US3701262A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Means for the underground storage of liquified gas
Assignee: Systems Capital Corp
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Filing: 1970-10-12
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Granted: 1972-10-31
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Expires: 1990-10-12
Abstract
Abstract Liquified gas is stored underground in a large double walled container seated in an opening in the earth''s surface. Between the walls of the liner, thermal insulation is distributed in a continuous layer along the floor and wall of the opening. A diaphragm is supported across the top of the opening with a seal being provided between the diaphragm and the double walled liner to form a container for the liquified gas. Surrounding the lip of the opening is a concrete ring across which a net of cables is stretched to support a thermally insulating ceiling. A cooling system is provided for freezing the earth to aid in the excavation of the opening and this system is subsequently used to maintain the wall and floor of the opening frozen to a controlled thickness by cooling them in response to a rise in the temperature of the surrounding earth above a predetermined temperature level. Also disclosed are various techniques for constructing a storage tank of the type described.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph A Connell
- 👤 Anthony J Baranyi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 20:03
CPC Classifications
F; F17; F17C; F17C3/00; F17C3/005; F17C2201/00; F17C2201/01; F17C2201/0104; F17C2201/0119; F17C2201/03; F17C2201/032; F17C2201/05; F17C2201/052; F17C2203/00; F17C2203/01; F17C2203/014; F17C2203/016; F17C2203/03; F17C2203/0304; F17C2203/0337; F17C2203/0341; F17C2203/0391; F17C2203/06; F17C2203/0602; F17C2203/0604; F17C2203/0612; F17C2203/0626; F17C2203/0629; F17C2203/0634; F17C2203/0636; F17C2203/0639; F17C2203/0643; F17C2203/0646; F17C2203/0658; F17C2203/0663; F17C2203/0673; F17C2203/0678; F17C2205/00; F17C2205/03; F17C2205/0302; F17C2205/0352; F17C2205/0367; F17C2209/00; F17C2209/22; F17C2209/228; F17C2221/00; F17C2221/03; F17C2221/032; F17C2221/033; F17C2223/00; F17C2223/01; F17C2223/0146; F17C2223/0153; F17C2223/0161; F17C2223/03; F17C2223/033; F17C2223/04; F17C2223/042; F17C2223/046; F17C2223/047; F17C2227/00; F17C2227/01; F17C2227/0128; F17C2227/0135; F17C2227/0171; F17C2227/0178; F17C2227/03; F17C2227/0337; F17C2227/0341; F17C2227/0353; F17C2227/0367; F17C2227/0388; F17C2250/00; F17C2250/04; F17C2250/0404; F17C2250/0439; F17C2250/06; F17C2250/0605; F17C2250/0631; F17C2270/00; F17C2270/01; F17C2270/0142; F17C2270/0144; F17C2270/0147
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
In an underground storage tank for liquified gas comprising: a. an opening in the earth''s surface; b. a moisture-impervious liner covering the floor and walls of said opening; c. a resilient, collapsible, liquid and gas impervious container inside said lined opening; d. a layer of thermal insulation distributed between said container and said liner, said thermal insulation being sufficient to avoid frost heave of said storage tank due to heat loss from said floor and walls into said liquified gas; e. a thermally insulated ceiling covering the top of said opening; and f. means for maintaining the earthen wall and floor of said opening frozen to a controlled thickness during use by selectively cooling said floor and walls.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
In an underground storage tank for liquified gas comprising: a. an opening in the earth''s surface; b. a moisture-impervious liner covering the floor and walls of said opening; c. a resilient, collapsible, liquid and gas impervious container inside said lined opening; d. a layer of thermal insulation distributed between said container and said liner, said thermal insulation being sufficient to avoid frost heave of said storage tank due to heat loss from said floor and walls into said liquified gas; e. a thermally insulated ceiling covering the top of said opening; and f. means for maintaining the earthen wall and floor of said opening frozen to a controlled thickness during use by selectively cooling said floor and walls.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The storage tank of claim 1 characterized further in that said container is comprised of at least one multilayer laminate having layers of aluminum and polyester.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
a laminate disk-shaped lid sized to reach substantially the outer perimeter of said flange said lid attached to and supported by said concrete ring.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
a laminate disk-shaped lid sized to reach substantially the outer perimeter of said flange said lid attached to and supported by said concrete ring.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
during the operation of said storage tank to maintain said frozen floor and walls at a desired thickness.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
during the operation of said storage tank to maintain said frozen floor and walls at a desired thickness.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The storage tank of claim 1 characterized further in that: a. a concrete ring surrounds the lip of said opening; and b. said liner is suspended from said ring.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
The storage tank of claim 1 characterized further in that said insulation is packed in bags made of a cryogenically stable, porous material, and said bags are stacked upon the floor and along the wall of said opening.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The storage tank of claim 1 characterized further by means for holding upright those bags of insulation which are stacked along the wall of said openings.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
The storage tank of claim 1 characterized further by a shelf of compressible material extending along the bottom of said wall on the insulated floor of said opening to form an indentation in said container which fills out under the weight of said liquified gas in said container by partially compressing said shelf.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
The storage tank of claim 1 characterized further in that said thermally insulated ceiling is comprised of: a. two moisture-imperviouS liners sealed at their edges and extending across the top of said opening; and b. thermal insulation sandwiched between said two layers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
The storage tank of claim 1 characterized further in that said means for maintaining the earthen wall and floor of said opening frozen to a desired thickness are comprised of: a. freeze pipes permanently installed in the floor and wall of said opening; b. means for circulating a heat conducting liquid through said freeze pipes; and c. means for removing heat from said circulated liquid
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
The storage tank of claim 8 characterized further by: a. temperature probes placed in the earth around said opening for indicating the condition of said floor and wall; and b. means responsive to said temperature probes for controlling the rate at which heat is removed from said liquid so as to maintain the frozen floor and wall of said opening at a desired thickness.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
The storage tank of claim 1 characterized further in that said container is comprised of: a. a laminate body in the shape of an inverted hat having a radially extending flange at its top; and b. a laminate disk-shaped lid sized to reach substantially to the outer perimeter of said flange.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The storage tank of claim 10 characterized further in that: a. a concrete ring surrounds the lip of said opening; and b. the body-flange and lid of said container are both anchored upon said ring.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
111 words
An underground storage tank for liquified gas comprising: a. an opening in the earth''s surface, having an earthen floor and wall kept frozen during use by a cooling system having freeze pipes embedded in said floor and wall; b. a container conforming when filled to the shape of said opening; c. thermal insulation means distributed between said container and the floor and wall of said opening for limiting the heat loss from said floor and wall into said liquified gas to a sufficient extent to allow said cooling system to control the freezing of said earthen floor and wall; and d. a thermally insulated ceiling covering the top of said opening.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
111 words
An underground storage tank for liquified gas comprising: a. an opening in the earth''s surface, having an earthen floor and wall kept frozen during use by a cooling system having freeze pipes embedded in said floor and wall; b. a container conforming when filled to the shape of said opening; c. thermal insulation means distributed between said container and the floor and wall of said opening for limiting the heat loss from said floor and wall into said liquified gas to a sufficient extent to allow said cooling system to control the freezing of said earthen floor and wall; and d. a thermally insulated ceiling covering the top of said opening.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
136 words
An underground storage tank for liquified gas comprising: a. An opening in the earth''s surface, having an earthen floor and wall kept frozen during use by a cooling system having freeze pipes embedded in said floor and wall; b. A container conforming when filled to the shape of said opening said container comprised of: a. a bucket-shaped laminate body having a radially extending flange at its top; and b. a laminate disk-shaped lid sized to reach substantially to the outer perimeter of said flange and bonded thereto; c. thermal insulation means distributed between said container and the floor and wall of said opening for limiting the heat loss from said floor and wall into said liquified gas to a sufficient extent to allow said cooling system to control the freezing of said earthen floor and wall.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
136 words
An underground storage tank for liquified gas comprising: a. An opening in the earth''s surface, having an earthen floor and wall kept frozen during use by a cooling system having freeze pipes embedded in said floor and wall; b. A container conforming when filled to the shape of said opening said container comprised of: a. a bucket-shaped laminate body having a radially extending flange at its top; and b. a laminate disk-shaped lid sized to reach substantially to the outer perimeter of said flange and bonded thereto; c. thermal insulation means distributed between said container and the floor and wall of said opening for limiting the heat loss from said floor and wall into said liquified gas to a sufficient extent to allow said cooling system to control the freezing of said earthen floor and wall.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
64 words
An underground storage tank for liquified gas comprising: a. An opening in the earth''s surface, having an earthen floor and wall kept frozen during use by a cooling system having freeze pipes embedded in said floor and wall; b. A concrete ring surrounding the lip of said opening; c. A container conforming when filled to the shape of said opening; said container comprised of:
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
64 words
An underground storage tank for liquified gas comprising: a. An opening in the earth''s surface, having an earthen floor and wall kept frozen during use by a cooling system having freeze pipes embedded in said floor and wall; b. A concrete ring surrounding the lip of said opening; c. A container conforming when filled to the shape of said opening; said container comprised of:
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
101 words
For use in storing liquified gas in a bucket-shaped opening in the earth''s surface a thermally insulated container comprising: a. A sealed, double walled, liquid and gas impervious bucket-shaped liner covering the floor and wall of said opening, and having a rim at its top; b. thermal insulation packed in porous bags and distributed in a continuous layer between the inner and outer walls of said liner; c. a liquid and gas impervious diaphragm stretched across the mouth of said opening and sealed to the rim of said liner; and d. thermal insulation distributed in a continuous layer above said diaphragm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
101 words
For use in storing liquified gas in a bucket-shaped opening in the earth''s surface a thermally insulated container comprising: a. A sealed, double walled, liquid and gas impervious bucket-shaped liner covering the floor and wall of said opening, and having a rim at its top; b. thermal insulation packed in porous bags and distributed in a continuous layer between the inner and outer walls of said liner; c. a liquid and gas impervious diaphragm stretched across the mouth of said opening and sealed to the rim of said liner; and d. thermal insulation distributed in a continuous layer above said diaphragm.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
112 words
For use in storing liquified gas in a bucket-shaped opening in the earth''s surface a thermally insulated container comprising: a. a sealed, double walled, liquid and gas impervious bucket-shaped liner covering the floor and wall of said opening, and having a rim at its top; b. thermal insulation packed in porous bags and distributed in a continuous layer between the inner and outer walls of said liner; c. a reinforcing screen surrounding the inner wall of said liner; d. a liquid and gas impervious diaphragm stretched across the mouth of said opening and sealed to the rim of said liner; and e. thermal insulation distributed in a continuous layer above said diaphragm.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
112 words
For use in storing liquified gas in a bucket-shaped opening in the earth''s surface a thermally insulated container comprising: a. a sealed, double walled, liquid and gas impervious bucket-shaped liner covering the floor and wall of said opening, and having a rim at its top; b. thermal insulation packed in porous bags and distributed in a continuous layer between the inner and outer walls of said liner; c. a reinforcing screen surrounding the inner wall of said liner; d. a liquid and gas impervious diaphragm stretched across the mouth of said opening and sealed to the rim of said liner; and e. thermal insulation distributed in a continuous layer above said diaphragm.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-10-31 | 1976-05-01 | 1976-10-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-31 | 1980-05-01 | 1980-10-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-31 | 1984-05-01 | 1984-10-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |