Submerged pump removal system

Claim 2

A submerged pump system for a closed storage tank, comprising a housing forming a pump receptacle at the bottom of the tank, a second housing forming a sealing chamber in the top of the tank, means to lower a pump into said receptacle for pumping operation and to raise said pump into the sealing chamber in the top of the tank, and valve means to seal said chamber from the tank interior after transfer of the pump from said receptacle to said chamber.

Claim 3

A pump system according to claim 1 wherein sale valve means is pivotally mounted at the lower end of the chamber and is actuated by means located outside of said tank.

Claim 4

A pump system according to claim 1 having auxiliary locking means for locking said valve means in a tight sealing position, said locking means being actuated by means located outside of said tank.

Claim 5

A pump system according to claim 3, in which said locking means comprises a member actuated through the top of said tank, a camming lug connected to said member for biasing said valve means into a tight sealing position.

Claim 6

A pumping system for a gas tight storage tank adapted to contain a volatile liquid comprising pumping means normally located in said tank, discharge means connected to said pumping means to direct the pumped fluid out of the tank, a sealing chamber connected to the tank and communicating with the interior thereof through a valve-controlled opening, said sealing chamber being located in the top of the tank, means to raise the pumping means from its normal location in the bottom reaches of the tank through the valve-controlled opening and into the sealing chamber, valve means to seal said opening and isolate the pumping means in the chamber and prevent escape of the tank contents into the chamber, and means to open the upper part of said sealing chamber to the atmosphere whereby the pumping means may be removed without the escape of the tank contents into the atmosphere.

Claim 7

A pumping system for a gas tight storage tank adapted to contain a volatile liquid comprising pumping means normally located in said tank, discharge means connected to said pumping means to direct the pumped fluid out of the tank, a sealing chamber connected to the tank and communicating with the interior thereof through a valve-controlled opening, said sealing chamber being located in the top of the tank, means to raise the pumping means from its normal location in the bottom reaches of the tank through the valve-controlled opening and into the sealing chamber, valve means to seal said opening and isolate the pumping means in the chamber and prevent escape of the tank contents into the chamber, and means to open the upper part of said sealing chamber to the atmosphere whereby the pumping means may be removed without the escape of the tank contents into the atmosphere.

Claim 8

A pumping system defined in claim 5 further comprising means to purge the sealing chamber of tank contents prior to the opening of the sealing chamber.

Claim 9

A submerged pump system for a storage tank, comprising a discharge housing in the bottom of the tank, means to lower a pump into said housing and to raise said pump into a chamber in the top of the tank, valve means to seal said chamber from the tank, said discharge housing being connected to the upper portion of said tank by means of a plurality of elongated support and guide rails, guide means on said pump adapted to engage said support and guide rails, and said lowering means comprising a cable connected to said pump and passing through the upper portion of said chamber.

Claim 10

A submerged pump system for a storage tank, comprising a discharge housing in the bottom of the tank, means to lower a pump into said housing and to raise said pump into a chamber in the top of the tank, valve means to seal said chamber from the tank, said discharge housing being connected to the upper portion of said tank by means of a plurality of elongated support and guide rails, guide means on said pump adapted to engage said support and guide rails, and said lowering means comprising a cable connected to said pump and passing through the upper portion of said chamber.

Claim 11

A submerged pump system for a storage tank, comprising a discharge housing in the bottom of the tank, means to lower a pump into said housing and to raise said pump into a first chamber in the top of the tank, valve means to seal said first chamber from the tank and means to admit purging gas to the upper portion of said first chamber, a second chamber positioned above said first chamber, said lowering means passing through said chambers and connected to said pump, and means to introduce purging gas into said second chamber to prevent the escape of the fluid in said tank.

Claim 12

A submerged pump system for a storage tank, comprising a discharge housing in the bottom of the tank, means to lower a pump into said housing and to raise said pump into a first chamber in the top of the tank, valve means to seal said first chamber from the tank and means to admit purging gas to the upper portion of said first chamber, a second chamber positioned above said first chamber, said lowering means passing through said chambers and connected to said pump, and means to introduce purging gas into said second chamber to prevent the escape of the fluid in said tank.

Claim 15

The method defined in claim 9 characterized by purging the sealed upper chamber with inert gas prior to removing said pump.

Claim 16

A submerged pump system for a tank adapted to contain liquefied gas, comprising a discharge housing having an inlet opening in close proximity to the bottom of the tank, a discharge means connected to said housing and extending from said housing to a location outside of the tank, means to raise and lower a pumping assembly from and to said discharge housing, chamber means connected to the upper portion of the tank and adapted to receive said pumping assembly when said assembly is raised into said chamber means by said raising and lowering means, and means to seal said chamber means from the tank after said pumping assembly has been raised into said chamber means so as to prevent the escape of the contents of said tank.

Claim 17

A submerged pump system for a tank adapted to contain liquefied gas, comprising a discharge housing having an inlet opening in close proximity to the bottom of the tank, a discharge means connected to said housing and extending from said housing to a location outside of the tank, means to raise and lower a pumping assembly from and to said discharge housing, chamber means connected to the upper portion of the tank and adapted to receive said pumping assembly when said assembly is raised into said chamber means by said raising and lowering means, and means to seal said chamber means from the tank after said pumping assembly has been raised into said chamber means so as to prevent the escape of the contents of said tank.

Claim 18

A pump system as defined in claim 11 in which said seal means comprises valve means, and means to actuate said valve means from outside said tank.

Claim 19

A pump system as defined in claim 11 in which the discharge means comprises at least one conduit extending upwardly from said housing to the top of the tank.

Claim 20

A pump system as defined in claim 11 further comprising closure means normally sealing the chamber means to prevent the escape of the contents of the chamber means, said closure means adapted to be opened to allow the removal of the pumping assembly from the chamber means.

Claim 21

A pump system as defined in claim 14 in which the means to raise and lower the pumping assembly passes through the closure means.

Claim 22

A pump system as defined in claim 11 further comprising means to purge, said chamber means.

Claim 23

A submerged pump removal system for a closed tank having a submerged pump assembly, comprising a chamber adapted to form a gas lock connected in the upper portion of said tank, said chamber being of limited volume for essentially receiving only said submerged pump assembly, means to move the submerged assembly from the tank bottom into the chamber, means to seal the chamber from the tank after the pump has been moved into the chamber to seal off the contents of the tank, said chamber having closure means at its top normally sealing the chamber form the atmosphere, said closure means adapted to be opened to allow the removal of the pump from the chamber to the tank exterior, and means to purge said chamber prior to the removal of the pump therefrom.

Claim 24

A submerged pump removal system for a closed tank having a submerged pump assembly, comprising a chamber adapted to form a gas lock connected in the upper portion of said tank, said chamber being of limited volume for essentially receiving only said submerged pump assembly, means to move the submerged assembly from the tank bottom into the chamber, means to seal the chamber from the tank after the pump has been moved into the chamber to seal off the contents of the tank, said chamber having closure means at its top normally sealing the chamber form the atmosphere, said closure means adapted to be opened to allow the removal of the pump from the chamber to the tank exterior, and means to purge said chamber prior to the removal of the pump therefrom.

Claim 25

A submerged pumping system for a closed tank comprising a pumping assembly, means to support said assembly in a normal operating position in the lower portion of said tank for discharging fluid therefrom, a gas tight chamber positioned remote from the normal operating position of said assembly and connected to the upper portion of said tank, said chamber having a first opening into said tank and a second opening into the surrounding atmosphere, means to move the pumping assembly from its normal operating position into said chamber, said gas tight chamber having sealing means for said first opening to seal the chamber from the tank after said pumping assembly has been moved into said chamber, closure means for said second opening for sealing the chamber from the surrounding atmosphere, said closure means adapted to be opened to allow the removal of the pumping assembly for the chamber.

Claim 26

A submerged pumping system for a closed tank comprising a pumping assembly, means to support said assembly in a normal operating position in the lower portion of said tank for discharging fluid therefrom, a gas tight chamber positioned remote from the normal operating position of said assembly and connected to the upper portion of said tank, said chamber having a first opening into said tank and a second opening into the surrounding atmosphere, means to move the pumping assembly from its normal operating position into said chamber, said gas tight chamber having sealing means for said first opening to seal the chamber from the tank after said pumping assembly has been moved into said chamber, closure means for said second opening for sealing the chamber from the surrounding atmosphere, said closure means adapted to be opened to allow the removal of the pumping assembly for the chamber.

Claim 27

A pumping system as defined in claim 18 further comprising means to purge said chamber prior to the removal of the pumping assembly therefrom.

Claim 28

A submerged pump system for a storage tank containing a fluid, comprising a pump assembly unit normally located at the bottom of the tank for pumping therefrom pressurized fluid, housing means at the top of the tank forming a sealing chamber, the upper end of the chamber being normally sealed from atmosphere by removable wall structure, means for raising the pump unit from the bottom of the tank into the chamber through the lower end thereof, and valve means operable to seal the lower end of the chamber after the pump unit has been moved into the chamber whereby the pump unit is isolated and can be subsequently removed from the upper end of the chamber without venting the tank.

Claim 29

A submerged pump system for a storage tank containing a fluid, comprising a pump assembly unit normally located at the bottom of the tank for pumping therefrom pressurized fluid, housing means at the top of the tank forming a sealing chamber, the upper end of the chamber being normally sealed from atmosphere by removable wall structure, means for raising the pump unit from the bottom of the tank into the chamber through the lower end thereof, and valve means operable to seal the lower end of the chamber after the pump unit has been moved into the chamber whereby the pump unit is isolated and can be subsequently removed from the upper end of the chamber without venting the tank.

Claim 30

A submerged pump system as specified in claim 20 wherein the valve means is mounted on the lower end of the chamber and has actuating means for opening the chamber to receive the pump unit and for sealing the chamber to isolate it from the tank interior.

Claim 31

A submerged pump system as specified in claim 20 wherein the linear dimensions of the chamber are limited so as substantially to minimize the volume of pressurized fluid sealed therein with the pump unit.