US3835654A - Submersible tanks containing oil or similar liquids - Google Patents

Submersible tanks containing oil or similar liquids Download PDF

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Publication number
US3835654A
US3835654A US00287237A US28723772A US3835654A US 3835654 A US3835654 A US 3835654A US 00287237 A US00287237 A US 00287237A US 28723772 A US28723772 A US 28723772A US 3835654 A US3835654 A US 3835654A
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Prior art keywords
tank
ring
membrane
liquid
limitation means
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00287237A
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English (en)
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C Lehanneur
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Campenon Bernard Europe
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Campenon Bernard Europe
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D88/00—Large containers
    • B65D88/78—Large containers for use in or under water

Definitions

  • This tank comprises a ring of tore 61 l shape and hollow section, which lies on the ground, 1 0 earc i 4 1 and at least one elastic membrane peripherally attached to the ring for delimiting the space where oil is [56] References Cited mtroduced' UNITED STATES PAT TS 15 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 3,1l3,699 12/1963 Crawford et al 61/46.5 X
  • PATENTEB SEP 1 71974 SHEET 2 UF 3 SUBMERSIBLE TANKS CONTAINING OIL OR SIMILAR LIQUIDS This invention, which concerns the storage of liquids, relates more particularly to submersible tanks containing oil or similar liquids. As is known, the construction of such tanks has already been envisaged and put into practice (see, for example, R. S. Chamberlains article published in the August 1970 issue of Civil Engineering, pages 57-60).
  • Thisconcrete must be prestressed and reinforced to be able to withstand the loads produced by currents, swell, storms, etc.
  • the resulting structure which is built on land entirely, then becomes very heavy and cannot readily be placed in position because its walls of large expanse will not withstand the hydrostatic pressure and prevent a low and constant apparent weight from being imparted to the tank.
  • An alternative known solution is one of the kind described in the article mentioned in the preamble. It consists in employing a concrete base topped by a metal cap. While this ensures a lighter structure, it is nevertheless necessary to embody stiffening members in the cap since the latter is exposed to pressure variations for the reasons already mentioned and also because of variations in the degree of filling, thereby offsetting the gain in weight to some extent. Here again the walls will not withstand the hydrostatic pressure, and the submerging of such a tank involves costly procedures. Further, special precautions must be taken to prevent the cap metal from being attacked by sea water.
  • a submersible tank according to this invention intended for containing oil or a similar liquid and comprising a rigid ring, made of concrete for example, set down horizontally on the sea-bed either directly or indirectly, the upper boundary wall and/or the lower boundary wall of the tank are formed by a fluidtight,
  • the ring which may be made of concrete, for example, is designed to be set down horizontally in proximity to the sea-bed. It forms the peripheral wall of the tank, its weight balances the vertical component of the tension in the membranes, and its resistance to compression balances, by the arch effect, the horizontal component of the tension in the membrane. It accordingly performs the function of a wall, ballast and frame for the membranes.
  • the roof of the tank is no longer subjected to the bending moments or com pression stresses of conventional roofs but only to tensile forces (due mainly to the buoyancy of the oil); these forces can be withstood by synthetic fibres of low apparent weight and high tensile strength; associated to a conventional fixed bottom, such a deformable roof makes it possible to provide a tank of variable volume functioning by displacement of liquid, without polluting the sea.
  • the bottom of the tank will allow filling to be effected by displacement of sea water without contact between the oil and the water, hence without pollution; such a tank bottom can be associated to a conventional roof or to a membrane roof according to the invention.
  • the ring is heavy and its perimeter large; in contrast, its section is of modest dimension; all the weighty material of the tank is concentrated there, and this material (concrete or metal) stands up well to compression; this means that the ring walls are capable of withstanding the hydrostatic pressure and that a ring filled with air will result in a tank of very low apparent weight, making for an easy submerging operation using the usual facilities; once set down on the sea-bed, the annular space can be filled with water (or sand or concrete) to impart the necessary apparent weight to the system required to oppose the buoyancy of the oil and ensure stability of the tank under the forces exerted by the sea.
  • FIG. 1 is an axial half-sectional view of a first embodiment of a tank according to the invention
  • FIG. 2 is an axial half-sectional view of a second pos' sible embodiment of the invention, the tank being empty of oil;
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 correspondingly depict the same tank as that in FIG. 2, shown half full and completely full, respectively;
  • FIG. 5 shows in radial section a method of fastening the membrane to the base ring of the tank according to the invention.
  • FIG. 1 for an illustration of the construction principle of a tank according to the invention.
  • This tank comprises a toroidal ring I, made of concrete and resting on the sea-bed 2, the sea level being shown at 3 above the tank. Attached to the top of the ring is a membrane 4 forming the roof of the tank, which membrane is attached to the entire perimeter of the ring. When the tank is empty, the membrane is stretched as shown in solid lines.
  • the tank further includes a pipe 5 for discharging oil into it, and ports 6 and 7 to facilitate displacement of the sea water.
  • the ring complete with its membrane and forming the tank, is towed over the surface of the water to the point where the tank is to be submerged, this being accomplished with the help of buoyancy means, the ports 6 and 7 being sealed off and the ring filled with air.
  • the walls of the ring which are able to withstand the hydrostatic pressure, permit submersion with a low apparent weight with the help of conventional handling means.
  • the position of the base ring on the sea-bed 2 is consolidated by a circular dyke made of pebbles or by driving piles into the sea-bed to form anchorage points. Once the plugging rods have been removed from the ports 6 and 7, the tank regains its full weight on the sea-bed.
  • the oil drives out the sea water and the flexible and deformable membrane 4 stretches and assumes a shape (4 in dash lines) of increasingly bulging profile with increasing amounts of oil entering the tank.
  • the tensile force exerted radially at the periphery of the membrane, at the points of attachment thereof to the toroidal base ring varies both in magnitude and direction.
  • the vertical component of the force is balanced by the weight of the ring and the horizontal component is balanced by the arch effect of the ring.
  • reference letter a designates for example the level of the oil filling the space from a to 4, sea water being present below a.
  • the sea water driven out by the pressure of the oil escapes through the ports 6 and 7.
  • the membrane is formed with a fabric web of synthetic fibres with a sealing coat of neoprene.
  • the membrane may further embody wire gauze, and it may be made likewise of rubber or similar material. Further reference will be made to the constitution of the membrane in connection with the second form of embodiment of the invention.
  • FIGS. 2 to 4 This requirement is circumvented by providing a tank as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, having two membranes both attached to the base ring along their peripheries and receiving the incoming oil between them, after the fashion of a bag.
  • the upper membrane 4 is attached at 40 to base ring I, which in this case has a polygonal (specifically a decagonal). rather than a purely circular, cross-section in order to simplify the concrete coffering.
  • a second membrane 9 is peripherally attached at 9a to one of the lower points (a corner of the cross-sectional polygon) of toroidal ring 1, as in the case of membrane 4.
  • This second (lower) membrane is shaped and directed so as to apply itself against the upper membrane when the tank is empty, as shown in FIG. 2.
  • an orifice 10 equipped with a pressure gauge 11 and means for detecting and discharging the gases released by the oil.
  • FIG. 3 shows the tank half full.
  • FIG. 4 it is shown as being completely full, with the membrane 9 applied against the seabed 2.
  • Sea water is discharged through the ports 6 and 7 of the base ring, and it will be appreciated that in the case of this installation the oil is not in contact with the water, thereby obviating the difficulties mentioned precedingly.
  • the membrane For a proper construction of a tank according to this invention, the membrane must have the required composition, structure and shape, with the latter determined primarily as a function of the peripheral attachment method.
  • each of the two membranes will be shaped at rest as a 96 m disc formed with a peripheral attachment bulge 12 (see FIG. 5).
  • Lower membrane 9 forms a flexible and elastic fluidtight separation between the oil and the sea water, and the tensile stresses therein are negligible. It may be devised in the form of a sheet of neoprene reinforced with a synthetic-fibre cloth, with a total thickness of 8 to 10 Upper membrane 4 works to a greater extent. being subjected, on the one hand, to the thrust of the oil and, on the other, to the action of the sea (swell, waves, currents, and so on); it must therefore be fairly strong, especially under tension.
  • a layer 13 forming the membrane proper possessing the required strength and made of nylon, polyester or a like material chosen with a density close to that of sea water and an ultimate elongation of 15 to 25 percent, and another layer 14 to provide fluidtightness.
  • Beneath membrane 13 is provided the thin (8 mm) layer 14 of fluidtight material such as neoprene.
  • Tank for containing oil or a similar liquid to be stored, said tank comprising a toroidal hollow ring of rigid, heavy and resistant material such as concrete, which is adapted to lie on the ground when said tank is immersed within a water environment of sufficient depth; an upper limitation means for retaining the liquid to be stored, said means consisting of a membrane of fluidtight, elastic and deformable material in combination with attachment means for sealingly attaching said membrane around its entire perimeter to said ring and stretching it so as to form a flat disk; and means for introducing said liquid under pressure under said membrane, thereby deforming the same elastically with a bulged form.
  • Tank as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ring is shaped as a tore having a hollow generating section with a sufficient thickness for sustaining hydrostatic pressure at the location where the tank will be immersed.
  • Tank as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ring is shaped as a tore having a hollow generating section with a sufficient thickness for sustaining hydrostatic pressure at the location where the tank will be immersed, the interior volume of the hollow tore-shaped ring being also so dimensioned that the apparent weight of the tank is substantially nil when said volume is filled with air.
  • Tank as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ring has apertures for circulation of water therethrough associated with means for closing said apertures.
  • Tank-for containing oil or a similar liquid to be stored said tank comprising a ring of rigid, heavy and resistant material such as concrete, which is adapted to lie on the ground when said tank is immersed within a water environment of sufficient depth; a first and upper limitation means for retaining the liquid to be stored, said means consisting of a membrane of fluidtight, elastic and deformable material in combination with attachment means for sealingly attaching said membrane around its entire perimeter to said ring and stretching it so as to form a flat disk; a second and lower limitation means for retaining the liquid to be stored and cooperating therefor with said first limitation means and said ring for enclosing the storage space of the tank; and means for introducing said liquid under pressure into said space, thereby deforming the membrane elastically with a bulged form.
  • Tank as claimed in claim 1 wherein said membrane is formed with a peripheral attachment bulge and wherein said ring comprises conjugate attachment means for retaining said bulge formed at the upper interior side of the ring.
  • said second limitation means is also a membrane, which is made of a neoprene sheet reinforced with a texture of synthetic fibres.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
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US00287237A 1971-09-09 1972-09-08 Submersible tanks containing oil or similar liquids Expired - Lifetime US3835654A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

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FR7132557A FR2151693A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-09-09 1971-09-09

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Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4239417A (en) * 1977-11-23 1980-12-16 A/S Hoyer-Ellefsen, Ing. T. Furuholmen A/S Multi-purpose marine structure
US4662386A (en) * 1986-04-03 1987-05-05 Sofec, Inc. Subsea petroleum products storage system
US6388342B1 (en) * 1999-07-28 2002-05-14 Richard C. Vetterick, Sr. Hydro electric plant
US20030208187A1 (en) * 2002-05-02 2003-11-06 Gmp Surgical Solutions, Inc. Apparatus for positioning a medical instrument
US20060225633A1 (en) * 2002-10-23 2006-10-12 Arild Samuelsen Seabed located storage
US20120138486A1 (en) * 2010-12-01 2012-06-07 Doris Engineering Device for underwater hydrocarbon storage, and corresponding capture and storage installation

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB777644A (en) * 1954-04-20 1957-06-26 Oscar Reinhold Notander An improved device for storing liquids
US3113699A (en) * 1961-05-03 1963-12-10 Us Rubber Co Underwater liquid storage system
US3385464A (en) * 1965-04-20 1968-05-28 Equipements D Entpr S Sa Soc E Immersible tank with ballast means for its transport and immersion
US3518836A (en) * 1968-02-14 1970-07-07 Hideo Itokawa Underwater oil tank
US3570259A (en) * 1969-11-13 1971-03-16 Oil States Rubber Co Annulus seal and pile wiper
US3675427A (en) * 1969-11-25 1972-07-11 Arcadia Refining Co Underwater storage device

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB777644A (en) * 1954-04-20 1957-06-26 Oscar Reinhold Notander An improved device for storing liquids
US3113699A (en) * 1961-05-03 1963-12-10 Us Rubber Co Underwater liquid storage system
US3385464A (en) * 1965-04-20 1968-05-28 Equipements D Entpr S Sa Soc E Immersible tank with ballast means for its transport and immersion
US3518836A (en) * 1968-02-14 1970-07-07 Hideo Itokawa Underwater oil tank
US3570259A (en) * 1969-11-13 1971-03-16 Oil States Rubber Co Annulus seal and pile wiper
US3675427A (en) * 1969-11-25 1972-07-11 Arcadia Refining Co Underwater storage device

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4239417A (en) * 1977-11-23 1980-12-16 A/S Hoyer-Ellefsen, Ing. T. Furuholmen A/S Multi-purpose marine structure
US4662386A (en) * 1986-04-03 1987-05-05 Sofec, Inc. Subsea petroleum products storage system
US6388342B1 (en) * 1999-07-28 2002-05-14 Richard C. Vetterick, Sr. Hydro electric plant
US20030208187A1 (en) * 2002-05-02 2003-11-06 Gmp Surgical Solutions, Inc. Apparatus for positioning a medical instrument
US20060225633A1 (en) * 2002-10-23 2006-10-12 Arild Samuelsen Seabed located storage
US7448404B2 (en) * 2002-10-23 2008-11-11 Navion Asa Seabed located storage
US20120138486A1 (en) * 2010-12-01 2012-06-07 Doris Engineering Device for underwater hydrocarbon storage, and corresponding capture and storage installation

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2243369A1 (de) 1973-03-29
FR2151693A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-04-20
DE2243369B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1975-06-05

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