, is attached to the support slab (23) of the structure wall (14).

Description

IMPROVEMENT TO A FOOT PROTECTION DEFLECTOR OF

STRUCTURE

The present invention relates to structural foot protection deflectors for which the present inventor has already filed a first patent application on March 6, 2013 under the publication No. FR 3002 927 and national registration No. FR 13 00492, and whose description of the present new patent application constitutes an "improvement".

The technical field of the invention is the construction of structures such as, according to the main application of the invention, the storage tanks.

Storage tanks or more commonly known as "bins" are generally used to store products such as oil and these derivatives; acids, water, etc.

The storage tanks are generally constructed of carbon steel and are subject to external corrosion located at the base of the tank (see Figure 2), the rights of the welds of connecting angles of the lower shell (14) and the annular edge, under the marginal sheet (15).

The entire tank is placed on a slab consisting of multiple layers, a compacted embankment (22) covered with a waterproof membrane (20), which itself is covered with a bituminous sand (21), all is surrounded by a concrete ring (23), or even placed on a complete concrete slab or can still be installed on the concrete retention bowl.

Finally, based on this support assembly, the bottom plates of the reservoir welded to the marginal plates and ferrules of the tank that can contain the product inside the tray.

These reservoirs can be measured in France up to ninety meters in diameter and up to twenty meters in height.

Stainless steel tanks are not corrodable but their concrete supports can also be damaged and are therefore affected by the equipment currently designated. They are also subject to the fatigue mentioned below.

There are other elements to consider regarding the containment losses of a storage bin. The cycles of loading / unloading which are factors of weakening welded connections. These embrittlement can result in the rupture of the tank bottom and thus generate a detectable leak from the outside of the tank.

To this day, fixed deflectors can be used to divert rainwater or fire water during real-life tests carried out by the fire brigade and thus to protect the structures.

The builders of bins do not generally incorporate the installation of baffle on the feet of bins which is an accessory and not a structural element of the tray.

Only the quality, corrosion and inspection services recommend the installation of this protection, in order to preserve the integrity of the tank. The main area of use of the baffle, commonly called "bib", is located on all storage tanks, whatever their uses or the quality of the stored product.

The use of this protection is not limited to oil storage but to all structures requiring the need to maintain integrity.

Most of the tanks are not equipped with a baffle, others are equipped but definitively with fixed steel plates, welded on the first ferrules at the bottom of the tank, which prevents any automated controls below the baffle and does not facilitate visual inspection of the structural foot.

The installation of these protections is very restrictive and is usually carried out during the construction of the tank or during the decennial visits or even when opportunity stops, thus allowing the welding of the deflector supports.

Indeed, no hot work, by welding example, should be performed during the use of a storage bin.

Other methods of protection, other than the welded flap, are proposed such as the application of a bituminous coating with an aluminum support or even epoxy coatings, or even even recommendations of building codes, proposing the laying of a deflector edge marginal sheet, but all these proposals do not allow the inspection of areas subject to damage and, and can not lead to findings of a possible leak from the bottom tank.

Indeed, the minimum conditions of installation of these deflectors must respect the following needs:

- protect the tank foot by avoiding the migration of rain water under the marginal sheet.

- allow inspection and checks of the ferry stand.

- leave sufficient natural ventilation to dry the area.

A tank foot that degrades by corrosion increases the risk of opening the tank and whatever the product stored, can cause material and human damage and cause significant financial losses.

The first problem is that a leak at the bottom of the tank, on the welds of the bottom plates and the bottom plates themselves, or even at the angles of connection welds of the lower ferrule and the marginal plates, can be obscured by the application of an outer coating.

There is also no 100% reliable investigation system, such as acoustic emission, to overcome the state of integrity of the tank bottom. Indeed, the results are often distorted by the presence of paraffin in the tank bottom, in the case of hydrocarbon storage.

All proposals and tests currently being conducted do not meet the minimum recommended conditions to allow inspection visits to be carried out, while preserving the integrity of the protected equipment.

The second problem is that for bins equipped with welded baffles, interventions allow only maintenance and maintenance but not replacement of equipment during the period of use in production. The only means of intervention for major replacement work or repair hot works is during a period of production stoppage or decennial regulatory visit.

For bins not equipped with baffles, the problem that arises is the installation of these protections, tank in service. Can not install a deflector by welding. The outcome of this situation is the application of a coating but which remains unsuitable because it masks possible leaks from below the tank bottom.

