GB2173848A - Slurry stores - Google Patents

Abstract

A slurry store is made up of panels (14) joined edge to edge. The panels may incorporate reinforcement including transverse metal rods 18 preferably webbed to longitudinal metal strips 16. The panels are secured together by bolts (38) passing through holes (34) in the longitudinal strips. The longitudinal edges of the panels may incorporate a longitudinal groove (50) which accommodates a sealing member (52) conveniently in the form of a compressible plastics or rubber rod or tube. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Slurry stores DESCRIPTION This invention concerns slurry stores.

Slurry stores are known that are made up of pre-cast concrete staves interlocked and kept in place by external steel bands encircling the store. These can be difficult to erect and seal, and cannot be made in large sizes.

The object of this invention is to provide a slurry store that may be easily erected and can be of large volume.

According to the invention there is provided a slurry store having a wall made up of panels joined edge to edge.

The panels are preferably made of concrete that is also preferably reinforced. The preferred reinforcement of the panels comprises a series of spaced transverse metal rods which are preferably cast into the concrete.

In one embodiment the rods are webbed at each end to longitudinal metal strips, preferably angle iron bars. These strips may be cast into the concrete panels and may be supplemented by one or more layers of wire mesh.

To join the panels to each other, the longitudinal metal mars may have a series of spaced holes therethrough accessible via pockets in the panels. Thereby, bolts can be passed through aligned holes of adjacent panels and secured by nuts on the ends of the bolts.

Most slurry stores take a generally circular form so that adjacent panels will form an obtuse angle internally of the store. It may, therefore, be necessary to provide tapered washers to provide flat surfaces onto which the nuts can be tightened.

Further reinforcement of the panels may be provided in the region of the pockets by way of shaped metal bands added to the longitudinal bar and one of the wire mesh reinforcements at soaced intervals.

In an alternative embodiment, a coupling, preferably a female threaded sleeve, is provided at each end of the metal rods. To join the panels to each other, a plurality of jointing boxes are employed (one for each rod) and positioned between adjacent panels. Each box is open at one side and provided with a hole in opposite ends, whereby a bolt can be passed through each hole and into threaded engagement with the coupling sleeve of the rod. A tapered washer is provided under the head of the bolt to align the bolts with the rod since the panels will form an obtuse angle.

To provide a seal between the panel edges, those edges may have a longitudinal groove therein whereby a compressible member, such as plastics or rubber rod or tubing, can be held between adjacent panels in said grooves.

The space between the panels internally of the compressible member may additionally be filled with a mastic sealant.

The panels are preferably tapered in section i.e. they are thicker at the bottom than at the top. The inward surface of each panel may be coated with a protective layer, such as of bituminous paint.

To construct a slurry store of the invention a concrete base may first be formed upon which the wall of the store is erected. A preferred alternative is to erect the wall on small concrete base parts at each joint and then to form the remainder of the base so that the base parts and lower parts of the wall are incorporated in the base, which provides a better seal.

The invention is suitable for making slurry stores of many sizes both in terms of diameter and of height. For example it is possible to construct slurry stores of the invention with panels 8' or 12' in height.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a slurry tank; Figure 2 is a front view of a panel of the tank of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is an end view of a panel of the tank of Fig. 1; Figure 4 is a detailed end view of a panel; Figures 5A and 5B are top and bottom plan views of part of the tank of Fig. 1 respectively; and Figure 6 shows in detail a joint between panels.

Referring to the drawings, a slurry tank 10 comprises a generally circular concrete base 12 into which are cast rectangular reinforced concrete panels 14 joined edge to edge. The panels are tapered in section being thicker at the bottom than at the top.

The panels 14 are reinforced in various ways. Firstly, longitudinal L-shaped steel bars 16 are incorporated in the panels one near each edge thereof and to these bars 16 are welded hot rolled deformed high yield rods 18 at each end. Secondly two layers of wire mesh reinforcement 20 and 22 are also incorporated in the panels and thirdly a series of spaced shaped steel bands 24 have one web 25 welded to the bars 16 and another web 28 perpendicular to the first web 25 welded to the mesh reinforcement 20.

To join the panels together, the bars 16 have a series of spaced holes 34 through the webs 30 of the bars parallel with the edges of the panels. Access to the holes 34 is via pockets 36 formed in the concrete of the panels. When placed edge to edge, bolts 38 can be passed through aligned holes 34 of the adjacent panels, tapered washers 40 placed on each end of the bolt so that nuts 42 when tightened on the bolts will hold the panels at a desired angle to each other to form a generally circular store.

To form a seal between the edges of the panels each edge has a groove 50 so that an alkathene tube 52 can be held between the panel edges in the grooves of adjacent panel edges. The alkathene RTM tube is compressible so that as the nuts 42 are tightened on the bolts 38 a very effective compression seal is formed. An additional seal of mastic matereial may be provided between the panel edges inwards of the tubes 52.

To erect the slurry store, firstly the concrete base is formed wholly or preferably in part.

The wall is then erected panel by panel on the base or part base. If the former, concrete is used to seal the bottom of the wall to the base. If the latter, the remainder of the base is formed from concrete preferably incorporating the lower edge of the wall to form a seal between the wall and the base.

In an alternative embodiment not illustrated, the longitudinal metal strips are dispensed with, and each end of the transverse metal rods provided with an internally threaded sleeve. To join the panels together, a plurality of jointing boxes are used, one for each rod.

These are open sided boxes, with opposite ends having holes to receive bolts. The bolts are passed through the holes and into threaded engagement with the sleeve of the transverse reinforcing rods. Pockets are formed in the edge of the panels to accommodate the jointing boxes. Washers are used under the heads of the bolts to align then with the sleeves and provide a flat face for them to tighten against.

Claims (19)

1. A slurry store having a wall made up of panels joined edge to edge.

2. A slurry store as claimed in claim 1 in which the panels are made of concrete.

3. A slurry store as claimed in claim 2 in which the concrete is reinforced.

4. A slurry store as claimed in claim 3 in which the reinforcement of the panels comprises a series of spaced transverse metal rods.

5. A slurry store as claimed in claim 4 in which the metal rods are webbed at each end to longitudinal metal strips.

6. A slurry store as claimed in claim 5 in which the longitudinal strips are angle iron bars.

7. A slurry store as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 6 in which the reinforcement is cast into the concrete panels and is supplemented by one or more layers of wire mesh.

8. A slurry store as claimed in claim 5 in which the longitudinal metal strips have a series of spaced holes therethrough.

9. A slurry store as claimed in claim 8 in which the spaced holes are accessible via pockets in the panels.

10. A slurry store as claimed in claim 8 or 9 in which the panels are joined together by passing bolts through aligned spaced holes of adjacent panels and secured by nuts on the ends of the bolts.

11. A slurry store as claimed in claim 10 ibn which tapered washers are provided under the nuts and bolt heads to provide flat surfaces when adjacent panels are disposed at an obtuse angle to one another.

12. A slurry store as claimed in claim 4 in which the transverse metal rods are formed with the coupling sleeves attached.

13. A slurry store as claimed in claim 12 in which the sleeves are threaded internally.

14. A slurry store as claimed in claim 12 or 13 in which the panels are joined together by passing bolts through holes in jointing boxes positioned between the aligned transverse rods of adjacent panels, which bolts are threaded into the sleeves of the rods to secure the panels together.

15. A slurry store as claimed in claim 14 in which a jointing box is used for each pair of aligned transverse rods.

16. A slurry store as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which a seal member is provided between the edges of adjacent panels.

17. A slurry store as claimed in claim 16 in which each edge has a longitudinal groove therein whereby a compressible member, such as plastics or rubber rod or tubing, can be held between adjacent panels in said grooves.

18. A slurry store as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the panels are tapered in section, being thicker at the top than the bottom.

19. A slurry store constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.