US1909484A

US1909484A - Liquid storage reservoir

Info

Publication number: US1909484A
Application number: US529936A
Authority: US
Inventors: James A Bjerregaard
Original assignee: Doherty Research Co
Current assignee: Doherty Research Co
Priority date: 1931-04-14
Filing date: 1931-04-14
Publication date: 1933-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 1950-05-16

Description

May 15, .1933' J. A. BJERREGAARD 1,909,484

LIQUID STORAGE RESERVOIR Filed April 14. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIIIII llll Illll llllll 1,23 1 A, ATTORNEY May 16, 1933. J. A. BJERREGAARD l1,909,484

LIQUID STORAGE RESERVOIR INVENTOR JAM E6 A. Bd ERREGAARD ATTORNEY Patented May 16, 1933 Umso STATES JAMES A. BJERREGAARD, OF FOREST HILLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB T" DOHERTY RESEARCH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A OORPORATlON 0F DELAWARE LIQUID STORAGE" RESERVOIR Application led April 14,

This invention relates to liquid storage reservoirs and more particularly to a novel design of large capacity oil storage reservoirs of the earth embankment type and a iioating roof therefor.

1n designing andbuilding large capacity oil storage reservoirs heretofore it has not been found practicable to combine the quali" ties of stability, durability, comparatively inexpensive construction and high eiiiciency in preventing oil loss by seepage and evaporation. Various types of large capacity reservoirs have been suggested as embodying one or more of these qualities but in each of such suggested reservoirs at least one of the above qualities so essential to efcient oil storage is lacking. Particularly in reservoirs of the earth fill or earth embankment type it has been found impossible heretofore to combine in both the reservoir design and in the roof design a comparatively ineX- pensive construction, and stability, with high eticiency in the prevention of oil losses due to leakage and evaporation,

@ne object of the present invention is to provide a large. capacity liquid storage reservoir of the earth embankment type which is stable, durable, comparatively inexpensive to build and is highly etiicient in preventing losses by leakage and evaporation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a iioating roof for such a large capacity liquid storage reservoir of the earth embankment type which will be of simple and inexpensive construction and of high efliciency in preventing evaporation losses under all weather conditions.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be apparent Jfrom the following detailed description, taken with the ac companying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partly diagrammatic top plan view of an oil storage reservoir and root embodying the preferred design of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one portion of the reservoir roof shown in Fig. 1, parts being broken away to show the con struction ot underlying parts.

L Fig.v 3 is a view in vertical crossesection 1931. Serial No. 529,936.

ot a part oi' the reservoir according to the present invention, showing the relation of the floating roof to the walls and -floor of the reservoir.

Figs. 4,y 5, 6, and 7 ,show various forms of joints which may be used to advantage in the construction of .the reservoir roof.

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates the earthen Wall of the earth embankment type reservoir according to the present invention. This wall may be circular or oval in shape and may be oi' any suitable dimensions so as to provide a reservoir of the desired capacity. The wall is banked on both sides to such a degree that it is stable under full capacity pressure. The inside surface of the wall embankment 10 is constructed in a series of steps 12 extending inwardly from the top. to the floor 14 of the reservoir, and each step is retained by a vertical ring 16 oit' corrugated metal or concrete which extends a short distance above thesurface of each step. The top surface of each step 12 and oi' the reservoir floor 14 is treated with asphaltum so as to make the surfaces impervious to Water. In this Way the tendency of the wall embankment or the loor of the reservoir to absorb the water, such absorption tending toward a subsequent instability of the wall embankment, is obviated, and by reason of the retaining rings 16 a body of water 18 is constantly maintained on each of the steps 12 ot the embankment.` Similarly, a body of water 19 is constantly maintained on the floor 14 of the reservoir by reason of a water outlet pipe 2O having an outlet opening which is slightly above the floor level of the reservoir; Liquid t'orkthe water bodies 18 and 19 is introduced through an inlet pipe 21 located above the top step of the reservoir wall which maintains a body of water. The reservoir is also provided with an oil inlet and outlet pipe 22. Y

Referring now more particularly to the roof 23, 24'indicates the curved pans of the peripheral portion 25 of the roof which are joinedtogether at 26 and 28 in a manner which will hereinafter be more fully described. f The pans 24 are of inverted semicylindrical cross section constructed of ilexible sheet metal and are joined together both endwise and sidewise to torni a series ot connected annular rings 27, the rings being concentrically arranged and overlying the steps l2 of the inside surface ot' the wall embankment.

The central portion of the roof 29 is composed of rectilinear rows oi' straight pans 30 of inverted semi-cylindrical cross section constructed of flexible metal and joined together at 32 and 34. The

joints

32 and 34 are formed in a manner which will be hereinafter more fully explained. rlhe central portion of the roof 29 overlies the vhoor 14 of the reservoir.

