Storage tank device

Abstract

A storage tank device comprises a storage tank body provided with a liquid storage cavity; the conveying pump is used for discharging the liquid in the liquid storage cavity; the hollow box body is located in the liquid storage cavity, a liquid suction part of the delivery pump is located in the hollow box body, a lower opening is formed in the lower portion of the hollow box body, the position of the lower opening is lower than the lowest working liquid level of the delivery pump, and a cavity body of the hollow box body is communicated with the liquid storage cavity through the lower opening; an upper opening capable of being opened and closed is formed in the upper portion of the hollow box body, the position of the upper opening is higher than the lowest working liquid level, and under the condition that the upper opening is opened, a cavity of the hollow box body is communicated with the liquid storage cavity or the atmospheric environment outside the storage tank body through the upper opening; in the process that the liquid in the liquid storage cavity is discharged outwards through the conveying pump, the upper opening is closed when the liquid level of the liquid in the liquid storage cavity is lowered to the lowest working liquid level or before the liquid level of the liquid in the liquid storage cavity is lowered to the lowest working liquid level.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of storage tank technology, and more specifically, to a storage tank device. Background Technology

[0002] In existing large liquid storage tanks, the liquids stored in the tanks (such as molten salts and liquid metals) are usually pumped out of the tanks for utilization using transfer pumps. However, most of these transfer pumps have minimum operating liquid level requirements to ensure their normal operation. When the liquid level in the tank is lower than the minimum operating liquid level requirement of the transfer pump, the liquid below this level cannot be pumped out. Because storage tanks typically have a large diameter and a small height-to-diameter ratio, there can be situations where, even after the transfer pump stops pumping, the overall liquid level inside the tank is low, but the amount of liquid stored inside remains significant. This results in a large amount of liquid below the minimum operating liquid level of the transfer pump not being effectively utilized, leading to resource waste. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides a storage tank device to solve the problem of resource waste caused by the inability to fully utilize the liquid in the storage tank in the prior art.

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides a storage tank device, comprising: a storage tank body having a liquid storage chamber; a transfer pump for discharging liquid from the liquid storage chamber; a hollow housing located within the liquid storage chamber, with the liquid suction section of the transfer pump located within the hollow housing, the lower part of the hollow housing having a lower opening positioned below the minimum working liquid level of the transfer pump, and the cavity of the hollow housing communicating with the liquid storage chamber through the lower opening; the upper part of the hollow housing having an openable and closable upper opening positioned above the minimum working liquid level, wherein when the upper opening is open, the cavity of the hollow housing communicating with the liquid storage chamber or the atmospheric environment outside the storage tank body through the upper opening; wherein, during the process of the transfer pump discharging liquid from the liquid storage chamber, the upper opening closes when or before the liquid level in the liquid storage chamber drops to the minimum working liquid level.

[0005] Furthermore, during the process of the delivery pump discharging the liquid from the storage chamber, the upper opening closes when the liquid level in the storage chamber drops to the upper opening position.

[0006] Furthermore, the storage tank device also includes a control valve, which is installed in the hollow housing and is used to control the opening and closing of the upper opening. The control valve can be an electric valve, a pneumatic valve, or a hydraulic valve.

[0007] Alternatively, the storage tank assembly may also include a control valve installed in the hollow housing. The control valve is used to control the opening and closing of the upper opening. The control valve is configured to automatically close the upper opening by gravity or elastic force, and is also configured to automatically open the upper opening when the air pressure inside the hollow housing is higher than the air pressure inside the liquid storage chamber by a preset threshold.

[0008] Furthermore, the control valve is a one-way valve, which allows gas in the hollow chamber to flow into the liquid storage chamber through the upper opening, and prevents gas in the liquid storage chamber from flowing into the hollow chamber through the upper opening.

[0009] Furthermore, the control valve includes a support structure, a rotating shaft, and a first sealing assembly. The support structure is installed in the hollow housing, and the first sealing assembly is rotatably connected to the support structure via the rotating shaft. The first sealing assembly is used to seal the upper opening. The first sealing assembly can close the upper opening under its own weight, and can open the upper opening under the gas pressure inside the hollow housing.

[0010] Alternatively, the control valve includes a valve seat and a sealing block. The valve seat is fixed to a hollow housing and has a conical channel. The end of the conical channel with a smaller diameter is connected to the upper opening, and the end with a larger diameter is connected to the liquid storage chamber. The sealing block is conical and is movably disposed within the conical channel. The minimum diameter of the sealing block is greater than the minimum diameter of the conical channel. The edge of the end with the larger diameter of the conical channel has a stop edge, which cooperates with the stop edge of the sealing block to prevent the sealing block from coming out of the conical channel. The sealing block can move downward under its own weight and block the conical channel to close the upper opening. Under the gas pressure inside the hollow housing, the sealing block can move upward and create a gap between itself and the inner wall of the conical channel to open the upper opening. The opened upper opening connects to the liquid storage chamber through the gap between the sealing block and the conical channel.

[0011] Alternatively, the control valve includes a valve seat and a sealing ball. The valve seat is fixed to a hollow housing and has a first flow channel, a second flow channel, and a receiving space. The lower end of the first flow channel is connected to the upper opening, and the upper end of the first flow channel is connected to the lower end of the second flow channel and the opening of the receiving space. The upper end of the second flow channel is connected to the liquid storage chamber. The diameter of the first flow channel and the diameter of the receiving space are both larger than the diameter of the sealing ball, and the diameter of the second flow channel is smaller than the diameter of the sealing ball. The extending direction of the receiving space is inclined relative to the extending direction of the first flow channel. The sealing ball can fall into the first flow channel under its own weight and close the upper opening. Under the gas pressure in the hollow housing, the sealing ball can move to the receiving space to open the upper opening. The opened upper opening is connected to the liquid storage chamber through the first and second flow channels.

[0012] Alternatively, the control valve includes a support structure, an elastic element, and a second sealing assembly. The support structure is installed in the hollow housing, the elastic element and the second sealing assembly are connected, and the second sealing assembly is used to seal the upper opening. The second sealing assembly can close the upper opening under the elastic force of the elastic element, and can open the upper opening under the gas pressure inside the hollow housing.

[0013] Alternatively, the control valve includes a support structure, a rotating shaft, a torsion spring, and at least one valve disc. The support structure is installed in the hollow housing, the rotating shaft is installed in the support structure, the valve disc is rotatably mounted on the rotating shaft, and the torsion spring is sleeved on the rotating shaft and connected to the valve disc. The valve disc can close the upper opening under the force of the torsion spring, and the valve disc can open the upper opening under the gas pressure inside the hollow housing.

[0014] Furthermore, the inner wall of the upper opening is conical, and the control valve has a conical or spherical sealing surface, which is used to seal against the inner wall of the upper opening.

[0015] Furthermore, the upper opening is located on the top or side wall of the hollow box, and the control valve is correspondingly installed on the top or side wall of the hollow box.

[0016] Furthermore, the transfer pump is a vertical submersible pump, which includes a drive unit, a long shaft, and a liquid suction unit connected in sequence. The drive unit is fixed to the top wall of the storage tank body, and the long shaft and the liquid suction unit are located inside the storage cavity. The top wall of the storage tank body has a main assembly port. The radial dimensions of the long shaft and the hollow box are both smaller than the radial dimension of the main assembly port. The drive unit and the top wall of the storage tank body are detachably connected. The vertical submersible pump, the hollow box, and the control valve form an assembly component. The assembly component can be hoisted into or out of the storage cavity as a whole from the main assembly port.

[0017] Alternatively, the storage tank device may also include a vent pipe and a valve, with the lower end of the vent pipe connected to the upper opening, the upper end of the vent pipe directly or indirectly connected to the atmospheric environment, and the valve installed on the vent pipe to control the opening and closing of the upper opening.

[0018] Furthermore, the upper end of the vent pipe is higher than the rated maximum liquid level of the storage chamber, and both the vent pipe and the valve are located inside the storage chamber. The valve is installed at a position higher than the rated maximum liquid level of the storage chamber, and the upper end of the vent pipe is connected to the atmospheric environment through an opening at the top of the tank body; or, the upper end of the vent pipe and the valve are both located outside the tank body, the upper end of the vent pipe is higher than the rated maximum liquid level of the storage chamber, and the upper end of the vent pipe is directly connected to the atmospheric environment.

[0019] Furthermore, the transfer pump is a vertical submersible pump, which includes a drive unit, a long shaft, and a liquid suction unit connected in sequence. The drive unit is fixed to the top wall of the storage tank body, and the long shaft and the liquid suction unit are located inside the liquid storage cavity. The upper end of the vent pipe is located outside the storage tank body and is directly connected to the atmospheric environment. The top wall of the storage tank body has a main assembly port and an auxiliary assembly port that are spaced apart. The long shaft passes through the main assembly port, and the vent pipe passes through the auxiliary assembly port.

