US20180155121A1

US20180155121A1 - System and method for controlling vapor expansions and contractions inside of closed storage vessels

Info

Publication number: US20180155121A1
Application number: US15/456,378
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard Anthony Nichols
Original assignee: Ra Nichols Engineering; R A Nichols Engineering
Current assignee: Ra Nichols Engineering; R A Nichols Engineering
Priority date: 2016-12-06
Filing date: 2017-03-10
Publication date: 2018-06-07

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for the safe storage of atmospheric air inside a vessel that stores volatile liquid and vapors. The apparatus includes a storage tank defining a tank cavity for storing the volatile liquid and vapors. The apparatus includes a tube having a top opening positioned outside the tank cavity and a bottom opening positioned within the tank cavity. The apparatus includes a bag flange connected to the tube bottom opening and located within the tank cavity. The apparatus includes a bag connected to the bag flange and located within the tank cavity, the bag receiving or emitting atmospheric air via the tube when the volatile liquid and vapors stored within the storage tank contract or expand due to variations in temperature of the stored volatile liquid and vapors, and a weight and a location of the bag within the tank cavity being supported by the bag flange.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/430,818, filed on Dec. 6, 2016, entitled “System and Method for Reducing Vapor Emissions Out of Liquid Storage Tanks,” the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

This specification relates to a system and a method for controlling contracting and expanding gases or gas generation inside a closed storage vessel while minimizing or eliminating inhalation or exhalation with the surrounding environment.

2. Description of the Related Art

Closed storage vessels, such as storage tanks may store volatile liquid, such as gasoline. The volatile liquid inside the vessel can then evaporate, resulting in gas vapors diffusing into the air in the vapor space above the liquid inside the storage vessel. These gas vapors may cause environmental damage if released from the vessel. Accordingly, vessels storing the volatile liquid may be sealed to limit release of the gas vapors. Sealed containers in an open environment are subject to expansion and contraction of the liquid and vapors stored within. For example, when the volatile liquid and vapors expands due to rising temperatures caused by the sun, the pressure within the sealed storage tanks also increases. In some situations, the storage tank may bend outward or even burst open from the increase in pressure. Conversely, when the liquid and vapors contract due to falling temperatures at night, the pressure within the sealed storage tanks decreases. In some situations, the storage tank may bend inward or even implode from the reduction in pressure.
Storage vessels may also store solids and/or liquids that generate additional vapor, such as biodegradable material, in an anaerobic digestion tank, which produces methane and other gases as a result of bacterial action, or crude oil which flashes upon reduction in pressure, releasing hydrocarbon vapors such as methane and butane.

SUMMARY

What is described is an apparatus for the storage of atmospheric air inside a storage vessel. The apparatus includes a sealed storage tank having an upper tank opening and defining a tank cavity configured to store volatile liquid and vapors. The apparatus also includes a tube having a top opening and a bottom opening, the top opening positioned outside the tank cavity and the bottom opening positioned within the tank cavity. The apparatus also includes a bag flange located within the tank cavity and having a bottom opening, a top opening connected to the bottom opening of the tube, and a rim surrounding the bottom opening. The apparatus also includes a bag connected to the bottom opening of the bag flange and located within the tank cavity. The bag has an opening aligned with the bottom opening of the bag flange and the bottom opening of the connecting tube. The bag is configured to receive or emit atmospheric air via the tube when the volatile liquid and vapors stored within the storage tank contract or expand due to variations in temperature of the stored vapors, and a weight and a location of the bag within the tank cavity is supported by the bag flange.
Also described is an apparatus for the safe handling and storage of volatile liquid and vapors inside of a tank cavity of a sealed storage tank. The apparatus includes a tube having a top opening and a bottom opening, the top opening positioned outside the tank cavity and the bottom opening positioned within the tank cavity. The apparatus also includes a bag flange located within the tank cavity and having a bottom opening, a top opening connected to the bottom opening of the tube, and a rim surrounding the bottom opening. The apparatus also includes a bag connected to the bottom opening of the bag flange and located within the tank cavity, and a weight and a location of the bag within the tank cavity being supported by the bag flange. The bag has an opening aligned with the bottom opening of the bag flange and the bottom opening of the connecting tube. The bag is configured to receive or emit atmospheric air via the tube responsive to at least one of a change in volume of the volatile liquid stored within the sealed storage tank or a change in volume of the vapors stored within the sealed storage tank.
Also described is an apparatus for the safe handling and storage of matter and vapors created from the matter. The apparatus includes a sealed storage tank having an upper tank opening and defining a tank cavity configured to store the matter and the vapors created from the matter. The apparatus also includes a tube having a top opening and a bottom opening, the top opening positioned outside the tank cavity and the bottom opening positioned within the tank cavity. The apparatus also includes a bag flange located within the tank cavity and having a bottom opening, a top opening connected to the bottom opening of the tube, and a rim surrounding the bottom opening. The apparatus also includes a bag connected to the bottom opening of the bag flange and located within the tank cavity, a weight and a location of the bag within the tank cavity being supported by the bag flange. The bag has an opening aligned with the bottom opening of the bag flange and the bottom opening of the connecting tube. The bag is configured to emit atmospheric air via the tube when the matter stored within the sealed storage tank creates vapors. The bag is also configured to receive atmospheric air via the tube when at least one of the matter or the vapors created from the matter is reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. Component parts shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and may be exaggerated to better illustrate the important features of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for the storage of atmospheric air in a vessel or the safe handling and storage of volatile liquid and vapors, according to an aspect of the invention.