The central series of pans 30 are joined to the peripheral series of pans 24 at 36 in any suitable manner such as by welding or bolting. The outer series of pans 24 of the peripheral portion of the rooi are joined to the walls of the reservoir by means of a metal ring strap 38. This strap 38 is welded or bolted or fastened in any other suitable way to a ring 40 which retains one ot the upper steps ot the wall embankment so that the joint thus made will be practically air-tight and liquid-tight.

Above the peripheral portion 25 of the root is placed a series of annular pontoon members 42 constructed of metal tubing and attached to the annular rows ot pans 24 at the joints 28 between the vario-us rows by means of guys44. Similarly above the central portion 29 of the root is a series of rectilinear pontoon members 46 constructed of metal tubing and attached to the rectilinear rows of pans 3() at the joints 34 between the various rectilinear rows by means of guys 48. The purpose of these pontoon members will be more 'fully hereinafter discussed. Above the roof and to one side of the reservoir is a water inlet pipe 50 for providing a water seal tor the reservoir.

Figs. 4 and 6 show forms oi joints which may be used at 26 and 32, Fig. 4 showing a bolted joint having a gasket 52 and bolting bars 54, and Fig. 6 showing` a pressed joint. Figs. 5 and 7, show forms of joints which may be used at 28 and 34,V Fig. 5 showing a bolted joint having a gasket 56 and boltinfg bars 58, and Fig. 7 showing a rolled joint. While any suitable type of joint may be used in the construction of the root of the reservoir according to the present invention, the types above described are preferable in that they can be made practically air-tight and liquid-tight, and their simple design facilitates quick 'and easy assembly of the roof.

When the: reservoir is full, the roof will take the position shown at 60, since by reason of the air-tight and liquid-tight connections between the various sections of the root it will float on the surface of the oil in the reservoir. By allowing the water to flow from the water inlet 50 onto the roof a water seal is formed and maintained above the roof, the roof then acting as a ilexible membrane between the oil and the water. A slight flow of water is constantly maintained from the inlet pipe 2l on to the steps l2 and progressively downwardly Jfrom step to step until it inally reaches the floor of the reservoir. The water level on the floor 14 may be maintained constant by allowing the superuous water to escape over the weir at the top of the pipe 20. Thus a constant level of water may be maintained on the roof, the steps, and the floor of the reservoir, which bodies of water act as a complete water seal for the body of oil in the reservoir.

When the oil is withdrawn from the res ervoir through the pipe 22 the oil level will drop and the roof will drop accordingly to a position shown at 62. As the rootl lowers, the flexibility of the metallic pan and pan joint construction allows the pan rows to diametrically expand and iiex so that the peripheral joints 23 between the outer annular rows of pans will rest upon each successively lower step l2, the joints between pan rows being water-sealed by the body of water which is maintained at each step, and by that portion oi the water above the roof as shown at 64 which normally remains between the series ot pans as the roof lowers, thus giving an increasingly tighter water seal to the oil within the reservoir. The pontoon members 42 will lower with the surface of the water constituting the water seal above the rooie until they rest upon and between the outer rows ot' pans 24.

lWhen the oil is substantially all withdrawn from the reservoir, the root will lower to the position shown at 66 so that the central portion ot' the rooic will rest upon the iioor of the reservoir. When desired the reservoir may be again iilled by flowing the oil into the reservoir through the pipe 22, and the rootI will be raised accordingly.

lnasmuch as the roof acts only as a flexible membrane between the oil in the reservoir and the water seal above the roof, it is subject to any dilierential in pressure between the oil and the water at any point on the surface of the oil. lized in some way as by means of the

pontoon member

42 and 46. lt the water above the root is displaced by any of a number o'l causes such as the application of a local load Accordingly the roof must be stabi- EGO or the action of the wind on the free water fifi.

any tendency of the roof membrane to lift is resisted by the overlying water when the buoyancy of the pontoon members is reduced. rllhe roofis therefore constantly in a state of stable equilibrium.

lt may be seen from the above detailed description that the reservoir and roof design of the present invention is of high durability, is of great stability, is of comparatively inexpensive and simple construction and is of high efficiency in preventing oil loss by seepage and evaporation. The reservoir and roof have particularly high efficiency in preventing oil loss by evaporation or leakage, since the body of oil is completely enclosed by water seals.

An additional advantage of the roof design is that the units of the roof may be shop fabricated, shipped nested, and erected in the field. The bolted joints between the pan units are also of particular advantage here in that they facilitate erection of the roof and allow replacement of pan units without emptying the reservoir. Easy replacement may be effected by removing the water seal and blowing the air into the pans in the rows adjacent the row in which the pan is to be replaced,

thus raising that portion of the roof sufhciently to allow the replacement.

What is claimed as new is:

l. An oil storage reservoir having upwardly diverging inner side walls formed as a series of steps and means for retaining individual steps and for maintaining bodies of liquid on each step.

2. An oil storage reservoir having a floor and 'upwardly diverging side walls with a stepped inner surface, the surface of said floor and said steps being treated to be impervious to water, means for retaining individual steps and for maintaining a body of water on each step and means for maintaining a body of water on said floor.