Moreover, in spite of the answers given to the above problems by the initial invention protected by the previous patent of the same inventor and of which the present new patent application is an improvement, there are other problems encountered with this initial invention which are : the lack of real fixation of the deflector because the holding arms are only fixed to the wall by magnets and the support arms are only supported by simple contact

- The weakness of the seal plating force on the dress / wall of the tank, because the seal is pressed on this wall by the simple fact of the establishment of the protective plate and the maintenance thereof by the magnets;

- The magnetization force is difficult to predict on the one hand according to the state of the tank sheet and on the other hand according to the loads applied to the protective sheet and which depend:

- countries in which the equipment is installed, according to local weather conditions such as heavy rain, snow, frost, sand, wind ...;

- the density of the products used, such as fire tests;

- risks of stalling magnets by shock during maintenance or scheduled visits;

- The initial inclination of the deflector multiplies the number of obstacles encountered during assembly. This results in a multiplication of the work to be done and risks of infiltration, cutting, laying and connections of seals.

In view of the difficulties encountered, cited in the previous patent, to install or repair by welding the protections of marginal sheets, during the use of the bins and, the lack of efficiency or occultation caused by the presence of floor coverings. structures (and which have been solved by it) and, from those mentioned above to the new patent application for improvement.

A solution to the problems posed is the installation of a deflector, to protect the structural steel wall feet resting on a support slab (such as concrete) or footing support, liquid infiltrations, comprising:

- At least one protective plate, inclined downwardly away from said wall when the deflector is in operational position;

- At least one flexible seal attached along the upper edge, when the deflector is in the operative position, the inclined plate and adapted to come into sealing contact against said structural wall which it marries the shape; at least one holding arm of the sheet to which one of its ends is fixed to the deflector towards the said upper edge of the said sheet and the other end, said distal, is capable of being fixed to an element of the said structure, such than the wall thereof in a reversible manner and to be dissociated therefrom, making the deflector removable and, as according to the present invention:

said holding arm is a plating arm of the sheet, able to press the seal of the upper edge thereof against the wall of the structure when the deflector is in the operative position, and the latter comprises outraged :

at least one support disposed towards the lower edge of the sheet when it is installed around the structure to be protected (that is to say when the deflector is in the operational position), and separable into at least two suitable parts to make the deflector removable, one of which is fixed below the sheet and the other lower to the support slab of the structural wall or to the reinforcing sole of any accessory of this structure such as a cleaning door.

According to preferred embodiments of the invention, two solutions are then possible for the realization of the following plating arm on the one hand the state of the ring or the concrete slab on which the structure is based which one wants to protect the wall foot, as well as the quality of the surface condition and the nature of the material of this wall of the structure, and secondly either according to the possibility of pre-manufacturing the plates of the deflector for they are adapted to the structure concerned (for example by taking a template) or to have to adapt on site to this structure during the installation of the deflector:

- the first solution, especially interesting when the concrete ring is degraded at the foot of the wall of the structure and / or that the wall of the tank allows to attach in a reversible and non-invasive way for the wall and / or when it is necessary to adapt on the spot to it, is that the arm the holding arm (5), which is therefore according to the invention a plating arm, the sheet (1) is located above that it presses on it from above when the deflector is in operational position and has at its distal end at least one reversible and non-invasive fastening means for the wall, such as a magnet or a suction cup, able to be joined, magnetically or by suction or other effect, to the wall;

- the second solution, especially interesting when the concrete ring is in good condition and that we can prefabricate the baffle sheet so that it is adapted to the structure (which is the case for example new structures) is that the holding arm, which is therefore according to the invention a plating arm located below this protective plate and separable into at least two parts (one upper is fixed below the sheet and the other lower to the support slab of the structural wall or to the reinforcing sole of any accessory of this structure), the two said ends facing each other being able to "clap" between them by pressing against one another. other and displacement of one in the other (see an example below of this definition of clipping and as shown in Figure 10) during the establishment of the deflector and to remain interdependent despite their implementation in traction by the reactio n of the seal which is compressed during their clipping, but these two said ends facing each other being able to be unclipped and therefore disconnected by a higher traction. Furthermore, whatever the embodiment chosen for the plating arm, according to the two solutions above, and according to particular embodiments of the invention:

- The deflector plate, when it is in operational position, has a slope allowing unrestrained liquid flow and resistance to the vertical load of the liquid;

the deflector according to the invention comprises a vertical rim along the lower edge of said inclined plate when the deflector is in operational position;

- A deflector assembly consists of several deflector elements, having the above characteristics, all independent of each other but able to be positioned one after the other in a continuous manner around and against the feet of the wall of the structure to protect the entire periphery;

the deflector assembly consists of deflector elements comprising, at least along one of its lateral edges, covering elements and able to cover the empty space up to the adjacent element.

- Both the supports, arranged towards the lower edge of the plate, the plating arms, arranged towards its upper edge, can be adjustable to be able to adjust and adjust the height of the inclined protective sheet relative to the slab or the concrete ring, and maintain firstly this sheet bearing on the wall of the structure to be protected and on the other hand in an inclined position at the desired angle.

The invention is therefore as in the previous patent application, the installation of a removable deflector, which means in the present description is a deflector element or a deflector assembly consisting of several deflector elements, and as specified below.

The innovation being the fact that the protection can be dismantled and that it is therefore not necessary to stop the production of a tray for the installation of the protection and also, the improvements made as described below and which allow:

. in the case of plating arms located above the protective sheet and which can be detached, magnetically or otherwise, from the wall by means of magnets or other means of reversible and non-invasive attachment for the wall:

the position of the magnets, or other articulated means which are in this case above the protective plate, which gives easier access to the handling thereof;

the magnets (or other reversible fixing means) no longer have the same function as in the previous patent. They no longer serve as supports for maintaining the height of the protective sheet, but now allow the plate and its sealing gasket to be kept on the structure to be sealed;

- The holding arm comprises a turnbuckle adapted to adjust the pressure to be exerted for the plating of the seal;

- The holding arm is articulated at both ends by pins inserted into the end pieces allowing rotation of the assembly to allow to separate the magnet (or other reversible fastening means) of the wall of the structure;

- the turnbuckles also serve as handles for mounting / dismounting the protective plates; . in the case of plating arms located below the sheet and detachable by unclipping of these two parts:

simplification of manufacture which allows industrialization (for example, the baffle plate can be in this case made by stamping in one piece, and there is no element attached to this sheet except the seal of sealing and fixing of arms and supports),

the speed of the implementation during the assembly / disassembly of the elements while ensuring tightness in the areas consisting of multiple angles as the sides of the cleaning doors,

in this solution all the particular points, such as taps, cleaning doors, stairs, etc., can be protected either according to the descriptions taught hereafter or preferably for a reduction of the costs, by fixed protections, put on supports , covered with a sealant and which do not prevent manual or visual checks from the side of these fixed elements,

it remains then, once the particular points protected, to place the removable sections "standard" defined above and as shown in Figure 10, the standardization of the dimensions of the baffle plates allows, in terms of dimensions and of weight, the optimization of loads during transport, the efficiency achieved by the stamping of standardized sheets gives a high reactivity to an order,

- and because the more simple it is, the faster it is to mount too, and the more it reduces the overall cost of protection, and the more it is marketable,

- Whatever the solution chosen for the realization of the plating arms

- The establishment of adjustable supports, fixed to the ring or concrete slab or the reinforcing sole of the cleaning door, such as by a suitable glue or screwed, allows to absorb external loads, without detaching from moreover, as in the case of plating arms fixed to the wall of the structure above the protective plate, magnets (or other reversible fixing means) of the structure to be protected;

the deflector supports, which can even be adjustable along three axes, are able to adjust the vertical or horizontal space between the deflectors in their operational positions, these adjustment axes are:

- the axis of the lateral slide of the part (rounded part) in a guide;

- The axis of sliding in height of the workpiece on a slider;

- The axis of sliding in translation of the slide on the base.

the position of the supports makes it possible to block the foot of the deflector and thus gives the possibility of increasing the load exerted on the baffle and consequently increases the plating of the gasket on the wall and thus improves the sealing of the zone to be protected during inclement weather or fire tests.

FIG. 1 is a view, according to the first solution of the embodiment of the plating arm situated above the deflector protection plate, of detail A of FIG. 2 making it possible to locate the elements constituting the invention placed outside (24) of the tank. Figure 2 is a view, along the same first solution as Figure 1, the section E-E 'according to Figure 4 of the tank shell (14) on which is placed the baffle. Also locating the tank support base and the welded connection (36) of the marginal plate (15) and the bottom plates (16) located inside (25) of this tank.

- The holding arm (5) is in the background and is located outside (24) of the tank.

FIG. 3 is a general perspective view making it possible to locate the solutions of the invention at the presence of obstacles such as the cleaning door (27) and its reinforcing plate (10) or a drain connection ( 28) and its reinforcing plate (1 1).

This figure also makes it possible to locate the sectional plane P (of FIG. 4) positioned on the shell of the tank along its intersection (14 ') with the latter.

FIG. 4 is a view from above of the section along a plane P of FIG. 3 locating the shell of the tank (14) in section and its internal weld (17) in connection with the marginal plate (15) which is also welded (36) to the bottom plate (16), the baffles (1a) and (1b) visible in (fig.3), the position of the adjustable supports (32a) and (32b) installed under the baffles, the seals (2a) and (2b), the anti-drip profiles (3a) and (3b), the bent sections (4a) and (4b), the holding arms (5a) and (5b), the sheet metal covering (7), the seal (8) placed under the cover plate and the position of the cut E-E '.

Figure 5 is an overall view of one of the deflectors installed on the side of the cleaning door (Fig.3 27).

This view shows the installation in front of potential obstacles.

Figure 5a shows the standard section used for most of the baffles;

Figure 5b shows the assembly made to respond to the presence of obstacles as for a cleaning door as shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5c shows the detail B of Figure 5a which locates the position of the side seal (8) of the cover plate (7).

FIG. 6 shows a view of different possibilities of producing the baffle supports and which are arranged towards the lower edge of the protective sheet, but which can also be made in at least two parts able to "clip" between them by pressing against each other and displacement of one in the other as for the second embodiment of the plating arm described above and shown in Figure 10;

- Base support (34a) - set fixed by the top of the concrete ring or sole;

- Base support (34b) - set fixed by the belt of the concrete ring;

- Base support (34c) - set glued by the top and the belt of the concrete ring;

- Base support (34d) - set fixed by screws on the marginal plate (15) and held by another screw on the belt of the concrete ring.

Figure 7 is a detail view C of Figure 6 showing the constituent elements of the support (34a) bolted to the concrete ring in operational position.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the support (34a) of FIG.

Figure 9a is an overview of the installation with the reinforcing sole and the cleaning door with the location of one of the two supports glued and installed on the reinforcing sole of the cleaning door (9).

Figure 9b is a view of Detail D of Figure 9a. FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the assembly of the deflector according to the invention, in an on-site assembly situation and in partial exploded view, according to the second solution of the embodiment of the plating arm situated below the plate of FIG. deflector protection.

With reference to these drawings:

The deflector assembly consists of several baffle elements (Fig 3 ref 1 b) independent of each other but able to be positioned one after the other in a continuous manner around and against the feet of the wall (Fig. 1, 2 and 10 ref.14) of the structure.

The deflector assembly is supported on the seat of the reservoir (23) and is held thereon by supports (6), which can be adjustable along three axes, and able to adjust the vertical or horizontal space between the independent deflector elements in their operative positions.

Each deflector element (FIG 3 ref 1 b) which constitutes the deflector assembly comprises at least, along one of its lateral edges, cover elements (fig.4ref.7) and (fig.4 ref .8) able to cover the empty space up to the adjacent element.

The deflector (Fig. 1 and 10 ref .1) consists mainly of a protective plate formed on two sides.

The faces are at two angular positions. A face inclined at 15 ° minimum (fig.1 and 10 ref.1), and a revolution adapted to the radius of the tank and, of an anti-drip profile with vertical edge at the bottom (fig.1 and 10 ref 3), limiting flow towards the ground or gutter (fig.2 ref.26).

The minimum inclination of 15 ° of the deflector (fig .1 and 10 ref.1) makes it possible to avoid and pass under most of the elements fixed to the storage tank, staircase, taps, etc.

Nevertheless, the shape and the slope of the deflectors can be modified according to the obstacles encountered such as, the cleaning door (fig.3 ref.27) or in the presence of reinforcing sheets (fig.3 ref.10 1 1) welded to the wall (14) of the tank and any other elements existing on site.

As indicated above, obstacles can hinder the installation of the baffles, baffle plates (1) are then cut and the installation of nitrile gasket can ensure the sealing of these particular areas.

According to the first solution of the embodiment of the plating arm according to the invention and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this plating arm is situated above the deflector protection plate, and this inclined plate (1) is equipped with this holding / plating arm (fig.2 ref.5) (visible in the background) serving firstly to maintain the deflector (1) in its operational position and, secondly to adjust the necessary pressure the correct application of the seal (fig.1 ref.2) on the wall (14) of the tank.

The holding arm is articulated at both ends by pins (fig.1 ref.31 a 31 b) inserted into end pieces (fig.1 ref.37 38) allowing rotation of the assembly in order to disengage the magnet (or other reversible attachment means) (Fig. 1 ref.12) to the magnetic wall (14). The ends of the holding arm are on its lower part and deflector side, bolted (Fig. 1 ref.35a 41a) and on its upper part, equipped with the magnet (or other reversible attachment means) (Fig.1 ref. 12)

All the elements constituting the holding arm is attached to the turnbuckle (fig.1 ref.29) by clevises (fig.1 ref.39a 39b), which makes it possible to adjust by rotation of the turnbuckle in order to obtain good application of the seal (fig.1 ref.2).

The turnbuckle (Fig. 1 ref.29) is the element that allows to refine the application of the seal (Fig .1 ref.2) on the wall (14), by screwing / unscrewing.

The last use of these holding arms (5) is for handling the baffles during their installation, these arms can have the function of carrying handles.

The holding arms (5) are located above the deflector (1), when the deflector is in operational position, and are able to come into contact against the wall (14) above the seal (Fig. 1 ref.2) by a rotation on its axis (fig.1 ref.31 b).

The deflector for a metal wall (14) of structure is such that at least the holding arm (fig.2 ref.5) has at its distal end at least one magnet (or other reversible attachment means) (12) adapted to magnetically bond to the wall (14).

According to the second solution of the embodiment of the plating arm according to the invention, as represented in FIG. 10, the plating arm (5) is situated below the protective plate: it is separable into at least two parts , one upper (45) being fixed (46) below the sheet (1), such as by screwing, and the other lower whose distal end is fixed to the support slab of the structural wall or to a base support (34e) (such as by welding as shown in Figure 10), or again, to the reinforcing sole of any accessory of this structure.

And in this second solution, the ends (45a, 45b) of said two facing portions are able to "clip" between them (45a, 45b) by pressing against each other and moving one in the other during the establishment of the deflector and to maintain solidarity with each other despite their setting in traction by the reaction of the seal which is compressed during their clipping, but these ends (45a, 45b) of the two said parts facing each other being able to be unclipped and thus disconnected by pulling the upper force.

An exemplary embodiment of these clip-on parts is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 10 where one (45a) situated on the side of the upper part (45) of the veneer arm (5) has its end in shape. ring partially open and able to open a little more elastically to receive the end of the other (45b), located on the side of the lower part of the arm (5) and which is cylinder-shaped housing then in the said ring and being there blocked by the effect of reclosing it behind the cylinder; in other embodiments, these partially open-ring and cylinder-shaped shapes can be reversed, with the end of the cylinder-shaped top portion (45a) and the lower portion of the cylinder-shaped bottom portion (45b). partially open ring. In order to make the baffles transportable, the entire deflector is cut into sections of length adapted to easy human transport thus avoiding the intervention of gear in the tank bowl.

The material of the baffle is made of stainless steel, aluminum or galvanized sheet or other, according to customer requests.

The plates of the deflector according to the invention comprise a vertical flange (3), along the lower edge of said inclined plates when the deflector is in operational position: this flange can be either a seal said anti-drip profile (3, 3a, 3b according to Figs 1, 4 and 5), or a simple folding of the sheet (1) itself (according to Fig.10).

Items placed on a trough or in a trough can not be one of the three elements of the fire triangle.

The sealing between the baffle and the tank wall (fig.1 and 10 ref.14) is carried out using a nitrile gasket (fig.1 and ref.2) or other material adapted to the environment, inserted in a bent section (fig.1 ref.4) which itself is fitted into the plate (1) of the deflector.

The sealing between the deflector and the wall of the cleaning door (fig.3 ref.27), as an example and when we also want to use a removable deflector element, keeps the same principle of implementation as the one mentioned above. above but, using joint profiles and rails (profiles) of different shapes and dimensions (fig.5b ref 1c).

Each element of the deflector assembly that constitutes it comprises a sheet (fig.3 ref.7) (fig.4 7) (fig.5 ref.7 detail B) and a lap joint (fig.4 ref.8) (fig.5 ref.8 detail B) along one of its lateral edges and able to come to cover an adjacent element.

A cover plate (fig.4 ref.7) is welded to the protective plate (fig.4 ref.1 la), thus making it possible to fill and protect the empty area between the protective plates (fig.4 ref.1a and 1). b).

A cover gasket (8), according to (FIGS.4 and 5), seals between two deflector elements in operative position.

The adjustable supports (fig.2 ref.6) (fig.9a ref.6) are on the one hand, fixed (fig.7 ref.32) to the deflectors such as by welding or screwing / bolting and on the other hand, fixed to the concrete ring (fig.2 ref.23) either by gluing, or by screwing or fixed on the steel reinforcing sole (fig.9a ref.9) of the cleaning door by gluing, according to the location where the support is installed and according to the customer's recommendations.

Four pieces constitute the model 34a adjustable support as an example (fig.6, 7, 8):

- The base of the support, a T-section (fig.8 ref.34a) fixed on the concrete ring (23) or the reinforcing sole of the cleaning door (fig.9a ref.9), or by an adhesive adapted either by a screwed fastener.

- A slider (fig.8 ref.13) allowing a displacement in translation of the support. Two screws (fig.8 ref.35d, e) passing through the base of the support by the grooves, keep the part in position of use.

- A sliding guide (fig.8 ref.33), with oblong holes, adjusts the height of the baffle to adjust the protection elements to each other.

- A folded sheet (fig.8 ref.32) welded under the plate (1) of the deflector, the rounded lower end of this element is pinched in the guide cited above and allows to maintain position the deflector after adjusting and tightening the bolts (fig.8 ref.35b, c, d, e, f, g, h) and (fig.8 ref.41 b, c, d, e, f).

Several types of supports can be used to attach the baffle plates.

As an example on the diagram (Fig. 6):

- Base support (34a) - set fixed by the top of the concrete ring (23) or reinforcing sole (9).

- Base support (34b) - set fixed by the belt of the concrete ring (23).

- Base support (34c) - set glued by the top and the belt of the concrete ring (23).

- Base support (34d) - assembly fixed by screws (fig. 35k, m) on the marginal plate (15) and held by another screw (fig.6 35j) on the belt of the concrete ring (23 ).

The supports of the deflector elements designated above (6) must allow adjustment on three axes, in order to adjust the vertical or horizontal space between the deflector elements in their operational positions.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 10, only one base support (34e) can be fixed on the concrete ring (23) (as by screwing on the side of this ring (23) as shown in this FIG. 10) and supporting both the distal ends of the lower portions of the protective sheet metal support (6) and the holding / plating arm (5) of this sheet (1), the upper parts (45, 45 ') of this support (6) of sheet metal (1) and the arm (5) being fixed (46,46 ') by screwing / bolting / riveting (or other means) on the underside of the inclined protective sheet (1); the supports (6) of sheet metal (1) can be adjustable as in the embodiments described and shown in FIGS. 1, 7 and 8, or clips (45a ', 45b') as shown in Fig.10 and following the same characteristics as described for clipping the ends (45a, 45b) of the two separable parts of the veneer arm (5) previously described.

To standardize the manufacture of these clip-on parts and thus to simplify it, the upper parts (45, 45 ') of the supports (6) and the arms (5) respectively can be identical and fixed under intermediate pieces integral with the underside of the sheet ( 1) of protection, these parts (not shown in the example of Figure 10) being of different heights to compensate for the difference in height between the arms (5), higher, and the supports (6), lower, so that the lower parts of these arms and these supports are also identical.

The manufacturing and assembly variants are multiple.

Baffles can be used on any structures requiring protection and integrity maintenance.

The materials used for producing the deflector elements (1) may be zinc, plexiglass or plastic if the fire risk is not proven and according to the conditions of use.

The variant can be made on the thicknesses of the materials used, their weight and their costs.

The seals can be made with any flexible and extrudable product to marry the area to be sealed and facilitate the insertion thereof into a support profile. The magnets can be of variable shapes, horseshoe, cylindrical or parallelepipedic, or even a predefined shape to order and can be used for both the support arms for the supports.