FIG. 2A is a side cross-sectional view of the apparatus with a contracted bag, according to an aspect of the invention.

FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2A, according to an aspect of the invention.

FIG. 3A is a side cross-sectional view of the apparatus with a partially inflated bag, according to an aspect of the invention.

FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3A, according to an aspect of the invention.

FIG. 4A is a side cross-sectional view of the apparatus with a fully inflated bag, according to an aspect of the invention.

FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4A, according to an aspect of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the contracted bag outside of the storage tank, according to an aspect of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the bag within the tank cavity, according to an aspect of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the sealed storage tank and bag within the tank, according to an aspect of the invention.

FIG. 8A is a side cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7 with an inflated bag, according to an aspect of the invention.

FIG. 8B is a side cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7 with a partially inflated bag, according to an aspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed herein are apparatuses, systems, and methods for the storage of atmospheric air within a vessel or the safe handling and storage of matter and vapors created from the matter. The matter may be a volatile liquid and vapors created therefrom. A liquid with high volatility is one which will easily vaporize, such as gasoline, acetone, butyl acetate, ethanol, and butane, for example. Conventional sealed storage tanks for these volatile liquids contain both the volatile liquid and vapors from the volatile liquid. Sealed storage tanks may create undesirable emissions from working losses or from standing losses.
Working losses occur when liquid is pumped into the sealed storage tank, and as the new liquid enters the storage tank, vapor inside the storage tank is forced out, resulting in emissions. To reduce working losses, when liquid is added to the storage tank, a vapor connection line may be attached from the vapor side of the storage tank to the vapor side of the vessel that is filling the storage tank. As liquid flows out of the unloading vessel into the storage tank, vapor flows from the storage tank to the unloading vessel. This approach is called “balanced loading” and may be used to control emissions from underground storage tanks at gasoline stations.
Standing losses occur due to changes in ambient temperature outside of the storage tank. Sealed storage tanks storing volatile liquid are subject to expansion and contraction forces due to changes in temperature. Some sealed storage tanks containing volatile liquid are located outdoors in areas where there may be a significant difference in the lowest temperature at night and the highest temperature during the day. When the temperature of the volatile liquid and vapors inside the sealed storage tank increases, the volatile liquid and vapors expand, causing pressure inside the sealed storage tank to increase.
Releasing gases from inside a sealed storage tank to the air outside of the storage tank using a relief valve may not be a desirable option, as the release of gases results in emissions that are harmful to the environment. Retaining the pressurized vapors inside the vessel may also not be a desirable option, as the storage tank body has to be reinforced to withstand the expansion and contraction forces and thus cost significantly more money. Furthermore, even reinforced tanks may fail due to excessive pressure or contraction forces significantly larger than their designed pressures. The system and apparatus described herein accommodates for the expansion and contraction of the volatile liquid without deforming the sealed storage tank or requiring reinforcing, and without releasing emissions. In addition, when volatile liquid and vapors are added to the sealed storage tank or removed from the sealed storage tank, the liquid volume and the gas volume occupied within the sealed storage tank may change. The system and apparatus described herein also accommodates for changes in the stored amounts of the volatile liquid and vapors.
Alternatively, the matter stored inside the sealed storage tank may be a solid or semi-solid matter which generates vapors. In some embodiments, the matter is organic waste and the vapors are methane. As the organic waste decomposes inside of the sealed vessel, methane is produced. The methane may be used as a power source. As more methane is created, pressure may build inside the sealed vessel, and releasing the methane into the atmosphere to relieve the pressure is undesirable. The system and apparatus described herein accommodates for changes in the stored amounts of the solid or semi-solid matter and the vapors created therefrom.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for the safe handling and storage of volatile liquid and vapors, according to an aspect of the invention. The apparatus 100 includes a sealed storage tank 102. The sealed storage tank 102 may be generally cylindrically shaped. The sealed storage tank 102 is configured to store the volatile liquid and vapors on a long-term scale. The sealed storage tank 102 may be made of a metal, such as steel (e.g., stainless steel or a corrosion-resistant steel), which will not chemically react over time with the volatile liquid or vapors stored inside of it. The inner surface of the sealed storage tank 102 may be treated, either by a process, such as heat or pressure treating, or by applying a material to the inner surface to render the sealed storage tank 102 more resistant to deterioration from the volatile liquid and vapors stored inside. The inside of the sealed storage tank 102 may be accessed by a manway 108. The manway 108 may define an upper tank opening of the sealed storage tank 102. A pressure/vacuum relief valve 110 is connected to the sealed storage tank 102 and configured to open to emit vapors or bring in atmospheric air when the pressure or vacuum difference between the inside of the sealed storage tank 102 and the outside of the sealed storage tank 102 exceeds a threshold value. In some embodiments, the pressure/vacuum relief valve 110 is only used as a fail-safe, as emitting vapors is undesirable.
The apparatus 100 also includes an emergency pressure vent 170 configured to release pressure from within the sealed storage tank 102 in an emergency situation. The apparatus 100 also includes a vapor balance pipe 172 configured to connect to a vessel that is filling the sealed storage tank 102 with additional volatile liquid. The vapor balance pipe 172 emits vapors from the sealed storage tank 102 to the vessel to address working losses, as described herein.
A bag (or bladder) inside of the sealed storage tank 102 may receive or emit atmospheric air via a top opening 106 of a tube 112. As described herein, the receiving and emitting of atmospheric air by the bag allows the apparatus 100 to maintain a constant atmospheric pressure within the sealed storage tank 102, despite changes in temperature. The top opening 106 may be angled or shielded such that precipitation or debris may be prohibited from entering the bag via the top opening 106.
FIG. 2A is a side cross-sectional view of the apparatus 100 with a substantially empty bag, according to an aspect of the invention, and FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of the top of the apparatus 100 of FIG. 2A and also shows additional features.
Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the sealed storage tank 102 defines a tank cavity 103. A bag 114 is within the tank cavity 103 of the sealed storage tank 102. The bag 114 defines an interior bag cavity 116. The bag 114 is configured to expand or contract based on the temperature of the volatile liquid 118 and vapors 156 stored within the tank cavity 103. The bag 114 may be made of a rubberized fabric or any fabric material which will not have a chemical reaction with the volatile liquid 118 stored inside the tank cavity 103, the vapors 156 stored inside the tank cavity 103, or the atmospheric air 150. As shown in FIG. 2A, outside 127 of the sealed storage tank 102, the temperature is a first temperature 130. The volatile liquid 118 occupies a first liquid volume 121 within the tank cavity 103. The vapors 156 occupy a first gas volume 120 within the tank cavity 103. The bag 114 is filled with a first amount 115 of the atmospheric air 150. The area of the tank cavity 103 not occupied by the volatile liquid 118 may be referred to as a vapor space 190. The bag 114 may occupy between 10 percent and 50 percent of the vapor space 190. In some embodiments, the bag 114 occupies between 20 percent and 40 percent of the vapor space 190. In some embodiments, the bag 114 occupies approximately 30 percent of the vapor space 190.
As shown in FIG. 2B, the sealed storage tank 102 is connected to a tube 112. The tube 112 may be connected to the sealed storage tank 102 via a manway 108. The manway 108 may include an opening 129 for receiving the tube 112, and the manway 108 may otherwise be sealed. The opening 129 may include sealing materials surrounding a periphery of the tube 112 at the opening 129 such that vapors 156 are unable to leak out of the tank cavity 103 via the manway 108. The tube 112 has a top opening 106 positioned outside of the tank cavity 103 and a bottom opening 152 positioned within the tank cavity 103. While the tube 112 is shown herein as being a single tube travelling through the manway 108 and the opening 129 and sealed at the opening 129, the tube 112 may be formed from multiple tubes. The tube 112 may include an upper tube attached to the opening 129 and located outside of the tank cavity 103 and a lower tube attached to the opening 129 and located inside the tank cavity 103.
A bag flange (or bladder flange) 104 is located within the tank cavity 103. The bag flange 104 is configured to support a weight and location of the bag 114 within the tank cavity 103. The bag flange 104 has a top opening 154 and a bottom opening 158. The bag flange 104 also includes a rim 159 surrounding the bottom opening 158. The bag flange 104 connects the bag 114 to the tube 112. The top opening 154 of the bag flange 104 is connected to the bottom opening 152 of the tube 112. The bottom opening 158 of the bag flange 104 is aligned with a bag opening 161 of the bag 114 such that atmospheric air 150 may freely pass to and from the outside 127 of the sealed storage tank 102 and the interior bag cavity 116.
