Storage tank heating arrangement

Claim 2

A heated storage tank comprising an encompassing wall structure defining therein a lading compartment, input means for introducing lading into said lading compartment, output means in the bottom of said wall structure for emptying lading from said lading compartment, an input manifold carried by the bottom of said wall structure, in close proximity to said output means, an output manifold carried by the bottom of said wall structure and crossing over said input manifold intermediate the ends thereof, said input manifold and said output manifold cooperating to define four sectors on the bottom of said wall structure, four groups of heating coils carried by said wall structure adjacent to the bottom thereof and being arranged on a substantial part of the bottommost portion of said wall structure, each of said groups of coils being limited to a different one of said sectors and communicating with said input manifold and said output manifold, means for introducing heating fluid into said input manifold, and means for withdrawing spent heating fluid from said output manifold, whereby heating fluid is carried from said input manifold through said heating coils to said output manifold for heating the bottom of said storage tank and the lading contained therein.

Claim 3

The storage tank set forth in claim 1, wherein said input manifold and said output manifold are disposed substantially perpendicular to each other, said manifolds crossing each other midway between the ends thereof.

Claim 4

The storage tank set forth in claim 1, wherein said heating coils and said manifolds are mounted on the outer surface of said wall structure.

Claim 5

A heated storage tank comprising an encompassing wall structure defining therein a lading compartment, input means for introducing lading into said lading compartment, output means in the bottom of said wall structure for emptying lading from said lading compartment, a plurality of primary heating coils carried by the bottom of said wall structure and disposed on a substantial part of the bottommost portion thereof in surrounding relationship with said output means and each having an inlet and an outlet, a plurality of secondary heating coils carried by said wall structure and disposed adjacent to said primary heating coils and each having an inlet and an outlet, means for introducing heating fluid into the inlets of said primary heating coils, input manifolds interconnecting the outlets of said primary heating coils and the inlets of said secondary heating coils, an output manifold interconnecting the outlets of said secondary heating coils, and means for withdrawing spent heating fluid from said output manifold, whereby heating fluid is carried first to said primary heating coils and thence through said input manifolds to said secondary heating coils and thence to said output manifold for heating the bottom of said storage tank and the lading contained therein with the most intense heating being adjacent to said output means and on said bottommost portion of said wall structure.

Claim 6

A heated storage tank comprising an encompassing wall structure defining therein a lading compartment, input means for introducing lading into said lading compartment, output means in the bottom of said wall structure for emptying lading from said lading compartment, a plurality of primary heating coils carried by the bottom of said wall structure and disposed on a substantial part of the bottommost portion thereof in surrounding relationship with said output means and each having an inlet and an outlet, a plurality of secondary heating coils carried by said wall structure and disposed adjacent to said primary heating coils and each having an inlet and an outlet, means for introducing heating fluid into the inlets of said primary heating coils, input manifolds interconnecting the outlets of said primary heating coils and the inlets of said secondary heating coils, an output manifold interconnecting the outlets of said secondary heating coils, and means for withdrawing spent heating fluid from said output manifold, whereby heating fluid is carried first to said primary heating coils and thence through said input manifolds to said secondary heating coils and thence to said output manifold for heating the bottom of said storage tank and the lading contained therein with the most intense heating being adjacent to said output means and on said bottommost portion of said wall structure.

Claim 7

The storage tank set forth in claim 4, wherein said output means is disposed centrally of the bottom of said wall structure, the inputs of said primary heating coils being disposed relatively close to said output means and the inputs of said secondary heating coils being disposed relatively distant from said output means.

Claim 8

The storage tank set forth in claim 4, and further comprising a jacket surrounding said output means and connected between the inlets of said primary heating coils and said means for introducing heating fluid, whereby the most intense heat is applied directly to said output means.

Claim 9

The storage tank set forth in claim 4, wherein said secondary heating coils are divided into two identical groups respectively disposed on opposite sides of said output means.