[0020] Alternatively, the transfer pump is a vertical submersible pump, which includes a drive unit, a long shaft, and a liquid suction unit connected in sequence. The drive unit is fixed to the top wall of the tank body, and the long shaft and the liquid suction unit are located inside the liquid storage cavity. The upper end of the vent pipe is located outside the tank body and is directly connected to the atmospheric environment. The top wall of the tank body has a main assembly port, through which the long shaft and the vent pipe pass.

[0021] Furthermore, the radial dimensions of the long axis and the hollow box are both smaller than the radial dimension of the main assembly port. The drive unit and the top wall of the tank body are detachably connected. The vertical submersible pump, the hollow box and the vent pipe form the assembly components. The assembly components can be hoisted into or out of the liquid storage chamber as a whole from the main assembly port.

[0022] Furthermore, the hollow box has a bottomless structure, with the lower opening of the hollow box facing downwards; or, the bottom wall or side wall of the hollow box has one or more notches, which together form the lower opening.

[0023] Furthermore, the transfer pump is a vertical submersible pump, which includes a drive unit, a long shaft, and a liquid suction unit connected in sequence. The drive unit is fixed to the top wall of the tank body, and the long shaft and the liquid suction unit are located inside the liquid storage cavity. The long shaft passes through a through hole in the top wall of the hollow box body, and the periphery of the through hole is welded to the long shaft.

[0024] In this design, as the transfer pump discharges liquid from the storage chamber, the liquid level in the storage chamber gradually decreases. The upper opening is closed when the liquid level in the storage chamber drops to or before reaching the minimum operating level of the transfer pump. At this point, the lower opening becomes the only channel connecting to the hollow tank. As the transfer pump continues to operate, the liquid in the hollow tank decreases, creating a negative pressure space within the hollow tank. This allows the liquid in the storage chamber to flow into the hollow tank under pressure differential. Thus, the liquid level in the hollow tank can continue to be maintained at or above the minimum operating level of the transfer pump. Consequently, some liquid below the minimum operating level of the transfer pump in the storage chamber can be pumped out for utilization, thereby improving the utilization rate of the liquid stored in the tank, reducing resource waste, and enhancing economic efficiency.

[0025] This solution effectively reduces the amount of liquid that cannot be pumped from the storage tank due to the minimum operating liquid level limitation of the transfer pump, thereby improving the design economy and operating efficiency of the storage tank system and reducing resource waste. This solution can be applied to applications such as solar thermal power plants, where the liquid inside the storage tank can be molten salt or similar substances. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a storage tank device provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0028] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A partial schematic diagram of the storage tank unit in the diagram;

[0029] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates a structural schematic of a control valve in a first implementation of the invention, configured to automatically close the upper opening by gravity or elastic force.

[0030] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates a structural schematic of a control valve in a second implementation of the present invention, configured to automatically close the upper opening by gravity or elastic force.

[0031] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the control valve in a third implementation of the present invention is shown, which is configured to automatically close the upper opening by gravity or elastic force.

[0032] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the control valve in a fourth implementation of the present invention is shown, which is configured to automatically close the upper opening by gravity or elastic force.

[0033] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the control valve in a fifth implementation of the present invention is shown, which is configured to automatically close the upper opening by gravity or elastic force.

[0034] Figure 8 It shows Figure 7 A top view of the control valve in the diagram;

[0035] Figure 9 A partial schematic diagram of another storage tank device provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0036] The above figures include the following reference numerals:

[0037] 10. Storage tank body;

[0038] 11. Liquid storage chamber; 12. Vent pipe; 13. Valve; 14. Main assembly port; 15. Auxiliary assembly port;

[0039] 20. Vertical submersible pump;

[0040] 21. Drive unit; 22. Long shaft; 23. Liquid suction unit;

[0041] 30. Hollow box;

[0042] 31. Open at the bottom; 32. Open at the top;

[0043] 40. Control valve;

[0044] 41. Support structure; 411. Guide hole;

[0045] 42. Shaft;

[0046] 43. Connecting rod;

[0047] 44. Cover plate; 441. Guide post; 442. Plate body;

[0048] 45. Sealing block;

[0049] 46. ​​Valve seat; 461. Conical passage; 4611. Stop edge; 462. First flow channel; 463. Second flow channel; 464. Accommodation space;

[0050] 47. Sealing ball; 48. Elastic element; 49. Torsion spring;

[0051] 50. Valve disc;

[0052] 61. Minimum working level; 62. Initial level. Detailed Implementation

[0053] The technical solutions in at least one embodiment will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. The following description of at least one embodiment is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit this application or its applications. Other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are all within the scope of protection of this application.