Fastenings to nonmagnetic walls can be made with suction cups or glued plates, or fixed by any other means of reversible attachment to the walls of the structure according to the nature of the support on which the deflector must be installed.

The first interest of this protection is the fact that it is removable but also, therefore, can allow the passage of control material on the structure such as:

- Measurement of thickness of ferrules by robots. These robots are equipped with magnetic tracks that allow their movements from the tray foot to the last upper ferrule;

- Measurement of thickness losses of the marginal plates made by a robot moving horizontally on the foot of the tank;

- Standard thickness measurements by ultrasonic testing, performed manually by technicians equipped with ultrasonic probes;

- The ACFM Alternative Current Field Measurement control to control the quality of the external welds (f ig .1 18) connecting, from the first low ferrule of the tank shell to the marginal sheet.

Some of these checks are carried out during triennial and other decennial visits. Nevertheless, the primary need remains the possibility of performing the visual inspection of the base of the tank (fig.1 ref.19) which it can be done at any time, as much as necessary according to the legislation in force.

Claims

1) Deflector for protecting the metal wall legs (14) of structure, resting on a slab (23), liquid infiltrations, comprising:

at least one protective plate (1) inclined downwards away from said wall

(14) when the deflector is in operational position.

- At least one flexible seal (2) fixed along the upper edge, when the deflector is in the operative position, of the inclined plate (1) and adapted to come into sealing contact against said wall (14) of structure whose form he espouses.

- At least one holding arm (5) of the sheet (1), at which one of its ends is fixed to the deflector towards said upper edge of said sheet (1) and the other end said distal, is adapted to to become firmly attached to an element of said structure in a reversible manner and to be disengaged from it, making the deflector removable, characterized in that:

- The said holding arm (5) is a plating arm of the sheet (1), able to press the seal (2) of the upper edge thereof against the wall (14) of the structure when the deflector is in operational position, and the latter further comprises:

at least one support (6), arranged towards the lower edge of the sheet (1) and separable into at least two parts capable of rendering the deflector removable, one of which is fixed below the sheet (1) and the lower one is fixed to the support slab (23) of the structural wall (14) or to the reinforcing sole of any accessory of this structure.

2) Deflector for protecting the metal wall legs (14) of structure according to claim 1 characterized in that the holding arm (5), which is a plating arm, of the sheet (1) is located above it presses on it from above when the deflector is in operational position.

3) Deflector for protecting the metal wall feet (14) structure according to claim 2 characterized in that the at least holding arm (5) has at its distal end at least one magnet (12) adapted to magnetically bond to the wall (14).

4) Deflector according to any one of claims 2 and 3 characterized in that the at least holding arm (5) comprises a turnbuckle (29) adapted to adjust the pressure to be exerted for the plating of the seal (2) .

5) Deflector for protecting the metal wall legs (14) of structure according to claim 1 characterized in that the holding arm, which is a plating arm, the sheet (1) is located below it and separable into at least two parts, one upper (45) is fixed below the sheet (1) and the other lower (5) to the support slab (23) of the wall (14) structure or , at the soleplate of any accessory of this structure, the ends (45a, 45b) two said parts facing each other being able to "clip" Between them by support of one against the other and displacement of one into the other during the establishment of the deflector and to hold together with each other despite their setting in traction by the reaction of the seal (2 ) which is compressed during their clipping.

6) Deflector according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the baffle plate (1), when the latter is in the operative position, has an inclination allowing unrestrained liquid flow and resistance to the load vertical of the liquid.

7) Deflector according to any one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that it comprises a vertical flange (3) along the lower edge of said inclined plate (1), when the deflector is in operational position.

8) Deflector according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that the at least adjustable support (6) is adapted to be adjusted along three axes to adjust the height of the inclined protective sheet (1) relative to the slab (23), and maintain firstly it bears on the wall (14) of the structure to be protected and secondly in an inclined position at the desired angle.

9) deflector assembly characterized in that it consists of several deflector elements, each according to any one of claims 1 to 8, independent of each other but able to be positioned one after the other in a manner continue around and against the feet of the wall of the structure.

10) Baffle assembly according to claim 9 characterized in that each deflector element which constitutes it comprises at least along one of its lateral edges, cover elements (7) and (8) adapted to cover the space empty to the adjacent element.