Claim 10

A heated storage tank comprising an encompassing wall structure defining therein a lading compartment, input means for introducing lading into said lading compartment, output means in the bottom of said wall structure for emptying lading from said lading compartment, first and second primary heating coils carried by the bottommost portion of said wall structure adjacent to said output means and each having an inlet and an outlet, a pair of connecting coils carried by the bottom of said wall structure adjacent to said output means and interconnecting the inlets of said first and second primary heating coils, a plurality of secondary heating coils carried by said wall structure and disposed adjacent to said primary heating coils and each having an inlet and an outlet, means for introducing heating fluid into the inlets of said primary heating coils, first and second input manifolds respectively connecting the outlets of said first and second primary heating coils with the inlets of said secondary heating coils, an output manifold interconnecting the outlets of said secondary heating coils, and means for withdrawing spent heating fluid from said output manifold, whereby heating fluid is carried first to said connecting coils and said primary heating coils and thence through said input manifolds to said secondary heating coils and thence to said output manifold for heating the bottom of said storage tank and the lading contained therein with the most intense heating being adjacent to said output means and on said bottommost portion of said wall structure.

Claim 11

A heated storage tank comprising an encompassing wall structure defining therein a lading compartment, input means for introducing lading into said lading compartment, output means in the bottom of said wall structure for emptying lading from said lading compartment, first and second primary heating coils carried by the bottommost portion of said wall structure adjacent to said output means and each having an inlet and an outlet, a pair of connecting coils carried by the bottom of said wall structure adjacent to said output means and interconnecting the inlets of said first and second primary heating coils, a plurality of secondary heating coils carried by said wall structure and disposed adjacent to said primary heating coils and each having an inlet and an outlet, means for introducing heating fluid into the inlets of said primary heating coils, first and second input manifolds respectively connecting the outlets of said first and second primary heating coils with the inlets of said secondary heating coils, an output manifold interconnecting the outlets of said secondary heating coils, and means for withdrawing spent heating fluid from said output manifold, whereby heating fluid is carried first to said connecting coils and said primary heating coils and thence through said input manifolds to said secondary heating coils and thence to said output manifold for heating the bottom of said storage tank and the lading contained therein with the most intense heating being adjacent to said output means and on said bottommost portion of said wall structure.

Claim 12

The storage tank set forth in claim 8, wherein each of said primary heating coils is arranged in a sinuous form along the bottom of said wall structure.

Claim 13

The storage tank set forth in claim 8, wherein said connecting coils are disposed parallel to each other and on opposite sides of said output means.

Claim 14

A heated storage tank comprising an encompassing wall structure defining therein a lading compartment, input means for introducing lading into said lading compartment, output means in the bottom of said wall structure for emptying lading from said lading compartment, first and second primary heating coils carried by the bottommost portion of said wall structure and disposed on opposite sides of said output means and each having an inlet and a pair of outlets, a pair of connecting coils carried by the bottom of said wall structure adjacent to said output means and interconnecting the inlets of said first and second primary heating coils, said pair of connecting coils cooperating with said first and second primary heating coils to circumscribe said output means, four groups of secondary heating coils carried by said wall structure and disposed adjacent to said primary heating coils, each of said groups including the same predetermined number of secondary coils and each of said secondary coils having an inlet and an outlet, means for introducing heating fluid into the inlets of said primary heating coils, four input manifolds carried by said wall structure and each having an inlet and a plurality of outlets equal in number to said predetermined number, the inlets of said input manifolds respectively communicating with the outlets of said first and second primary heating coils, the outlets of each of said input manifolds respectively communicating with the inputs of a different one of said four groups of secondary heating coils, an output manifold interconnecting the outlets of said four groups of secondary heating coils, and means for withdrawing spent heating fluid from said output manifold, whereby heating fluid is carried first to said connecting coils and primary heating coils and thence through said input manifolds to said secondary heating coils and thence to said output manifold for heating the bottom of said storage tank and the lading contained therein with the most intense heating being adjacent to said output means and on said bottommost portion of said wall structure.