3. An oil storage reservoir having side walls with a sloping inner surface and a flexible roof of a cross-sectional areal sufficient to cover the surface of the oil when the reservoir is full and to extend to the upper periphery of the reservoir wall to which it is fastened, said roof consisting of a plurality of flexible metal segments connected end to end and side by side in rows by air-tight and liquid-tightjoints so as to float on the surface of the oil within the reservoir and by its flexibility to conform to the shape of the wall and to rest thereon as the level of the oil in the reservoir is lowered.

4l. An oil storage reservoir having inner side walls formed as a series of steps and a roof of sufficient cross-sectional area. to cover the surface of the oil when the reservoir is full and to extend to the upper periphery of the reservoir wall to which it is fastened, said roof consisting of a plurality of inverted flexible metal pans of semi-cylindrical cross section connected end to end and side by side in rows by air-tight and liquid-tight joints so as to float upon the surface of the oil and the peripheral portion of said roofconsisting of 4 pan rows that overlie and conform to the shape of the steps of the side walls so that the joints between said pan rows will rest upon successively lower steps of the wall as the level of the oil in the reservoir is lowered.

5. An oil storage reservoir roof consisting of a plurality of inverted flexible metal pans of semi-cylindrical cross section connect-ed end to end and side by side in rows by airtight and liquid-tight joints, said roof being adapted to float upon the surface of the oil within the reservoir and to conform' in contour with upwardly diverging reservoir walls.

6. An oil storage reservoir roof comprising a plurality of flexible metal segments of two different patterns the segments of one pattern havingcurved edges to conform to the shape of the reservoir wall and the segments of the other pattern having straight edges, said segments being connected end to end and side by side in rows by air-tight and liquid-tight joints to form a peripheral roof section of annular concentric segment rows and a central roof section of rectilinear paraliel segment rows.

7. An oil storage reservoir roof having a peripheral portion and a central portion, the said peripheral portion consisting of a plurality of flexible metal pans of inverted semi- Y cylindrical cross section connected end to end and side by side in rows by air-tight and liquid-tight oints shaped to conform to the contour of the reservoir and to form an annular concentric series of pan rings, and the said central portion consisting of a plurality of flexible metal pans of inverted semi-cylindrical cross section connected end to end and side by side in rows by air-tight and liquidtight joints to form a parallel rectilinear series of pan rows, the said peripheral portion having air-tight and liquid-tight connections with the said central portion.

8. An oil storage reservoir comprising sloping side-walls and a roof, said roof consisting of avperipheral portion and a central portion of flexible metal pans of inverted semi-Cylindrical cross section, connected end to end and side by side in rows by air-tight fies and liquid-tight joints, the said peripheral4 portion forming an annular concentric sea floor and side walls with a stepped innerv4 13@ surface, said roof consisting of a peripheral portion and a central portion of a plurality of flexible metal pans of inverted semi-cylindrical cross-section connected end to end and side by side in rows by air-tight and liquidtight joints so as to form a series of pan rows which float upon the surface of a body of oil within the reservoir, the pan rows of said peripheral portion overlying and conforming to the shape of the steps of the side walls and having a width substantially the same as the width of said steps so that the joints between said pan rows will rest upon successively lower steps of the wall as the level of the oil in the reservoir is lowered and the pan rows of the said central portion overlying` the floor of the reservoir so as to rest thereon when-the oil supply within the reservoir is sufficiently depleted.

l0. An oil storage reservoir, having sloping side walls and a roof, said roof consisting of a plurality 'of inverted ieXible metal pans of semi-cyindrical cross section connected end to end and side by side in rows and to the upper periphery of the said side walls by airtight and liquid-tight joints, a water seal upon said roof and a series of pontoon members attached to and above said roof.

ll. An oil storage reservoir having side walls and a roof, said roof consisting of a peripheral series of concentric rows of flexible metal pans of inverted semi-cylindrical cross section connected end to end and side by side by air-tight and liquid-tight joints and a central series of rectilinear rows of flexible metal pans of inverted semi-cylindrical cross section, connected end to end and side by side by air-tight and liquid-tight joints7 a water seal above said roof, an annular concentric series of pontoon members attached to and above the peripheral portion of' said roof and a parallel rectilinear series of pontoon members attached to and above the central portion of said roof.

12. An oil storage reservoir having a floor, side walls with a stepped inner surface, a roof consisting of a plurality of flexible metalsegments connected end to end and side by side in rows by air-tight and liquid-tight joints and connected to the upper periphery of the wall of said reservoir, means for retaining said steps and for maintaining` a water seal thereon, means for maintaining a water seal on said floor and means for maintaining a water seal above said roof.

13. An oil storage reservoir roof having a plurality of flexible segments connected end to end and side by side in rows by air-tight and liquid-tight joints, said roof being adapted `to float upon the surface of the oil within the reservoir and to conform in contour with the reservoir walls, a water seal above said roof and a series of pontoon members attached to and above said roof for keeping said JAMES A. BJERREGAARD.