US3292377A - In-ground storage facility with footing sections and method of installing the same - Google Patents

In-ground storage facility with footing sections and method of installing the same Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3292377A
US3292377A US358421A US35842164A US3292377A US 3292377 A US3292377 A US 3292377A US 358421 A US358421 A US 358421A US 35842164 A US35842164 A US 35842164A US 3292377 A US3292377 A US 3292377A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
ground
footing
wall
excavation
liquid
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US358421A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Frederick J Sanger
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Conch International Methane Ltd
Original Assignee
Conch International Methane Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Conch International Methane Ltd filed Critical Conch International Methane Ltd
Priority to US358421A priority Critical patent/US3292377A/en
Priority to GB3370/65A priority patent/GB1021620A/en
Priority to NO156888A priority patent/NO115397B/no
Priority to FR9289A priority patent/FR1454410A/fr
Priority to ES0311511A priority patent/ES311511A1/es
Priority to BE662167D priority patent/BE662167A/xx
Priority to NL6504408A priority patent/NL6504408A/xx
Priority to DE19651559250 priority patent/DE1559250C3/de
Priority to OA51582A priority patent/OA01688A/xx
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3292377A publication Critical patent/US3292377A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
    • E04H7/00—Construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil engineering techniques in situ or off the site
    • E04H7/02—Containers for fluids or gases; Supports therefor
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21D—SHAFTS; TUNNELS; GALLERIES; LARGE UNDERGROUND CHAMBERS
    • E21D1/00—Sinking shafts
    • E21D1/10—Preparation of the ground
    • E21D1/12—Preparation of the ground by freezing
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C3/00—Vessels not under pressure
    • F17C3/005—Underground or underwater containers or vessels
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
    • F17C2203/06—Materials for walls or layers thereof; Properties or structures of walls or their materials
    • F17C2203/0634—Materials for walls or layers thereof
    • F17C2203/0678—Concrete

Definitions

  • This invention relates to in-ground storage of liquid gases, i.e., the storage of liquid gases at very low ternperatures in a roofed-in open excavation in the ground, and has for its primary purpose the provision of a novel type lof wall and footings for a liquid-and-gas-tight wall surrounding the upper portion of such an excavation.
  • in-ground storage reservoirs which are essentially large pits excavated in the surface of the ground by techniques generally similar to those used in excavating for large-scale substructures. These reservoirs are typically more than a hundred feet across by more than a hundred feet deep. They are covered with a liquid-and-gas-tight roof which issuitably insulated, and used to store the liquid gas at temperatures from 40 F. to 258 F. or even lower.
  • the natural moisture in the soil freezes to provide a fluid-tight frozen wall of great thickness, typically 10-20 feet, which serves also as a fluid-tight insulating barrier to retain the extremely low temperature of the fluid.
  • the terrain in which the hole is dug consists of a relatively thin overburden of soil ranging from -50 feet in thickness, resting upon a comparatively hard and impervious stratum of rock. The necessary excavation thus extends not only through the overburden of soil, but also extends well into the rock, in some cases for 150 feet or more.
  • the overlying soil portion of the excavation typically contains water up to the level of the water table in that particular area, but except during or after heavy rains, the ground very near the surface is usually relatively dry and does not contain suicient moisture to form a reliable liquid seal upon freezing. It is therefore desirable and even necessary in many locations to provide an impervious wall at the upper portion of the in-ground excavation to insure proper retention of the fluid and the gaseous vapor contents stored in the reservoir.
  • This wall may be made of a number of suitable materials, but usually the cheapest material for the purpose is concrete. However, a concrete wall is very heavy, and must be set upon proper footings in order to be adequately supported. Under the conditions frequently encountered in practice, this presents surprising difficulties.
  • a preferred method of making the above-described excavation, at least at the top portion where soil must be removed, is to freeze a large annulus of soil circumscribing the desired excavation, and then to remove the earth from within the annulus.
  • This technique ensures maintenance of a rigid soil structure outside of the excavated portion, without the necessity of timbering or sheet piling the earth walls of the reservoir to prevent collapse or inward sliding, and obviates pumping. It must be remembered that in normal use this earth will be maintained far below freezing temperature by the contents, and it is therefore only necessary to initially pre-freeze the soil and to maintain it frozen until the completed reservoir is filled with liquid gas.
  • VIt is a major object of the invention to obviate this diiculty by the use of pre-cast, pre-stressed concrete blocks of a special construction, which are embedded in a special mixture so that they can be properly aligned at low temperatures, as will be described below.
  • Another object is to provide footings for a heavy wall in a liquid gas in-ground storage reservoir, which can be economically installed under the above adverse conditions, which can be properly aligned to permit accurate placement of a wall thereon, and which can be provided with means for accommodating very considerable changes ⁇ in radial dimensions due to thermal contraction at the extremely low temperatures involved.
  • Still another object is -to provide a footing and wall construction which is gas-and-liquid tight, and which is pre-stressed in such a 4manner as to oppose the stresses due to the extremely low temperatures existing under normal working conditions.
  • FIG. l is a schematic sectional elevation view of a storage tank embodying the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view similar to a portion of FIG. l, showing the footing structure
  • FIG. 3 is a plan view of the storage tank showing the freeze pipes
  • FIG. 4 is a plan view of a footing unit
  • FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken transversely of the longitudinal axis of the unit of FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 6 is a side elevation of acentral portion of a footing unit
  • FIG. 7 is an end elevation of a footing unit
  • FIG. 8 shows the junction -of two footing units.
  • FIG. 1 shows the general plan of a reservoir built according to the invention.
  • the major portion of the excavation is made in an impervious stratum 2 of rock, or in any case, of hard, substantially impermeable ground formations, which may comprisea number of distinct strata. Overlying this is a depth of soil of other relatively permeable ground material which is typically naturally or articially saturated with water up to a level 4 higher than the base of the footing 8 described below.
  • the ground level may be the natural ground level, or it may represent an elevated ground level due to the presence of soil which has been removed from the excavated portion and used to bank up part of the reservoir structure.
  • a bed of sand and grease S is mortared to the frozen ground, after which the blocks S', which serve as pad and footing, are installed by crane.
  • These blocks are quite large, for example about 3 feet wide by 18 inches deep by 15 feet long. They are made of precast, reinforced, prestressed concrete so designed that thermal stresses will be practically cornpensated for by the prestressing. Keys and recesses are made on each block to key them in place.
  • the greasesand bedding mixture 8 is selected to be of such composition that it will remain plastic at the low temperatures involved in the normal construction of the reservoir.
  • the footings 8 serve to support a wall 9, which typically extends from several feet below the ground level to several feet above the ground level, and in turn usually supports or is connected to a roofing structure 11 in any known fashion, this being not a part of the present invention.
  • the wall 9 may be made of any suitable material, e.g., metal, but in practice the economic factors dictate the use of concrete, which is usually the least expensive material capable of giving satisfactory performance under the existing operating conditions.
  • the wall 9 is made up of a plurality of precast, vertically prestressed concrete panels 9a, 9b, etc., as shown in FIG. 3. These are installed vertically by means of cranes, and are fitted edge-to-edge, using suitable keys as shown at 10, Where desired.
  • the wrapped exterior may then be coated with sprayedon mortar, shotcrete, or finished in any similar manner to both seal the exterior of the wall and to protect the cables against corrosion. Additionally, suitable insulation will be placed on the inside or the outside of the wall (or both) as desired and a exible liner or jacket completes the Wall.
  • the precise wall construction and manner of prestressing are not per se the subject of the present invention.
  • the relationship between the footings and the wall is such that the Wall can contract radially inward when the temperature drops due to filling of the reservoir.
  • the arctic grease 13 permits radial relative motion between the wall and the footings, while retaining the wall substantially in place.
  • the walls could be cast in place on the footings, once the footings have been set in place; however, this would he more diflcult than the precast panel method, because of the high temperature stressed due to the low temperature of the base and its environment at this stage of the process (-40 F.).
  • the temperature is still further reduced to about 259 F., with great shrinkage of the concrete, which causes tensile stresses which could tear the entire structure apart.
  • the above described prestressing process puts the concrete wall into an initial condition of stress which is opposite to that produced by the shrinkage due to the reduction of temperature, and thus acts to counteract the destructive effects of such shrinkage.
  • the harmful effect of such stresses is minimized by making the wall as thin as possible, and in a typical case, for a reservoir which may be approximately 200 feet in diameter, the thickness of the wall will be approximately eight inches.
  • the wall can be heldl to this thinness, and still retain the necessary strength, only by prestressing.
  • FIG. 4 shows a plan view of one of the footing sections. This section is made arcuate so that the assembly of the footings will define the circular perimeter of the wall which is placed above them. l A typical length, in this case, for a storage tank feet in diameter, is approximately ⁇ 19 feet for a footing section. For this size tank, the footing was three feet wide and two feet thick. It will be seen that such a massive section must be handled by heavy hoisting machinery.
  • Recesses 21 are grouted after assembly.
  • the annular recess 13 is filled with arctic grease after the wall is in place.
  • the adjoining ends of footing sections are preferably suitably keyed as shown at 22 and 23 to assist in providing yand maintaining alignment.
  • the ends of the footings are buttered up with arctic grease as the sections are set in place, in order to exclude any possibility of moisture penetration before the temperature of the tank is lowered.
  • a reservoir for storage at substantially atmospheric pressure of fluids at temperatures far below the freezing point of water which method comprises the steps of prefreezing an annulus of liquid-bearing soil in the surface of the ground, excavating a storage pit in the ground within said annulus, and filling the reservoir with low-temperature liquid to be stored, the steps of (a) providing an exposed annular horizontal surface in the ground around the perimeter of said pit, below the ground level,
  • footings4 being of precast and prestressed concrete so stressed as to at least partially compensate for the thermal stresses due to the low temperature of the liquid in the reservoir.
  • An in-ground storage facility for liquids having a boiling point below the freezing temperature of ground water comprising means for prefreezing an annulus of liquid-laden soil adjacent to the upper perimeter of a large, open excavation in the ground,
  • Goldtrap 61-.5 X 4Closner et al. 52-169 Schroeder 61-.5

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
  • Underground Structures, Protecting, Testing And Restoring Foundations (AREA)
US358421A 1964-04-09 1964-04-09 In-ground storage facility with footing sections and method of installing the same Expired - Lifetime US3292377A (en)

Priority Applications (9)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US358421A US3292377A (en) 1964-04-09 1964-04-09 In-ground storage facility with footing sections and method of installing the same
GB3370/65A GB1021620A (en) 1964-04-09 1965-01-26 Wall footings for inground storage of liquid gases
NO156888A NO115397B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1964-04-09 1965-02-23
FR9289A FR1454410A (fr) 1964-04-09 1965-03-15 Fondation de parois pour stockage enterré de gaz liquéfiés
ES0311511A ES311511A1 (es) 1964-04-09 1965-04-06 Tanque de almacenamiento para gases licuados y procedimiento para su construccion.
BE662167D BE662167A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1964-04-09 1965-04-07
NL6504408A NL6504408A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1964-04-09 1965-04-07
DE19651559250 DE1559250C3 (de) 1964-04-09 1965-04-07 Verfahren zur Herstellung eines Grundspeichers für die Lagerung von verflüssigtem Gas
OA51582A OA01688A (fr) 1964-04-09 1965-04-08 Fondation de parois pour stockage enterré de gaz liquéfiés.

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US358421A US3292377A (en) 1964-04-09 1964-04-09 In-ground storage facility with footing sections and method of installing the same

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3292377A true US3292377A (en) 1966-12-20

Family

ID=23409582

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US358421A Expired - Lifetime US3292377A (en) 1964-04-09 1964-04-09 In-ground storage facility with footing sections and method of installing the same

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US3292377A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BE (1) BE662167A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ES (1) ES311511A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR1454410A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1021620A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL6504408A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NO (1) NO115397B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
OA (1) OA01688A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3354654A (en) * 1965-06-18 1967-11-28 Phillips Petroleum Co Reservoir and method of forming the same
US3365894A (en) * 1966-03-09 1968-01-30 Puerto Rico Testing Services I Caisson construction
US3662558A (en) * 1969-11-03 1972-05-16 Conch International Methane In-ground storage arrangement for liquefied gases
WO2004001281A1 (en) * 2002-06-25 2003-12-31 Statoil Asa Tank system for storage of fluids in a rock cavern and method for constructing a fluid tight barrier on the surface of rock formation in a cavern
US20050023686A1 (en) * 2000-06-05 2005-02-03 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. Multilayer diffusion barrier for copper interconnections
US9828737B2 (en) 2011-06-03 2017-11-28 Darin R. Kruse Lubricated soil mixing systems and methods
US10017910B2 (en) 2008-01-28 2018-07-10 Darin R. Kruse Apparatus and methods for underground structures and construction thereof
WO2021016187A1 (en) * 2019-07-19 2021-01-28 Timothy Burke Inground tank construction system and method
WO2023283397A1 (en) * 2021-07-08 2023-01-12 Preload Cryogenics, Llc System and method for storage of liquidfied air at moderate to high internal pressure

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US231924A (en) * 1880-09-07 Underground oil-reservoir
US2332227A (en) * 1942-01-31 1943-10-19 Pittsburgh Des Moines Company Insulated container with heated bottom
US2961840A (en) * 1957-08-12 1960-11-29 Phillips Petroleum Co Storage of volatile liquids
US3092933A (en) * 1961-07-07 1963-06-11 Preload Corp Storage structure
US3195310A (en) * 1961-10-02 1965-07-20 Continental Oil Co Storage installation and sealing method therefor
US3205665A (en) * 1962-01-16 1965-09-14 Morse F Van Horn Underground storage of liquefied gases
US3241274A (en) * 1963-05-24 1966-03-22 Conch Int Methane Ltd Roof structure for ground reservoir

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US231924A (en) * 1880-09-07 Underground oil-reservoir
US2332227A (en) * 1942-01-31 1943-10-19 Pittsburgh Des Moines Company Insulated container with heated bottom
US2961840A (en) * 1957-08-12 1960-11-29 Phillips Petroleum Co Storage of volatile liquids
US3092933A (en) * 1961-07-07 1963-06-11 Preload Corp Storage structure
US3195310A (en) * 1961-10-02 1965-07-20 Continental Oil Co Storage installation and sealing method therefor
US3205665A (en) * 1962-01-16 1965-09-14 Morse F Van Horn Underground storage of liquefied gases
US3241274A (en) * 1963-05-24 1966-03-22 Conch Int Methane Ltd Roof structure for ground reservoir

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3354654A (en) * 1965-06-18 1967-11-28 Phillips Petroleum Co Reservoir and method of forming the same
US3365894A (en) * 1966-03-09 1968-01-30 Puerto Rico Testing Services I Caisson construction
US3662558A (en) * 1969-11-03 1972-05-16 Conch International Methane In-ground storage arrangement for liquefied gases
US20050023686A1 (en) * 2000-06-05 2005-02-03 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. Multilayer diffusion barrier for copper interconnections
WO2004001281A1 (en) * 2002-06-25 2003-12-31 Statoil Asa Tank system for storage of fluids in a rock cavern and method for constructing a fluid tight barrier on the surface of rock formation in a cavern
US10017910B2 (en) 2008-01-28 2018-07-10 Darin R. Kruse Apparatus and methods for underground structures and construction thereof
US10815633B2 (en) 2008-01-28 2020-10-27 Darin R. Kruse Apparatus and methods for underground structures and construction thereof
US20240376821A1 (en) * 2008-01-28 2024-11-14 Darin R. Kruse Apparatus and Methods for Underground Structures and Construction Thereof
US9828737B2 (en) 2011-06-03 2017-11-28 Darin R. Kruse Lubricated soil mixing systems and methods
US10557242B2 (en) 2011-06-03 2020-02-11 Darin R. Kruse Lubricated soil mixing systems and methods
WO2021016187A1 (en) * 2019-07-19 2021-01-28 Timothy Burke Inground tank construction system and method
WO2023283397A1 (en) * 2021-07-08 2023-01-12 Preload Cryogenics, Llc System and method for storage of liquidfied air at moderate to high internal pressure

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES311511A1 (es) 1966-01-16
FR1454410A (fr) 1966-10-07
BE662167A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1965-08-02
NO115397B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1968-09-30
NL6504408A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1965-10-11
DE1559250B2 (de) 1976-03-25
DE1559250A1 (de) 1969-07-10
OA01688A (fr) 1969-12-15
GB1021620A (en) 1966-03-02

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
CN105464686B (zh) 既有设施下多层地下空间幕架式暗挖施工方法及支护结构
US3407606A (en) Underground cavern storage for liquefied gases near atmospheric pressure
US3092933A (en) Storage structure
US3195310A (en) Storage installation and sealing method therefor
US3701262A (en) Means for the underground storage of liquified gas
US3292377A (en) In-ground storage facility with footing sections and method of installing the same
US3854265A (en) Method for constructing an underground storage tank
JP3548965B2 (ja) 低温の炭化水素を貯蔵するための地下の空洞を機能させる方法及び低温炭化水素貯蔵設備
US3344607A (en) Insulated frozen earth storage pit and method of constructing same
JP2005082976A (ja) 半地下式の平底円筒形液体貯蔵用タンクの構築方法及び半地下式の平底円筒形液体貯蔵用タンク
US4869033A (en) Pressurized fluid storage tank
Dolton et al. Cellular concrete: Engineering and technological advancement for construction in cold climates
RU2157872C2 (ru) Конструкция насыпного охлаждаемого основания сооружений и способ температурной стабилизации многолетнемерзлых грунтов
CN110284505A (zh) 山体基坑的施工方法
US4112690A (en) Method and construction of underground tank well
JPS62500187A (ja) 強化コンクリ−トからなる液体またはガス槽
US4233789A (en) Storage tanks
CN217462173U (zh) 一种地裂缝段顶管的局部加固装置
US3241274A (en) Roof structure for ground reservoir
US3285014A (en) Ground reservoir for the storage of a liquefied gas
US3411302A (en) In-ground reservoir with frozen bottom for the storage of liquefied gases
US3241707A (en) Ground storage unit with centersupported roof
FI67427B (fi) Vaetske- eller gasbehaollare av staolbetongkonstruktion
RU2337212C1 (ru) Способ защиты основания фундаментов от поверхностных вод
RU2841718C1 (ru) Способ защиты оснований и фундаментов инженерных сооружений от воздействия опасных экзогенных мерзлотно-геологических процессов