The bag flange 104 and the tube 112 may be made of a metal, such as steel, which will not react with atmospheric air or the vapors inside the sealed storage tank 102. The bag flange 104, the tube 112, and the sealed storage tank 102 may all be made of the same material or may each be made of different materials.
The bag 114 may be connected to the rim 159 of the bag flange 104. The bag flange 104 may also include a flange plate 160 located within the interior bag cavity 116. The flange plate 160 may connect to the rim 159 of the bag flange 104 using one or more connectors 162, such as rivets, screws, pins, or bolts. The connectors 162 may pass through corresponding holes on the rim 159, the bag 114, and the flange plate 160. The connectors 162 may be threaded, screwed, welded, brazed, or secured by interference fit to connect the flange plate 160 to the rim 159, thereby sandwichably fixing the bag 114 to the bag flange 104.
The apparatus 100 also includes a distance measurement unit 134. The distance measurement unit 134 may be connected to the tube 112 at an opening 163. The distance measurement unit 134 is configured to detect a distance between the distance measurement unit 134 and a fixed location on the interior surface of the bag 114. The distance between the distance measurement unit 134 and the fixed location of the bag 114 may serve as an indicator of the degree to which the bag 114 is inflated. The degree to which the bag 114 is inflated may, in turn, serve as an indicator that further actions may need to be taken not to release vapors into the atmosphere. The distance measurement unit 134 may include a processor and a memory storing instructions for use by the processor to determine various distances, as described herein, and various volumes of the bag 114, as described herein.
The distance measurement unit 134 may use a distance measurement apparatus 138 to determine the distance between the distance measurement unit 134 and a bag plate 136 located on a bottom surface of the interior bag cavity 116 of the bag 114. As shown in FIG. 2B, the distance between the distance measurement unit 134 and the bag plate 136 is a first distance 180. In some embodiments, the distance measurement apparatus 138 is a retractable tape (or cord, or string, or rope) extending from the distance measurement unit 134 and connected to the bag plate 136. As the bag 114 inflates, the bag plate 136 may gradually move farther away from the distance measurement unit 134 (as illustrated in FIGS. 2B, 3B, and 4B). Accordingly, the retractable tape attached to the bag plate 136 will be extended as the bag 114 inflates. The distance measurement unit 134 may be configured to detect an amount of retractable tape that is deployed.
In some embodiments, the distance measurement apparatus 138 is a laser and a sensor. The laser emits a beam of light, which reflects off of the bag plate 136. The reflection from the bag plate 136 is detected by the sensor, and based on a time between emission of the beam of light and the detection of the reflection by the sensor, the distance measurement unit 134 is able to detect a distance between the distance measurement unit 134 and the bag plate 136.
When the distance measurement apparatus 138 is a laser, the opening 163 is at a location on the tube 112 such that the beam of light may pass straight through the tube 112 and into the bag 114, as shown in FIGS. 2B, 3B, and 4B. When the distance measurement apparatus 138 is a retractable tape, the distance measurement unit 134 and the opening 163 may be positioned anywhere on the tube 112 such that the retractable tape has access to the interior 116 of the bag 114 via the tube 112.
FIG. 3A is a side cross-sectional view of the apparatus 100 with a partially inflated bag 114, according to an aspect of the invention, and FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the top of the apparatus 100 of FIG. 3A.
The outside 127 of the sealed storage tank 102 has a second temperature 131. In one embodiment, the second temperature 131 is a lower temperature than the first temperature 130 of FIG. 2A. As a result, the vapors 156 have contracted. The vapors 156 now occupy a second gas volume 122. The second gas volume 122 is less than the first gas volume 120.
As the vapors 156 contract, the atmospheric air 150 is drawn into the bag 114 via the tube 112. In particular, the atmospheric air 150 enters through the top opening 106 of the tube 112, passes through the bottom opening 152 of the tube 112, passes through the top opening 154 of the bag flange 104, passes through the bottom opening 158 of the bag flange 104, and enters the interior bag cavity 116. The bag 114 inflates with the atmospheric air 150 and the bag 114 now has a second amount 117 of the atmospheric air 150 inside of the bag 114. The second amount 117 is greater than the first amount 115 of the atmospheric air 150 inside of the bag 114 in FIG. 2A. As a result, any potential effects from a potential pressure difference between the tank cavity 103 and the outside 127 as a result of the falling temperature is mitigated. If the bag 114 were not used in the apparatus 100, the pressure outside 127 may be greater than the pressure in the tank cavity 103, and the sealed storage tank 102 may have deformed inward, or the pressure/vacuum relief valve 110 may have allowed atmospheric air 150 into the tank cavity 103 to mix with the vapors 156.
In addition to the bag 114 having an increased amount of atmospheric air 150 in the interior bag cavity 116, the distance between the distance measurement unit 134 and the bag plate 136 is now a second distance 182. The second distance 182 is greater than the first distance 180. The distance measurement unit 134 may determine the second amount 117 of the atmospheric air 150 inside the bag 114 based on the second distance 182. The distance measurement unit 134 may be connected to a clock and/or a thermometer, and may be able to determine a relationship between the time and/or a temperature and the amount of the atmospheric air 150 inside of the bag 114.
The volatile liquid 118 may also be removed from the tank cavity 103, decreasing the liquid volume of the volatile liquid 118 from the first liquid volume 121 to the second liquid volume 123. Decreasing the liquid volume of the volatile liquid 118 may also cause the bag 114 to inflate, similar to the contraction of the vapors 156 described herein.
FIG. 4A is a side cross-sectional view of the apparatus 100 with a fully inflated bag 114, according to an aspect of the invention, and FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of the top of the apparatus 100 of FIG. 4A.
The outside 127 of the sealed storage tank 102 has a third temperature 132. The third temperature 132 is a lower temperature than the first temperature 130 of FIG. 2A and the second temperature 131 of FIG. 3A. As a result, the vapors 156 have further contracted. The vapors 156 now occupy a third gas volume 124. The third gas volume 124 is less than the second gas volume 122.
Again, as the vapors 156 contract, the atmospheric air 150 is drawn into the bag 114 via the tube 112. The bag 114 inflates with the atmospheric air 150 and the bag 114 now has a third amount 119 of the atmospheric air 150 inside of the bag 114. The third amount 119 is greater than the second amount 117 of the atmospheric air 150 inside of the bag 114 in FIG. 3A.
In addition to the bag 114 having an increased amount of the atmospheric air 150 in the interior bag cavity 116, the distance between the distance measurement unit 134 and the bag plate 136 is a third distance 184. The third distance 184 is greater than the first distance 180 and the second distance 182. The distance measurement unit 134 may determine the third amount 119 of the atmospheric air 150 inside the bag 114 based on the third distance 184.
The volatile liquid 118 may further be removed from the tank cavity 103, causing the liquid volume of the volatile liquid 118 to further decrease from the second liquid volume 123 to the third liquid volume 125. The decreasing of the liquid volume of the volatile liquid 118 may cause the bag 114 to further inflate, similar to the contraction of the vapors 156 described herein.
The states of the apparatus 100 illustrated in FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B may alternate based on the temperature of the outside 124 affecting the temperature of the volatile liquid 118 and the vapors 156 stored inside the sealed storage tank 102. For example, as the temperature of the outside 127 increases, the vapors 156 expand, causing the bag 114 to deflate (e.g., FIGS. 4A-4B to FIGS. 3A-3B to FIGS. 2A-2B). When the bag 114 deflates, the atmospheric air 150 in the interior bag cavity 116 exits the bag via the bag flange 104 and the tube 112 and out of the top opening 106 of the tube 112. The states of the apparatus 100 illustrated in FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B may also alternate based on the volatile liquid 118 being pumped into or out of the tank cavity 103. The expansion or contraction of the stored volatile liquid 118 may also contribute to variations in the pressure within the tank cavity 103, causing the bag 114 to deflate or inflate, respectively. The effect of the expansion or contraction of the stored volatile liquid 118 may not have as much of an impact on pressure within the tank cavity 103 as the expansion or contraction of the stored vapors 156.
If the bag 114 were not a part of the apparatus 100, the pressure/vacuum relief valve 110 may release vapors 156 into the environment so that the pressure difference between the tank cavity 103 and the outside 127 does not cause the sealed storage tank 102 to deform or rupture.
While the variations in the bag inflation state have been described with respect to the variations in the temperature and volume of the liquids and vapors stored in the tank cavity, adding or removing volatile liquid and/or vapors while maintaining the seal of the sealed storage tank may cause variations in the volume of the atmospheric air inside the bag. For example, if the volatile liquid 118 is removed from the tank cavity 103 in FIG. 2A, the liquid volume occupied by the volatile liquid 118 would decrease, and the bag 114 would inflate, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 4A. In addition, if the volatile liquid 118 is added to the tank cavity 103 in FIG. 4A, the liquid volume occupied by the volatile liquid 118 would increase, and the bag 114 would inflate, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 2A. In general, the bag 114 of the system 100 allows for maintaining of a constant atmospheric pressure within the tank cavity 103, regardless of changes in liquid volume or gas volume of the contents of the sealed storage tank 102.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the contracted bag outside of the sealed storage tank, according to an aspect of the invention.
The bag 114 as shown in FIG. 5 is uninflated and outside of the tank cavity 103 of the sealed storage tank 102. The manway 108 is open, allowing the bag 114 to enter the tank cavity 103. The manway 108 has an opening diameter 502 and the bag flange 104 has a flange diameter 504. In some embodiments, the opening diameter 502 of the manway 108 is approximately 24 inches. In some embodiments, the flange diameter 504 is 16 inches. Once the bag 114, the bag flange 104, and part of the tube 112 are inside the tank cavity 103, a manway cover 508 may be placed within or on top of the manway 108.
In some embodiments, the tube 112 is made of an upper tube and a lower tube, and each are connected to the manway cover 508. The manway cover 508 is sealed by a gasket located between the manway cover 508 and the manway 103. In some embodiments, the tube 112 is a single tube and the manway cover 508 has an opening 129 for the tube 112 to pass through, and the sealed storage tank 102 may be sealed around a portion 506 of the tube 112 that occupies the opening 129.
The tube 112 may have a straight path from the distance measurement unit through the tube 112 and into the bag 114. The tube 112 may have a curved or bent path from the opening 106 through the tube 112 (which may include two tubes connected to the manway cover 508) and into the bag 114.
FIG. 6 is a top cross-sectional view of the tank cavity 103 with a bag 114 stretched out to resemble what it would look like if it were flat on the ground, within the tank cavity 103. The sealed storage tank 102 and the tank cavity 103 defined thereby may be circular in shape. The sealed storage tank 102 may have a diameter 608. In some embodiments, the sealed storage tank 102 has a diameter of 10 feet and a height of 15 feet. The bag 114 may have a generally rectangular shape, with a first width 602, a second width 604, and a diagonal length 606. In some embodiments, the bag 114 has a square shape, with the first width 602 and the second width 604 being the same width. In some embodiments, the bag 114 is square shaped with a first width 602 of 12 feet and a second width 604 of 12 feet. In yet other embodiments, the bag may be any number of different shapes, including a circle, a hexagon, or a pentagon, for example.
The bag flange 104 may have a flange diameter 504. The flange diameter 504 of the bag flange 104 may scale with the dimensions of the bag 114. The bag flange 104 may support the weight of the bag 114 and may establish the position of the bag 114 within the tank cavity 103. Accordingly, as the bag 114 increases in size, the bag flange 104 may also increase in size.
In some embodiments, the flange diameter 504 of the bag flange 104 is between about 6 and 10 percent of the diagonal length 606 of the bag 114. In some embodiments, the flange diameter 504 of the bag flange 104 is between about 6 and 10 percent of the first width 602 of the bag 114. In some embodiments, the flange diameter 504 of the bag flange 104 is between about 6 and 10 percent of the second width 604 of the bag 114. In some embodiments, the flange diameter 504 of the bag flange 104 is between about 6 and 10 percent of the diameter 186 of the bag 114 in a fully inflated state (as shown in FIG. 4B). While the shape of the bag 114 may be generally rectangular, when fully inflated, the material used to make the bag 114 may be sufficiently elastic to allow the bag 114 to be generally spherical when fully inflated.
The generally rectangular shape of the bag 114 and the circular shape of the sealed storage tank 102 results in multiple gaps 610 between the bag 114 and the interior wall 612 of the tank cavity 103. The gaps 610 may allow for vapors to freely pass and rise up from the volatile liquid stored below the bag 114, and surround the bag 114.
The systems described herein may also be used to store solid, semi-solid, and/or liquid matter and the vapors produced from the matter. In some embodiments, the matter is biodegradable food waste and the vapors are methane and other vapors produced from the decomposing of the food waste. The methane may be used in other systems as a power source.
FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of a system 700 used to store biodegradable matter and the vapors created therefrom. The system 700 includes a sealed storage tank 702. The sealed storage tank 702 is generally rectangularly shaped, but may be cylindrically shaped, as shown in FIG. 1. Likewise, the sealed storage tank 102 may be generally rectangularly shaped, similar to the sealed storage tank 702.
When the system 700 is used for storage of biodegradable matter, the sealed storage tank 702 may be constructed to insulate the matter and vapors stored inside. The biodegradable matter may be broken down by bacteria more efficiently at a constant, high temperature. The sealed storage tank 702 may be made of any insulating material, such as ceramic or a multi-layered metal having an insulator disposed between layers, for example.
