Patent US3736754A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3736754A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Reservoirs for the storage of liquids especially volatile liquids
Assignee: CO FRA DES PETROLES
•
Filing: 1971-04-14
•
Granted: 1973-06-05
•
Expires: 1991-04-14
Abstract
Abstract This invention pertains to a reservoir with a very large capacity, in excess of 200,000 tons, for the storage of petroleum products. A cavity, natural or artificial, is covered with a sheet 16 consisting of waterproof material that is also impermeable to petroleum products. A sheet 12, essentially gasproof, supported by floats 13, covers the surface of the liquid. The edges of sheets 12 and 16 are anchored in the concrete ring 6 which is poured above the talus. The upper portion of the roof 4 is also connected to ring 6. The roof is inflated by fans which blow air between the envelope 4 and the sheet 12. Cable 5 reinforces the roof, a ditch 11 moves the runoff waters along. A central collector 15 catches the infiltration water.
Inventors
- 👤 J Azalbert
- 👤 A Giraud
- 👤 R Marquaire
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 09:53
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04H; E04H15/00; E04H15/20; E04H15/22; B; B65; B65D; B65D88/00; B65D88/76; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A20/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
A storage reservoir for storing volatile liguids formed from a natural or man-made cavity comprising: a. a floating roof, positioned over and in contact with the surface of the stored liquid, b. an inflatable roof spaced from and positioned over said floating roof, said inflatable roof containing at least one opening to permit evacuation of gases collected between said floating and inflatable roofs, c. a series of cables reinforcing said inflatable roof, said cables being anchored in the ground at each of their ends, and d. a series of fans for injecting an air flow between said floating and inflatable roofs to inflate said inflatable roof, force said floating roof into contact with the stored liquid and aid in the evacuation of collected gases through said at least one opening.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
130 words
A storage reservoir for storing volatile liguids formed from a natural or man-made cavity comprising: a. a floating roof, positioned over and in contact with the surface of the stored liquid, b. an inflatable roof spaced from and positioned over said floating roof, said inflatable roof containing at least one opening to permit evacuation of gases collected between said floating and inflatable roofs, c. a series of cables reinforcing said inflatable roof, said cables being anchored in the ground at each of their ends, and d. a series of fans for injecting an air flow between said floating and inflatable roofs to inflate said inflatable roof, force said floating roof into contact with the stored liquid and aid in the evacuation of collected gases through said at least one opening.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
The storage reservoir of claim 1 further including a water and gas impermeable layer lining said cavity, a first anchoring ring formed around the circumference of said cavity and a second anchoring ring positioned outside said first anchoring ring with respect to the cavity for anchoring said inflatable roof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The storage reservoir of claim 2 further including floats distributed over the surface of the liquid for supporting said floating roof on the surface of the liquid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
136 words
The storage reservoir of claim 3 wherein said floating proof is comprised of material substantially gas tight and impermeable to hydrocarbons, said floats being placed in a series of rows parallel to the width of the cavity, further including at least one cable per row of floats interconnecting the floats in each row, said cables being coupled to said cavity by said first anchoring ring, said cables being of a length such that the length of cable coupled to a row of floats at least equals the sum of the lengths of the sides of the cavity to which the cables are coupled and its base, the interval of cables between consecutive floats being less than the lengths of the corresponding parts of the floating roof included between their points of attachment to two consecutive floats.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
The storage reservoir of claim 4 wherein said cavity has sloped walls, said first and second anchoring rings being formed in a single concrete slab formed at the summit of the sloping walls, said first anchoring ring being comprised of a first channel surrounding said cavity said slab further including a second channel for channeling runoff waters from said inflatable roof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The storage reservoir of claim 4 further including anchor plates for anchoring said series of cables for reinforcing said inflatable roof said anchor plates being arranged at ground level and covered by excavated earth removed from the earth to form the cavity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
The storage reservoir of claim 5, further including water drainage conduits positioned in the ground surrounding the walls of said cavity and a layer of PVC or polyamide covering the internal surface of said inflatable roof the edge of said layer of PVC or polyamide being connected to said floating roof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The storage reservoir of claim 7, wherein said layer lining the cavity includes 0.5-40 cm layer of sand.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The storage reservoir of claim 8, wherein said layer lining the cavity further includes a layer of compacted clay resting on the walls of the cavity, said layer being mixed with any fungicidal product to keep burrowing animals away.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The storage reservoir of claim 9, wherein said layer of sand is situated directly above said layer of clay.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The storage reservoir of claim 1 wherein said inflatable roof comprises a plurality of joined sections of flexable material, each of said sections being supported by a reinforcing cable anchored in the ground at each end.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
113 words
The storagE reservoir of claim 11, further including a water and gas impermeable layer lining said cavity and comprising a layer of compacted clay resting on the walls and base of the cavity, said layer of clay being mixed with a fungicidal product for keeping burrowing animals away from the stored liquid, a first layer of sand formed over said layer of clay, a first layer of liquid tight material formed over said first layer of sand, a second layer of sand formed over said first layer of liquid tight material and a second layer of liquid tight material formed over said second layer of sand and in contact with the stored liquid.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2970716A
Cited
US3052380A
Cited
US3096902A
Cited
US3195310A
Cited
US3196622A
Cited
US3215153A
Cited
US3330118A
Cited
US3326011A
Cited
US3448586A
Cited
US3592009A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-04 | 1976-12-04 | 1977-06-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-04 | 1980-12-04 | 1981-06-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-04 | 1984-12-04 | 1985-06-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |