Tank with integral remotely controlled power actuated bottom valve

Claim 1

A flash tank and integral valve assembly adapted for the devolatilization, storage and continuously controlled transfer therefrom of viscous fluid and comprising in combination: A. a generally enclosed vessel having adjacent one end region thereof a generally funnel-shaped configuration terminating in a discharge port means at said one end region said vessel being adapted to be oriented spatially with said one end region downwardly when said vessel is operating, said vessel having defined therein at least two additional ports in an upper wall region thereof, one port being adapted as a fluid input port, a second port being adapted as a vapor removal port, said vapor removal port interconnecting with a vacuum pump means adapted to remove volatiles from said viscous fluid and said vessel, B. valve disc means positioned generally across said discharge port means and adapted for rotational movements therein about a generally horizontal axis when said vessel is operating, said valve disc means further being adapted to substantially shut said port means when in a generally horizontal position relative thereto when said vessel is operating, C. valve stem means extending generally coaxially with said horizontal axis and projecting beyond opposed side edges of said valve disc means into generally mating openings defined in a valve plate means, said valve stem means including bearing means, one end portion of said valve stem means projecting laterally outwardly to a terminal location exteriorly located with respect to said vessel, said valve stem means being adapted to rotatably move said valve disc means about said horizontal axis between shut and open positions relative to said port means, said bearing means having a seal between said valve stem means and said valve plate means, thereby preventing the ingress of air to the evacuated process space, D. variable actuator means exteriorly located with respect to said vessel and functionally engaged with said exposed terminal end portion of said valve stem means, said actuator means being adapted in response to signal means applied thereto to move revolvably said valve stem means, E. level sensing means associated with said vessel and adapted both to measure a fluid level in said vessel and to generate a signal means in response thereto when said vessel is functioning with said one end region downwardly oriented spatially, wherein said level sensing means comprises a gamma ray emitter located adjacent said one end region of said vessel exteriorly thereof, a gamma ray sensor located adjacent said one end region of said vessel exteriorly thereof but on an opposite side of said vessel relative to said emitter, and correlator means adapted to make said sensor and said emitter adapted to detect variations in said fluid level and to generate a signal means responsive thereto, and F. controller means functionally interconnecting said level sensing means and said actuator means and adapted in response to signals from said level sensing means to generate control signals for said actuator means to control rotational movements of said valve stem means and said valve disc means engaged therewith in a predetermined manner whereby a predetermined variable aperture is maintainable between said discharge port means and said valve disc means.