GB2335227A

GB2335227A - Bowser with bund and separate chamber for all inlet and outlet ports

Info

Publication number: GB2335227A
Application number: GB9904033A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Hudson
Original assignee: MAINWAY ENGINEERING
Current assignee: MAINWAY ENGINEERING
Priority date: 1998-03-10
Filing date: 1999-02-23
Publication date: 1999-09-15
Also published as: GB9904033D0

Abstract

A bowser comprising a first tank defining a storage reservoir 1, outer tank 2 defining a bund and an externally opening chamber 3. All inlet and outlet ports into the storage reservoir 1 and bund 2 open into chamber 3. The external opening of chamber 3 preferably has a lockable, sealable lid 4 which may have a vent comprising a pressure release valve. A port 16 may be provided which allows direct access into the bund 2. The fluid level in the bund may be measured by a dipstick or buoyant fluid indicator. The bowser may be static or mobile.

Description

2335227 1 IMPROVEMENTS TO BOWSERS The present invention relates to bowsers

and tanks intended to contain lubricating and fuel oils, petroleum and the like.

In order to prevent environmental damage occurring from the contamination of the soil and water courses by fuel oils and similar material, it is now recommended in many countries that static oil tanks must be bunded; that is that the tank must be located within an outer base and surrounding walls which must be constructed or lined with a material impermeable to the oil being stored. Preferably, a rainwater sump is also provided.

However, such an arrangement is not possible with a portable tank or bowser but it is equally desirable that such tanks are also provided with a bund.

The object of the present invention is to address this problem and to provide primarily a mobile tank or bowser which substantially mitigates or obviates the risk of the spillage of oils and the like into the environment. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is also equally applicable to a static tank and therefore herein and in the claims the term bowser is to be understood to cover both static and portable or mobile tanks.

According to the present invention there is provided a bowser comprising a first tank defining a storage reservoir, an outer second tank enclosing the first tank and defining a bund, and defining a chamber with an external opening into which chamber all inlet and outlet ports into the storage reservoir and the bund open.

2 Preferably, said external opening of the chamber is provided with a lockable, sealing lid.

Preferably also, the lid is provided with a vent comprising a pressure release valve.

Preferably also, the chamber comprises a sealed compartment located substantially within the volume of the first tank.

Preferably also, the inlet and the outlet ports located within the chamber comprise an inlet port closed by a filler cap and an outlet port provided with a quickrelease hose coupling.

Advantageously, the outlet ports also comprise a vent which communicates with the reservoir and which comprises a pressure release valve.

Preferably also, a port is provided in the chamber providing direct access into the bund.

Preferably also, a pipework column into the bund is provided which communicates with the interior of the chamber via said port. Advantageously, the pipework column accommodates an oil indicator.

Preferably also, the oil indicator in buoyant and comprises a sealed tube which is attached at one end to a float whereby the indicator will float on any oil pooled within the bund. Advantageously, the other end of the tube is adapted into a marker for indicating the level of oil pooled within the bund dependent on the degree to which it projects above the upper rim of the pipework column.

1 3 The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a schematic vertical cross-section through a bowser according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a more detailed vertical cross-section of a chamber defined by the bowser shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the interior of the chamber shown in Fig. 2.

As shown in Fig. 1, a bowser comprises a first tank defining a closed main storage reservoir 1 for containing oil with an outer enclosing second tank. The second tank 2 comprises an outer skin located around the exterior of the first tank to define a hund 2 which preferably has a capacity, excluding that of the reservoir 1, that can accommodate at least 10% of the reservoir 1.

It is intended that the bowser will be mounted on a chassis (not shown) for transportation either as a towable bowser or as a motorized tanker. However, it will be appreciated that the bowser could also be used as a static tank.

The bowser also defines an externally opening chamber 3 into which all inlet and outlet ports into the storage reservoir 1 and the bund 2 open, as are described below. Preferably, as shown in the drawings, the chamber 3 is located at the top of the bowser and comprises a sealed compartment located substantially within the volume of the main body of the reservoir 1. However, in an alternative 4 arrangement the chamber could be located at one end or side of the reservoir 1 and lie totally within the volume of the bund 2.

A lockable lid 4 is provided for the chamber 3 around the interior rim of which is located a gasket 5 which seals against the upper rim of the chamber 3 in order to ensure that the interior of the chamber 3 is kept fluidtight when the lid 4 is closed and locked.

Within the chamber 3 is located an inlet port 6 and an outlet port 7. The inlet port 6 communicates with the interior of the reservoir 1 via a pipe 8 which raises the level of the port 6 within the chamber 3 to facilitate the location of a filler nozzle therein. The port 6 itself is closed by a filler cap 11.

The outlet port 7 comprises a quick-release hose coupling and is connected to an outlet pipe 9 communicating with the interior of the reservoir 1 via a pump 10. The pump 10 is also located within the chamber 3 in order that oil can be pumped out of the reservoir 1 for use and is connected between a connector 12 at the end of the outlet pipe 9 and the outlet port 7 via flexible hoses (not shown). It will be appreciated that the quick release hose coupling is provided on the outlet 7 in order to obviate or minimize leakage from further connecting hoses and pipework used with the bowser. Advantageously, the chamber 3 is adapted by means of a channel or clips to accommodate storage of the hose to be connected to the coupling in order that any leakage therefrom once it has been de- coupled at both ends occurs into the chamber 3 and not into the environment. However, any such hose should also comprise a trigger nozzle at one end to minimize oil spillage.

In a modification, a separate lockable cabinet could be provided to house the hose for connection to the outlet port 7.

The pump 10 can be a hand-operated pump to which a cranking handle (not shown) can be attached for manual operation or be an electric pump. In the latter case, the chamber 3 is also preferably adapted to accommodate the electric leads for the pump when it is not in use in order that the integrity of the chamber 3 is not breached when it is closed by the provision of a cable duct or similar, which would in any event have to be sealed around the cable itself to prevent egress of oil therethrough from the interior of the chamber 3.

Also located within the chamber 3 is a vent 13 which communicates with the uppermost portion of the reservoir 1 above the normal liquid level. The vent 13 comprises a pressure relief valve which will permit air and oil gases to escape from the interior of the reservoir 1 should the internal pressure within the reservoir 1 become higher than a predetermined safe level. Venting is liable to occur if the bowser is located in an environment subject to larcre temperature swings when the ambient temperature increases. This results in both an expansion of the oil within the reservoir 1 and also an increase in the quantity of vaporized oil being produced, particularly if volatile oils are being stored, and therefore an increase in the gas pressure in the reservoir 1. As the pressure in the chamber 3 will also increase if the gases are vented directly into it when the lid 4 is locked, the lid 4 is also provided with a vent 14 comprising a pressure release valve.

6 A bund dipstick 15 is also located within the chamber 3 and is inserted into the upwardly projecting end of a pipework column 16 that passes through the main reservoir 1 and opens at its other end in the bund 2 beneath the reservoir 1. The dipstick 15 is therefore able to indicate whether any spillage into the bund 2 has occurred from the main reservoir 1 and the level within the bund 2 to which it has reached. Excessive spillage of oil into the bund 2 can indicate a leak in the reservoir 1 that must be attended to. Oil spillage into the bund 2 can be dealt with by being pumped out via the projecting end of the column 16, which is the only direct inlet/outlet into the bund 2.

In a modification, the dipstick 15 can be replaced by a buoyant oil indicator (not shown) that will float inside the column 16 on any oil pooled within the bund 2. The indicator is preferably shaped to comprise a marker that projects beyond the upper rim of the column 16 into the chamber 3. The degree to which the marker projects out of the column 16 will therefore indicate the level of the oil pooled within the bund 2 and the projecting end of the mark can be calibrated accordingly.

Preferably, such a buoyant oil indicator comprises a substantially rigid sealed tube, for example made from plastics, which is attached at one end to a float such as a cork for floating on any oil pooled within the bund 2.

The column 16 also serves as a vent for the bund 2, venting air and oil gases from the bund 2 into the chamber 3. As described above, excess pressure in the chamber 3, which may build up when the lid 4 is locked, is vented via the vent 14.

1 7 The level of the oil within the main reservoir 1 is indicated by a fuel gauge 17 which is attached to a conventional fuel gauge mechanism (not shown) located within the reservoir 1. The gauge 17 is also located within the chamber 3 and communicates with the uppermost part of the reservoir 1 via a breather tube 18.

Thus it will be appreciated that all the required inlet and outlet ports into the reservoir 1 and the bund 2 occur via the chamber 3. In this way any spillage of oil via these ports occurs into the chamber 3 where it can be dealt with safely and not into the surrounding environment. Should any significant spillage of oil occur into the chamber 3, that cannot be simply mopped up then it can be pumped out and into an appropriate container for disposal.

In addition to the foregoing, the fact that all the inlet and outlet ports into the reservoir 1 and the bund 2 are located within the chamber 3 which can be locked shut provides a safety feature, detering tampering by thieves and vandals.

8

Claims

1. A bowser comprising a first tank defining a storage reservoir, an outer second tank enclosing the first tank and defining a bund, and defining a chamber with an external opening into which chamber all inlet and outlet ports into the storage reservoir and the bund open.

2. A bowser as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said external opening of the chamber is provided with a lockable, sealing lid.

3. A bowser as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the lid is provided with a vent comprising a pressure release valve.

4. A bowser as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the chamber comprises a sealed compartment located substantially within the volume of the first tank.

5. A bowser as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the inlet and the outlet ports located within the chamber comprise an inlet port closed by a filler cap and an outlet port provided with a quick-release hose coupling.

6. A bowser as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the outlet ports also comprise a vent which communicates with the reservoir and which comprises a pressure release valve.

7. A bowser as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein a port is provided in the chamber providing direct access into the bund.

1 9 14

8. A bowser as claimed in Claim 7, wherein a pipework column into the bund is provided which communicates with the interior of the chamber via said port.

9. A bowser as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the pipework column accommodates an oil indicator.

10. A bowser as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the oil indicator is buoyant and comprises a sealed tube which is attached at one end to a float whereby the indicator will float on any oil pooled within the bund.

11. A bowser as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the other end of the sealed tube is adapted into a marker for indicating the level of the oil pooled within the bund dependent on the degree to which it projects above the upper rim of the pipework column.

12. A bowser substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.