Abstract 840,952. Liquefied gas storage containers. CHICAGO BRIDGE & IRON CO. Nov. 24, 1958 [Sept. 22, 1958], No. 37684/58. Class 8(2). Prevention of displacement of particulate heat insulating material 25, Fig. 2, e.g. silica gel, granulated cork, shredded foamed polystyrene, fibre glass located between inner and outer walls 21, 22 of a liquefied gas container subjected to thermal expansion and contraction is effected by means of a resilient blanket 24 between the walls and forming a layer completely surrounding said inner wall 21. As shown an upper hemispherical layer of resin bonded fibre glass sheaths the upper portion of the inner spherical vessel whilst a lower hemispherical layer lines the outer vessel. The latter is supported by column 26 and supports the inner vessel by rods 23. In a modification the resilient layer comprises a plurality of coil springs 33, Fig. 3, extending between the inner vessel 30 and a thin membrane 32 between which and the outer vessel 31 is located granular material 34. The springs may be of undulating strip form. In a further modification the resilient layer comprises a plurality of inflatable cells and in a still further modification a fluid impermeable membrane 32, Fig. 6, is resiliently held against granular material 34 by means of sub-atmospheric pressure maintained between the voids thereof.
A TANK FOR STORING LIQUIDS COMPRISING A CLOSED INNER STORAGE VESSEL FOR RECEIVING THE LIQUID FABRICATED FROM A MATERIAL REMAINING DUCTILE AT STORAGE TEMPERATURES, AN OUTER VESSEL SPACED APART FROM SAID INNER VESSEL DEFINING AN INSULATING SPACE ABOUT THE INNER VESSEL, SAID INSULTAING SPACE BEING SUBJECT TO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES IN TRANSVERSE WIDTH CAUSED BY THERMALLY-INDUCED EXPANSIONS AND CONTRACTIONS PRODUCED IN SAID INNER VESSEL DURING THE LOADING AND EMPTYING CYCLE OF SAID TANK, A RESILIENT BLANKET HAVING LOW TEMPERATURE COMPRESSIVE RESILIENCY DISPOSED IN THE INSULATING SPACE AND FREELY EXPOSED TO THE AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE THEREIN TO FORM A LAYER BETWEEN THE INNER VESSEL AND THE OUTER VESSEL, AND A FREE MASS OF SUBSTANTIALLY FREE-FLOWING LIGHT-WEIGHT THERMAL INSULATING MATERIAL EXPOSED TO THE ATMOSPHERE WITHIN AND FILLING THE REMAINDER OF THE INSULATING SPACE, SAID MASS EXTERTING A LATERAL PRESSURE AGAINST SAID BLANKET AND BEING CONFINED WITHIN SAID INSULATING SPACE ONLY BY DIRECT CONTACT WITH SAID BLANKET AND DIRECT CONTACT WITH AT LEAST ONE VESSEL SURFACE, THE COMPRESSIVE RESILIENCY OF THE BLANKET BEING SUCH THAT VARIATION IN THE THICKNESS OF THE INSULATING SPACE BETWEEN THE INNER VESSEL AND THE OUTER VESSEL, DUE TO THE EXPANSION OR CONTRACTION OF ONE VESSEL RELATIVE TO THE OTHER, CAUSES THE BLANKET TO EXPAND OR CONTRACT CORRESPONDINGLY TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT OF THE MASS OF INSULATING MATERIAL.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
216 words
A TANK FOR STORING LIQUIDS COMPRISING A CLOSED INNER STORAGE VESSEL FOR RECEIVING THE LIQUID FABRICATED FROM A MATERIAL REMAINING DUCTILE AT STORAGE TEMPERATURES, AN OUTER VESSEL SPACED APART FROM SAID INNER VESSEL DEFINING AN INSULATING SPACE ABOUT THE INNER VESSEL, SAID INSULTAING SPACE BEING SUBJECT TO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES IN TRANSVERSE WIDTH CAUSED BY THERMALLY-INDUCED EXPANSIONS AND CONTRACTIONS PRODUCED IN SAID INNER VESSEL DURING THE LOADING AND EMPTYING CYCLE OF SAID TANK, A RESILIENT BLANKET HAVING LOW TEMPERATURE COMPRESSIVE RESILIENCY DISPOSED IN THE INSULATING SPACE AND FREELY EXPOSED TO THE AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE THEREIN TO FORM A LAYER BETWEEN THE INNER VESSEL AND THE OUTER VESSEL, AND A FREE MASS OF SUBSTANTIALLY FREE-FLOWING LIGHT-WEIGHT THERMAL INSULATING MATERIAL EXPOSED TO THE ATMOSPHERE WITHIN AND FILLING THE REMAINDER OF THE INSULATING SPACE, SAID MASS EXTERTING A LATERAL PRESSURE AGAINST SAID BLANKET AND BEING CONFINED WITHIN SAID INSULATING SPACE ONLY BY DIRECT CONTACT WITH SAID BLANKET AND DIRECT CONTACT WITH AT LEAST ONE VESSEL SURFACE, THE COMPRESSIVE RESILIENCY OF THE BLANKET BEING SUCH THAT VARIATION IN THE THICKNESS OF THE INSULATING SPACE BETWEEN THE INNER VESSEL AND THE OUTER VESSEL, DUE TO THE EXPANSION OR CONTRACTION OF ONE VESSEL RELATIVE TO THE OTHER, CAUSES THE BLANKET TO EXPAND OR CONTRACT CORRESPONDINGLY TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT OF THE MASS OF INSULATING MATERIAL.