The system 700 may also include a pressure/vacuum relief valve 710, similar to the pressure/vacuum relief valve 110 described herein. The system 700 may also include a vapor exit tube 772, used to direct vapors out of the sealed storage tank 702. The system 700 may also include a tube 712 similar to the tube 112 having a top opening 706 similar to the top opening 106.
FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate cross-sectional side views of a system 800, similar to the system 700. The system 800 includes a sealed storage tank 802 being made of standard construction, as described herein, or any insulating material, such as ceramic or a multi-layered metal having an insulator disposed between layers, for example. The sealed storage tank 802 defines a tank cavity 803. The tank cavity 803 may store matter 818, which produces vapors 856. The system 800 also includes a vapor exit tube 872, used to direct vapors out of the tank cavity 803 of the sealed storage tank 802.
The system 800 includes a pressure/vacuum relief valve 810 and a tube 812 having a top opening 806 and a bottom opening 852. The bottom opening 852 of the tube 812 is connected to a top opening 854 of a flange 804. The flange 804 has a bottom opening 858 connected to a bag opening 861 of a bag 814 connected to the flange 804. The bag opening 814 and the bottom opening 858 of the flange 804 may be aligned so that atmospheric air 850 may freely enter an interior bag cavity 816 of the bag 814. The system 800 includes a distance measurement unit 834 having a distance measurement apparatus 838. The bag 814 includes a bag plate 836. In general, the system 800 has many components in common with the system 100, and similar parts are numbered similarly. One of ordinary skill in the art could freely combine the features of the system 100 and the system 800.
As shown in FIG. 8A, the bag 814 is in a fully inflated state. The matter 818 may occupy a first matter volume 821 and the vapors 856 may occupy a first gas volume 820. When the bag 814 is fully inflated, the distance between the bag plate 836 and the distance measurement unit 834, as indicated by the distance measurement apparatus 838 (e.g., laser and sensor or retractable tape) is a first distance 880.
As shown in FIG. 8B, the bag 814 is in a partially inflated state. The matter 818 may occupy a second matter volume 823 and the vapors 856 may occupy a second gas volume 822. The matter 818 may have decomposed, and the second matter volume 823 may be less than the first matter volume 821. However, in decomposing, the matter 818 may have created additional vapors 856 such that the second gas volume 822 is greater than the first gas volume 820. As a result of the increase in vapors 856, the atmospheric air 850 has exited the interior bag cavity 816 to outside of the tank cavity via the tube 812.
In FIG. 8B, distance between the bag plate 836 and the distance measurement unit 834, as indicated by the distance measurement apparatus 838 is now a second distance 882. The second distance 882 is shorter than the first distance 880, indicating that the interior bag cavity 816 of the bag 814 is filled with less atmospheric air 850 than before (in FIG. 8A). When the bag 814 has deflated, it may be determined that more vapors 856 have been created from the matter 818. In some embodiments, based on the amount of matter 818 and the distance measured by the distance measurement unit 834, the distance measurement unit 834 may determine a gas volume of the vapors 856 stored inside the tank cavity 803. The distance measurement unit 834 may, over time, track the production of vapors 856 within the tank cavity 803 based on the determined volume of the atmospheric air 850 inside the interior bag cavity 816.
In order to harvest the vapors 856, the vapors 856 may be brought out of the tank cavity 803 via a vapor exit tube 872. In some situations, it may be beneficial for the vapors 856 to be urged or propelled out of the tank cavity 803. The system 800 may include a pump 892 connected to the top opening 806 of the tube 812. The pump 892 may bring in the atmospheric air 850 into the interior bag cavity 816 via the tube 812, such that the bag 814 is purposefully inflated. The arrow 890 illustrates the atmospheric air 850 entering the top opening 806 of the tube 812. As the bag 814 inflates, the vapors 856 are urged out of the tank cavity 803 via the vapor exit tube 872, as illustrated by arrow 894. In order to reliably urge the vapors 856 out of the tank cavity 803, the bag 814, when fully inflated, may occupy substantially all of the vapor space of the tank cavity 803.
Exemplary embodiments of the methods/systems have been disclosed in an illustrative style. Accordingly, the terminology employed throughout should be read in a non-limiting manner. Although minor modifications to the teachings herein will occur to those well versed in the art, it shall be understood that what is intended to be circumscribed within the scope of the patent warranted hereon are all such embodiments that reasonably fall within the scope of the advancement to the art hereby contributed, and that that scope shall not be restricted, except in light of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for the storage of atmospheric air inside a storage vessel, the apparatus comprising:

a sealed storage tank having an upper tank opening and defining a tank cavity configured to store volatile liquid and vapors;

a tube having a top opening and a bottom opening, the top opening positioned outside the tank cavity and the bottom opening positioned within the tank cavity;

a bag flange located within the tank cavity and having a bottom opening, a top opening connected to the bottom opening of the tube, and a rim surrounding the bottom opening; and

a bag connected to the bottom opening of the bag flange and located within the tank cavity, the bag having an opening aligned with the bottom opening of the bag flange and the bottom opening of the connecting tube, the bag configured to receive or emit atmospheric air via the tube when the volatile liquid and vapors stored within the sealed storage tank contract or expand due to variations in temperature of the stored vapors, and a weight and a location of the bag within the tank cavity being supported by the bag flange.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a level indicator unit connected to the connector tube, the level indicator unit configured to detect a height of the bag, determine a bag volume based on the height of the bag, and determine a volume of volatile liquid and vapors stored in the sealed storage tank based on the bag volume.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the level indicator unit includes a laser configured to emit a beam through the connector tube and to a laser reflector located on an interior bottom surface of the bag, and

wherein the level indicator unit detects the height of the bag based on a reflection of the beam from the laser reflector.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the level indicator unit includes a retractable tape connected to a tape connection point located on an interior bottom surface of the bag, the retractable tape travelling through the connector tube, and

wherein the level indicator unit detects the height of the bag based on a detected length of the tape.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a vapor space not occupied by the stored volatile liquid inside the tank cavity, and wherein the bag occupies between 10% and 50% of the vapor space.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bag flange has a flange diameter and the bag has a bag diameter, the flange diameter being between 6 percent and 10 percent of the bag diameter.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bag is connected to the rim surrounding the bottom opening of the bag flange.

8. An apparatus for the safe handling and storage of volatile liquid and vapors inside of a tank cavity of a sealed storage tank, the apparatus comprising:

a bag connected to the bottom opening of the bag flange and located within the tank cavity, a weight and a location of the bag within the tank cavity being supported by the bag flange, the bag having an opening aligned with the bottom opening of the bag flange and the bottom opening of the connecting tube, and the bag configured to receive or emit atmospheric air via the tube responsive to at least one of a change in volume of the volatile liquid stored within the sealed storage tank or a change in volume of the vapors stored within the sealed storage tank.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a level indicator unit connected to the connector tube, the level indicator unit configured to detect a height of the bag, determine a bag volume based on the height of the bag, and determine a volume of volatile liquid and vapors stored in the sealed storage tank based on the bag volume.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the level indicator unit includes a laser configured to emit a beam through the connector tube and to a laser reflector located on an interior bottom surface of the bag, and

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the level indicator unit includes a retractable tape connected to a tape connection point located on an interior bottom surface of the bag, the retractable tape travelling through the connector tube, and

12. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a vapor space not occupied by the stored volatile liquid inside the tank cavity, and wherein the bag occupies between 10% and 50% of the vapor space.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the bag flange has a flange diameter and the bag has a bag diameter, the flange diameter being between 6 percent and 10 percent of the bag diameter.

14. An apparatus for the safe handling and storage of matter and vapors created from the matter, the apparatus comprising:

a sealed storage tank having an upper tank opening and defining a tank cavity configured to store the matter and the vapors created from the matter;

a bag connected to the bottom opening of the bag flange and located within the tank cavity, a weight and a location of the bag within the tank cavity being supported by the bag flange, the bag having an opening aligned with the bottom opening of the bag flange and the bottom opening of the connecting tube, the bag configured to:

emit atmospheric air via the tube when the matter stored within the sealed storage tank creates vapors, and

receive atmospheric air via the tube when at least one of the matter or the vapors created from the matter is reduced.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a level indicator unit connected to the connector tube, the level indicator unit configured to detect a height of the bag, determine a bag volume based on the height of the bag, and determine a volume of vapors created from the matter based on the bag volume and a known volume of the matter.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the level indicator unit includes a laser configured to emit a beam through the connector tube and to a laser reflector located on an interior bottom surface of the bag, and

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the level indicator unit includes a retractable tape connected to a tape connection point located on an interior bottom surface of the bag, the retractable tape travelling through the connector tube, and

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the matter is food waste and the vapors created from the matter are methane, and

wherein the sealed storage tank is an insulated sealed storage tank for maintaining a substantially constant temperature conducive for breaking down of the food waste into methane.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a vapor exit tube attached to the sealed storage tank, the vapor exit tube configured to allow the vapors created from the matter to exit the tank cavity, and a pump attached to the top opening of the tube, the pump configured to inflate the bag by directing atmospheric air into the bag, the inflating of the bag forcing the vapors created from the matter to exit tank cavity via the vapor exit tube.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a vapor space not occupied by the stored matter inside the tank cavity, and wherein the bag occupies substantially all of the vapor space when the bag is in a fully inflated state.