Claim 15

A heated storage tank comprising an encompassing wall structure defining therein a lading compartment, input means for introducing lading into said lading compartment, output means in the bottom of said wall structure for emptying lading from said lading compartment, first and second primary heating coils carried by the bottommost portion of said wall structure and disposed on opposite sides of said output means and each having an inlet and a pair of outlets, a pair of connecting coils carried by the bottom of said wall structure adjacent to said output means and interconnecting the inlets of said first and second primary heating coils, said pair of connecting coils cooperating with said first and second primary heating coils to circumscribe said output means, four groups of secondary heating coils carried by said wall structure and disposed adjacent to said primary heating coils, each of said groups including the same predetermined number of secondary coils and each of said secondary coils having an inlet and an outlet, means for introducing heating fluid into the inlets of said primary heating coils, four input manifolds carried by said wall structure and each having an inlet and a plurality of outlets equal in number to said predetermined number, the inlets of said input manifolds respectively communicating with the outlets of said first and second primary heating coils, the outlets of each of said input manifolds respectively communicating with the inputs of a different one of said four groups of secondary heating coils, an output manifold interconnecting the outlets of said four groups of secondary heating coils, and means for withdrawing spent heating fluid from said output manifold, whereby heating fluid is carried first to said connecting coils and primary heating coils and thence through said input manifolds to said secondary heating coils and thence to said output manifold for heating the bottom of said storage tank and the lading contained therein with the most intense heating being adjacent to said output means and on said bottommost portion of said wall structure.

Claim 16

The storage tank set forth in claim 11, and further including auxiliary means disposed adjacent to the inlet of one of said primary heatIng coils for introducing heating fluid into the inlets of said primary heating coils.

Claim 17

The storage tank set forth in claim 11, wherein the cross-sectional areas of said primary heating coils and said connecting coils and said input manifolds are substantially equal to one another and greater than the cross-sectional areas of said secondary heating coils.

Claim 18

A heated storage tank comprising an encompassing cylindrical sidewall disposed substantially horizontally, two end walls respectively closing the opposite ends of said sidewall, said cylindrical sidewall and said end walls cooperating to define a closed lading compartment, input means for introducing lading into said lading compartment, output means disposed in the bottom of said cylindrical sidewall substantially midway between the ends thereof for emptying lading from said lading compartment, first and second primary heating coils carried by the bottommost portion of said cylindrical sidewall and arranged symmetrically with respect to a vertical plane normal to the longitudinal axis thereof midway between the ends thereof and disposed adjacent to said output means and each having an inlet and a pair of outlets, each of said primary heating coils including a plurality of interconnected straight sections extending longitudinally of said cylindrical sidewall, a pair of connecting coils carried by the bottom of said cylindrical sidewall and disposed longitudinally thereof on opposite sides of said output means and interconnecting the inlets of said first and second primary heating coils, four groups of secondary heating coils carried by said cylindrical sidewall and disposed adjacent to said primary heating coils, each of said groups including the same predetermined number of coils and each of said coils being disposed substantially longitudinally of said cylindrical sidewall and having an inlet and an outlet, means for introducing heating fluid into the inlets of said primary heating coils, four input manifolds carried by said cylindrical sidewall and extending longitudinally thereof and each having an inlet and a plurality of outlets equal in number to said predetermined number, the inlets of said input manifolds respectively communicating with the outlets of said first and second primary heating coils, the outlets of each of said input manifolds respectively communicating with the inputs of a different one of said four groups of secondary heating coils, an output manifold carried by said cylindrical sidewall and extending circumferentially thereof midway between the ends thereof and interconnecting the outlets of said four groups of secondary heating coils, and means for withdrawing spent heating fluid from said output manifold, whereby heating fluid is carried first to said primary heating coils and connecting coils and thence through said input manifolds to said secondary heating coils and thence to said output manifold for heating the bottom of said storage tank and the lading contained therein with the most intense heating being adjacent to said output means and on said bottommost portion of said wall structure.

Claim 19

A heated storage tank comprising an encompassing cylindrical sidewall disposed substantially horizontally, two end walls respectively closing the opposite ends of said sidewall, said cylindrical sidewall and said end walls cooperating to define a closed lading compartment, input means for introducing lading into said lading compartment, output means disposed in the bottom of said cylindrical sidewall substantially midway between the ends thereof for emptying lading from said lading compartment, first and second primary heating coils carried by the bottommost portion of said cylindrical sidewall and arranged symmetrically with respect to a vertical plane normal to the longitudinal axis thereof midway between the ends thereof and disposed adjacent to said output means and each having an inlet and a pair of outlets, each of said primary heating coils including a plurality of interconnected straight sections extending longitudinally of said cylindrical sidewall, a pair of connecting coils carried by the bottom of said cylindrical sidewall and disposed longitudinally thereof on opposite sides of said output means and interconnecting the inlets of said first and second primary heating coils, four groups of secondary heating coils carried by said cylindrical sidewall and disposed adjacent to said primary heating coils, each of said groups including the same predetermined number of coils and each of said coils being disposed substantially longitudinally of said cylindrical sidewall and having an inlet and an outlet, means for introducing heating fluid into the inlets of said primary heating coils, four input manifolds carried by said cylindrical sidewall and extending longitudinally thereof and each having an inlet and a plurality of outlets equal in number to said predetermined number, the inlets of said input manifolds respectively communicating with the outlets of said first and second primary heating coils, the outlets of each of said input manifolds respectively communicating with the inputs of a different one of said four groups of secondary heating coils, an output manifold carried by said cylindrical sidewall and extending circumferentially thereof midway between the ends thereof and interconnecting the outlets of said four groups of secondary heating coils, and means for withdrawing spent heating fluid from said output manifold, whereby heating fluid is carried first to said primary heating coils and connecting coils and thence through said input manifolds to said secondary heating coils and thence to said output manifold for heating the bottom of said storage tank and the lading contained therein with the most intense heating being adjacent to said output means and on said bottommost portion of said wall structure.

Claim 20

The storage tank set forth in claim 14, wherein each of said primary heating coils includes three parallel longitudinal sections interconnected at the outer ends thereof, the inner ends of the central ones of said sections respectively forming the inlets of said primary heating coils, the inner ends of the side ones of said sections respectively forming the outlets of said primary heating coils.

Claim 21

The storage tank set forth in claim 14, wherein each of said input manifolds extends longitudinally of said cylindrical sidewall and substantially to the adjacent end thereof.

Claim 22

The storage tank set forth in claim 14, and further including a pair of short arcuate input coil sections respectively disposed adjacent to the inlets of said first and second primary heating coils and extending circumferentially of said cylindrical sidewall, each of said input coil sections communicating with the inlet of the adjacent primary heating coils and with the adjacent ends of said pair of connecting coils, and at least one of said input coil sections communicating directly with said means for introducing heating fluid to said primary coils.

Claim 23

The storage tank set forth in claim 14, wherein each of said secondary heating coils includes a relatively long straight section extending longitudinally of said cylindrical sidewall and a relatively short arcuate section integral with said long straight section at the outer end thereof and extending circumferentially downwardly along said cylindrical sidewall, the inner ends of said long straight sections communicating with said output manifold and the lower ends of said short arcuate sections communicating with the corresponding one of said input manifolds.

Claim 24

A vehicle comprising a wheeled chassis, an encompassing cylindrical sidewall carried by said chassis and disposed substantially horizontally, two end walls respectively closing the opposite ends of said sidewall, said cylindrical sidewall and said end walls cooperating to define a closed lading compartment, input means for introducing lading into said lading compartment, output means disposed in the bottom of said cylindrical sidewall substantially midway between the ends thereof for emptying lading from said lading compartment, first and second primary heating coils carried by the bottommost portion of said cylindrical sidewall and arranged symmetrically with respect to a vertical midplane normal to the longitudinal axis thereof midway between the ends thereof and disposed adjacent to said output means and each having an inlet and a pair of outlets, each of said primary heating coils including a plurality of interconnected straight sections extending longitudinally of said cylindrical sidewall, a pair of connecting coils carried by the bottom of said cylindrical sidewall and disposed longitudinally thereof on opposite sides of said output means and interconnecting the inlets of said first and second primary heating coils, four groups of secondary heating coils carried by said cylindrical sidewall and disposed adjacent to said primary heating coils, each of said groups including the same predetermined number of coils and each of said secondary coils being disposed substantially longitudinally of said cylindrical sidewall and having an inlet and an outlet, means for introducing heating fluid into the inlets of said primary heating coils, four input manifolds carried by said cylindrical sidewall and extending longitudinally thereof and each having an inlet and a plurality of outlets equal in number to said predetermined number, the inlets of said input manifolds respectively communicating with the outlets of said first and second primary heating coils, the outlets of each of said input manifolds respectively communicating with the inlets of a different one of said four groups of secondary heating coils, an output manifold carried by said cylindrical sidewall and extending circumferentially thereof midway between the ends thereof and interconnecting the outlets of said four groups of secondary heating coils, and means for withdrawing spent heating fluid from said output manifold, whereby heating fluid is carried first to said connecting coils and primary heating coils and thence through said input manifolds to said secondary heating coils and thence to said output manifold for heating the bottom of said storage tank and the lading contained therein with the most intense heating being adjacent to said output means and on said bottommost portion of said wall structure.

Claim 25

A vehicle comprising a wheeled chassis, an encompassing cylindrical sidewall carried by said chassis and disposed substantially horizontally, two end walls respectively closing the opposite ends of said sidewall, said cylindrical sidewall and said end walls cooperating to define a closed lading compartment, input means for introducing lading into said lading compartment, output means disposed in the bottom of said cylindrical sidewall substantially midway between the ends thereof for emptying lading from said lading compartment, first and second primary heating coils carried by the bottommost portion of said cylindrical sidewall and arranged symmetrically with respect to a vertical midplane normal to the longitudinal axis thereof midway between the ends thereof and disposed adjacent to said output means and each having an inlet and a pair of outlets, each of said primary heating coils including a plurality of interconnected straight sections extending longitudinally of said cylindrical sidewall, a pair of connecting coils carried by the bottom of said cylindrical sidewall and disposed longitudinally thereof on opposite sides of said output means and interconnecting the inlets of said first and second primary heating coils, four groups of secondary heating coils carried by said cylindrical sidewall and disposed adjacent to said primary heating coils, each of said groups including the same predetermined number of coils and each of said secondary coils being disposed substantially longitudinally of said cylindrical sidewall and having an inlet and an outlet, means for introducing heating fluid into the inlets of said primary heating coils, four input manifolds carried by said cylindrical sidewall and extending longitudinally thereof and each having an inlet and a plurality of outlets equal in number to said predetermined number, the inlets of said input manifolds respectively communicating with the outlets of said first and second primary heating coils, the outlets of each of said input manifolds respectively communicating with the inlets of a different one of said four groups of secondary heating coils, an output manifold carried by said cylindrical sidewall and extending circumferentially thereof midway between the ends thereof and interconnecting the outlets of said four groups of secondary heating coils, and means for withdrawing spent heating fluid from said output manifold, whereby heating fluid is carried first to said connecting coils and primary heating coils and thence through said input manifolds to said secondary heating coils and thence to said output manifold for heating the bottom of said storage tank and the lading contained therein with the most intense heating being adjacent to said output means and on said bottommost portion of said wall structure.

Claim 26

The vehicle set forth in claim 19, wherein said vehicle comprises a railway tank car.