[0054] like Figures 1 to 9 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a storage tank device, comprising:

[0055] The storage tank body 10 has a liquid storage chamber 11;

[0056] A transfer pump is used to discharge the liquid in the storage chamber 11;

[0057] The hollow housing 30 is located inside the liquid storage chamber 11. The liquid suction part 23 of the transfer pump is located inside the hollow housing 30. The lower part of the hollow housing 30 has a lower opening 31. The position of the lower opening 31 is lower than the minimum working liquid level 61 of the transfer pump. The cavity of the hollow housing 30 is connected to the liquid storage chamber 11 through the lower opening 31. The upper part of the hollow housing 30 has an openable and closable upper opening 32. The position of the upper opening 32 is higher than the minimum working liquid level 61. When the upper opening 32 is open, the cavity of the hollow housing 30 is connected to the liquid storage chamber 11 or the atmospheric environment outside the storage tank body 10 through the upper opening 32.

[0058] During the process of the delivery pump discharging the liquid in the storage chamber 11, the upper opening 32 closes when or before the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 drops to the minimum working level 61.

[0059] It should be noted that the minimum liquid level at which the transfer pump can operate normally is defined as the minimum working liquid level 61 of the transfer pump. In the actual operation of the transfer pump, in order to ensure that it can start and operate normally, it is usually stipulated that the liquid suction part 23 must be completely immersed in the liquid, and the liquid level is generally several hundred millimeters higher than the upper edge of the liquid suction part 23. The main reasons are as follows: (1) to prevent cavitation; (2) to ensure effective liquid suction; (3) to avoid air binding.

[0060] In this scheme, as the delivery pump discharges the liquid from the storage chamber 11, the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 will gradually decrease as the delivery pump operates. The upper opening 32 is closed when the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 drops to the minimum working level 61 of the delivery pump or before it drops to the minimum working level 61 of the delivery pump. At this time, the lower opening 31 is the only channel connecting to the hollow box 30. As the delivery pump continues to operate, the liquid in the hollow box 30 decreases, and a negative pressure space is formed in the hollow box 30, so that the liquid in the storage chamber 11 can flow into the hollow box 30 under the action of pressure difference. In this way, the liquid level in the hollow tank 30 can continue to be maintained at or above the minimum working liquid level 61 of the transfer pump, thereby enabling the portion of liquid in the storage chamber 11 below the minimum working liquid level 61 of the transfer pump to be pumped out from the storage chamber 11 for utilization, thereby improving the utilization rate of the liquid stored in the storage tank body 10, reducing resource waste, and improving economic efficiency.

[0061] Specifically, in some embodiments, the delivery pump is a vertical submersible pump 20, which includes a drive unit 21, a long shaft 22, and a liquid suction unit 23 connected in sequence. The drive unit 21 is fixed to the top wall of the storage tank body 10, and the long shaft 22 and the liquid suction unit 23 are located in the liquid storage chamber 11. The liquid suction unit 23 can be an impeller assembly. The hollow housing 30 covers the liquid suction unit 23 and is fixedly connected to the long shaft 22.

[0062] In some embodiments, during the process of the transfer pump discharging liquid from the storage chamber 11, the upper opening 32 closes when or before the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 drops to the minimum working level 61. The liquid level stored in the tank body 10 in the initial state is the initial liquid level 62. The initial liquid level 62 in the storage chamber 11 is higher than the upper opening 32, and the hollow tank 30 is filled with liquid. At this time, the upper opening 32 can be either open or closed. As the transfer pump operates, it pumps the liquid from the storage chamber 11 out of the tank body 10, causing the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 to drop. When or before the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 drops to the minimum working level 61, the upper opening 32 closes. At this time, the lower opening 31 serves as the only channel connecting the hollow box 30 to the liquid storage chamber 11. As the liquid inside the hollow box 30 decreases, a negative pressure space is formed inside the hollow box 30. Due to the decrease in internal pressure of the hollow box 30, the liquid in the liquid storage chamber 11 continues to flow into the hollow box 30 under the drive of the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the hollow box 30. In this way, the liquid level inside the hollow box 30 is always higher than the liquid level in the liquid storage chamber 11, and at the same time, the liquid level inside the hollow box 30 is maintained above the minimum working liquid level 61 of the transfer pump until the liquid level inside the hollow box 30 drops to the minimum working liquid level 61 of the transfer pump, at which point the transfer pump stops running. After the delivery pump stops running, the liquid level of the remaining liquid in the storage chamber 11 is the retention liquid level. The liquid difference between the liquid volume corresponding to the lowest working liquid level 61 in the storage chamber 11 and the liquid volume corresponding to the retention liquid level is the part of the residual liquid that could not be used before due to the requirement of the lowest working liquid level 61 of the delivery pump. Through the setting of this scheme, this part of the liquid can be utilized, thereby improving the liquid utilization rate.

[0063] This process effectively utilizes the remaining liquid in the storage tank 10, reducing resource waste and improving the operating efficiency of the transfer pump and the liquid utilization rate of the storage tank. Especially when the storage tank has a large diameter and a small height-to-diameter ratio, this design reduces the amount of liquid that cannot be pumped due to the minimum operating liquid level 61 of the transfer pump, thus improving the design economy and operating efficiency of the storage tank system. This solution can be applied to applications such as solar thermal power plants, where the liquid inside the storage tank 10 can be molten salt, liquid metal, etc.

[0064] In some embodiments, during the process of the delivery pump discharging liquid from the storage chamber 11, the upper opening 32 closes when the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 drops to the position of the upper opening 32. This scheme ensures that the upper opening 32 closes at the latest when the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 drops to the position of the upper opening 32, which reduces the time for negative pressure space to be generated and maintained in the hollow housing 30, improves the service life of the hollow housing 30, and at the same time, it can maintain a higher liquid level in the hollow housing 30 when negative pressure space is generated in the hollow housing 30, so as to maximize the amount of residual liquid that could not be used before due to the minimum working liquid level 61 requirement of the delivery pump while ensuring the normal operation of the delivery pump.

[0065] In some embodiments, the storage tank device further includes a control valve 40, which is installed in the hollow housing 30. The control valve 40 is used to control the opening and closing of the upper opening 32. Specifically, the control valve 40 can be an electric valve, a pneumatic valve, or a hydraulic valve. Of course, the control valve 40 can also be configured to automatically close the upper opening 32 by gravity or elastic force.

[0066] A control valve 40 is installed on the hollow tank 30 to precisely control the opening and closing state of the upper opening 32 of the hollow tank 30. This facilitates the formation of a negative pressure space in the hollow tank 30 by closing the upper opening 32 and operating the delivery pump during subsequent processes. The control valve 40 can be an electric valve, a pneumatic valve, or a hydraulic valve. The type of control valve 40 can be flexibly selected according to actual needs, which helps to realize the automation and remote control of the storage tank device and improves the safety and reliability of the storage tank device operation.

[0067] With precise control of the control valve 40, the hollow tank 30 can close the upper opening 32 when the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 drops to or before the minimum working liquid level 61 of the transfer pump, thereby forming and maintaining an internal negative pressure space. This ensures that the liquid level in the hollow tank 30 is always higher than the liquid level in the storage chamber 11, while also meeting the minimum working liquid level 61 requirement of the transfer pump (e.g., vertical submersible pump 20). This configuration can effectively improve the utilization rate of the liquid in the storage tank body 10 and reduce resource waste.

[0068] When the control valve 40 is an electric valve, pneumatic valve, or hydraulic valve, the opening and closing timing of the upper opening 32 can be manually controlled, or the opening and closing of the upper opening 32 can be controlled by setting conditions. When using this type of control valve 40, during the process of the delivery pump discharging liquid from the storage chamber 11, the upper opening 32 can be closed by the control valve 40 when the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 drops to the minimum working level 61 or before it drops to the minimum working level 61. That is, the upper opening 32 is closed by the control valve 40 when the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 can drop to the position of the upper opening 32, or when the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 drops to between the upper opening 32 and the minimum working level 61, or when the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 drops to the minimum working level 61. The timing of closing the upper opening 32 mentioned above can create a negative pressure space inside the hollow box 30, allowing the liquid in the liquid storage chamber 11 to flow into the hollow box 30 under the action of pressure difference, thereby pumping out a portion of the liquid in the liquid storage chamber 11 that is below the lowest working liquid level 61 of the delivery pump, thus improving the liquid utilization rate.

[0069] When liquid is added to the storage chamber 11, the control valve 40 needs to be opened to release the gas inside the hollow chamber 30. The control valve 40 can remain open until the liquid level in the hollow chamber 30 reaches its highest achievable level (e.g., when the upper opening 32 is located on the top wall of the hollow chamber 30, the highest liquid level that the hollow chamber 30 can reach is when the hollow chamber 30 is full; when the upper opening 32 is located on the side wall of the hollow chamber 30, the highest liquid level that the hollow chamber 30 can reach is the location of the upper opening 32). Alternatively, the control valve 40 can be closed when the liquid in the hollow chamber 30 is added to the minimum working level 61 but not full.

[0070] When the control valve 40 is configured to automatically close the upper opening 32 by gravity or spring force, such as Figure 1 As shown, the storage tank device also includes a control valve 40, which is installed in the hollow housing 30. The control valve 40 is used to control the opening and closing of the upper opening 32. The control valve 40 is configured to automatically close the upper opening 32 by gravity or elastic force, and is also configured to automatically open the upper opening 32 when the air pressure inside the hollow housing 30 is higher than the air pressure inside the liquid storage chamber 11 by a preset threshold. This method of control valve 40 enables automatic opening and closing of the upper opening 32 without manual operation. With this control valve 40, during the process of the delivery pump discharging liquid from the liquid storage chamber 11, the upper opening 32 is automatically closed by the control valve 40 when the liquid level in the liquid storage chamber 11 drops to the position of the upper opening 32.

[0071] Specifically, the control valve 40 is a one-way valve, which closes the upper opening 32 by gravity or elastic force; wherein, the one-way valve allows the gas in the hollow box 30 to flow to the liquid storage chamber 11 through the upper opening 32, and the one-way valve prevents the gas in the liquid storage chamber 11 from flowing to the hollow box 30 through the upper opening 32.

[0072] The control valve 40 is a one-way valve, which prevents the control valve 40 from opening towards the inside of the hollow tank 30 under pressure when the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 is lower than the height of the upper opening 32, thus preventing the formation of a negative pressure space inside the hollow tank 30. The opening and closing of the one-way valve is automatically adjusted by gravity or elasticity mechanism, ensuring that the upper opening 32 can close in time when the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 drops to the height of the upper opening 32. As the transfer pump continues to work, a negative pressure space is formed and maintained inside the hollow tank 30, thereby realizing the effective utilization of the liquid that could not be used before the minimum working liquid level 61 of the transfer pump, improving the liquid utilization rate in the storage tank device, reducing resource waste, and improving economic benefits.

[0073] Specifically, five schemes for "the control valve 40 configured to automatically close the upper opening 32 by gravity or elastic force" are provided below. These five schemes are only for illustrative purposes to illustrate the implementation of the control valve 40 and are not an exhaustive list of the implementations of the control valve 40.

[0074] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, in the first implementation, the control valve 40 includes a support structure 41, a rotating shaft 42, and a first sealing assembly. The first sealing assembly is rotatably connected to the support structure 41 via the rotating shaft 42. Specifically, the first sealing assembly includes a connecting rod 43, a cover plate 44, and a sealing block 45. The support structure 41 is installed in the hollow housing 30. One end of the connecting rod 43 is rotatably connected to the support structure 41 via the rotating shaft 42. The cover plate 44 is connected to the connecting rod 43. The sealing block 45 is installed on the cover plate 44 and is used to seal the upper opening 32. The cover plate 44 and the sealing block 45 can close the upper opening 32 under their own weight, and the cover plate 44 and the sealing block 45 can open the upper opening 32 under the gas pressure inside the hollow housing 30. Of course, in other embodiments, the first sealing assembly can also adopt other structures that can achieve the sealing of the upper opening 32, such as the first sealing assembly including a connecting rod 43 and a sealing block 45.

[0075] In the initial state, liquid is introduced into the storage chamber 11. The liquid in the storage chamber 11 enters the hollow box 30 through the lower opening 31. When the gas pressure inside the hollow box 30 increases to a certain level, the gas pressure overcomes the weight of the cover plate 44 and the sealing block 45, causing the connecting rod 43 to rotate around the rotating shaft 42, thereby driving the cover plate 44 and the sealing block 45 to open the upper opening 32, so that the liquid completely fills the hollow box 30. As the delivery pump runs, the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 continuously decreases. When the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 drops to the height of the upper opening 32, the cover plate 44 and the sealing block 45 will close the upper opening 32 under their own weight. With the operation of the delivery pump, a negative pressure space is formed and maintained inside the hollow box 30.

[0076] The use of this control valve 40 simplifies the operation of controlling the opening and closing of the upper opening 32, realizes the automatic opening and closing of the upper opening 32 under different conditions, improves the liquid utilization rate of the storage tank device, reduces resource waste, and the control valve 40 has a simple structure, is easy to produce and maintain, and improves the economy and practicality of the storage tank device.

[0077] like Figure 4 As shown, in the second implementation scheme, the control valve 40 includes a valve seat 46 and a sealing block 45. The valve seat 46 is fixed to the hollow housing 30. The valve seat 46 has a conical channel 461. The end of the conical channel 461 with a smaller diameter is connected to the upper opening 32, and the end of the conical channel 461 with a larger diameter is connected to the liquid storage chamber 11. The sealing block 45 is conical and is movably disposed in the conical channel 461. The minimum diameter of the sealing block 45 is greater than the minimum diameter of the conical channel 461. The edge of the end of the conical channel 461 with a larger diameter has a stop edge 4611. The stop edge 4611 cooperates with the sealing block 45 to prevent the sealing block 45 from coming out of the conical channel 461.

[0078] The sealing block 45 can move downward under its own weight and block the conical channel 461 to close the upper opening 32. Under the gas pressure inside the hollow box 30, the sealing block 45 can overcome its own weight and move upward to create a gap between itself and the inner wall of the conical channel 461 to open the upper opening 32. The opened upper opening 32 is connected to the liquid storage chamber 11 through the gap between the sealing block 45 and the conical channel 461.

[0079] Since the valve seat 46 accommodates the sealing block 45 and the sealing block 45 itself has a conical cross-sectional shape, when the gas pressure inside the hollow box 30 increases to a certain level, the gas pressure overcomes the weight of the sealing block 45 and lifts the sealing block 45, creating a gap between the sealing block 45 and the inner wall of the conical channel 461. The upper opening 32 opens, and the liquid storage chamber 11 communicates with the inside of the hollow box 30, allowing the gas inside the hollow box 30 to be discharged. When the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the hollow box 30 disappears, the sealing block 45 moves downward under its own weight, closing the upper opening 32. The stop edge 4611 is used to stop and cooperate with the sealing block 45 to prevent the sealing block 45 from coming out of the conical channel 461.

[0080] By utilizing the interaction between gas pressure and the weight of the sealing block 45, automatic connection and disconnection between the interior of the hollow box 30 and the liquid storage chamber 11 are achieved, simplifying the operation of controlling the opening and closing of the upper opening 32. At the same time, after the upper opening 32 is closed, as the delivery pump continues to operate, a negative pressure space can be formed and maintained inside the hollow box 30, thereby allowing liquid in the liquid storage chamber 11 below the minimum working liquid level 61 of the delivery pump to enter the hollow box and be pumped out by the delivery pump. This improves the liquid utilization rate of the storage tank device, avoids resource waste, and the control valve 40 has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture and maintain, and improves the economy and practicality of the storage tank device.

[0081] like Figure 5 As shown, in the third implementation scheme, the control valve 40 includes a valve seat 46 and a sealing ball 47. The valve seat 46 is fixed to the hollow box 30. The valve seat 46 has a first flow channel 462, a second flow channel 463 and a receiving space 464. The lower end of the first flow channel 462 is connected to the upper opening 32. The upper end of the first flow channel 462 is connected to the lower end of the second flow channel 463 and the opening of the receiving space 464. The upper end of the second flow channel 463 is connected to the liquid storage chamber 11.

[0082] The diameter of the first flow channel 462 and the diameter of the accommodating space 464 are both larger than the diameter of the sealing ball 47, the diameter of the second flow channel 463 is smaller than the diameter of the sealing ball 47, and the extension direction of the accommodating space 464 is inclined relative to the extension direction of the first flow channel 462.

[0083] The sealing ball 47 falls into the first flow channel 462 under its own weight and closes the upper opening 32. Under the gas pressure inside the hollow box 30, the sealing ball 47 moves to the accommodating space 464 to open the upper opening 32. The opened upper opening 32 is connected to the liquid storage chamber 11 through the first flow channel 462 and the second flow channel 463.

[0084] When the gas pressure inside the hollow housing 30 increases to a certain level, the gas pressure overcomes the weight of the sealing ball 47, lifting the sealing ball 47 and entering the accommodating space 464 of the valve seat 46. The upper opening 32 opens, and the interior of the hollow housing 30 is connected to the liquid storage chamber 11 through the first flow channel 462 and the second flow channel 463. The gas inside the hollow housing 30 is discharged along the first flow channel 462 and the second flow channel 463. When the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the hollow housing 30 disappears, the sealing ball 47 rolls out of the accommodating space 464 under its own weight and falls into the first flow channel 462, thereby closing the upper opening 32. The accommodating space 464 can be used to prevent the sealing ball 47 from falling out of the valve seat 46.

[0085] The extension direction of the accommodating space 464 is inclined relative to the extension direction of the first flow channel 462, which guides the sealing ball 47 and ensures its smooth movement. It can switch the communication state between the hollow box 30 and the liquid storage chamber 11, simplifying the operation of controlling the opening and closing of the upper opening 32. At the same time, after the upper opening 32 is closed, as the delivery pump continues to operate, a negative pressure space can be formed and maintained inside the hollow box 30. This allows the liquid in the liquid storage chamber 11 that is below the minimum working liquid level 61 of the delivery pump to enter the hollow box 30 and be pumped out by the delivery pump, thereby improving the liquid utilization rate of the storage tank device and avoiding resource waste. Furthermore, the control valve 40 has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture and maintain, and improves the economy and practicality of the storage tank device.

[0086] like Figure 6 As shown, in the fourth implementation scheme, the control valve 40 includes a support structure 41, an elastic element 48, and a second sealing assembly. One end of the elastic element 48 is connected to the support structure 41, and the other end is connected to the second sealing assembly. Specifically, the second sealing assembly includes a cover plate 44 and a sealing block 45. The support structure 41 is installed in the hollow housing 30 and has a guide hole 411. The elastic element 48 is installed in the guide hole 411. The cover plate 44 includes a guide post 441 and a plate 442 connected to each other. The guide post 441 is movably disposed in the guide hole 411. The elastic element 48 and the guide post 441 abut against each other. The sealing block 45 is installed in the plate 442 and is used to seal the upper opening 32. The cover plate 44 and the sealing block 45 close the upper opening 32 under the elastic force of the elastic element 48, and the cover plate 44 and the sealing block 45 open the upper opening 32 under the gas pressure inside the hollow housing 30.

[0087] When the gas pressure inside the hollow box 30 increases to a certain level, the gas pressure overcomes the weight of the second sealing component and the elastic force of the elastic element 48, lifting the cover plate 44 and the sealing block 45. The elastic element 48 is compressed, the upper opening 32 opens, and the interior of the hollow box 30 communicates with the liquid storage chamber 11, allowing the gas inside the hollow box 30 to be discharged. When the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the hollow box 30 disappears, the cover plate 44 and the sealing block 45 reset under the action of the elastic force of the elastic element 48 and their own weight, closing the upper opening 32. This design simplifies the operation of controlling the opening and closing of the upper opening 32. When the upper opening 32 is closed, as the transfer pump continues to work, a negative pressure space is formed and maintained inside the hollow tank 30. This allows liquid in the storage chamber 11 below the minimum working liquid level 61 of the transfer pump to enter the hollow tank 30 and be pumped out by the transfer pump, thereby improving the liquid utilization rate of the storage tank device and avoiding resource waste. Furthermore, the control valve 40 has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture and maintain, and improves the economy and practicality of the storage tank device.

[0088] like Figure 7 , Figure 8 As shown, in the fifth implementation scheme, the control valve 40 includes a support structure 41, a rotating shaft 42, a torsion spring 49, and at least one valve disc 50. The support structure 41 is installed on the hollow housing 30, the rotating shaft 42 is installed on the support structure 41, the valve disc 50 is rotatably mounted on the rotating shaft 42, and the torsion spring 49 is sleeved on the rotating shaft 42 and connected to the valve disc 50. The valve disc 50 can close the upper opening 32 under the force of the torsion spring 49, and the valve disc 50 can open the upper opening 32 under the gas pressure inside the hollow housing 30.

[0089] Under normal operating conditions, the spring force of the torsion spring 49 keeps the valve disc 50 in a closed state, sealing the upper opening 32 of the hollow housing 30. When liquid is introduced into the liquid storage chamber 11, the liquid in the liquid storage chamber 11 enters the hollow housing 30 through the lower opening 31. When the gas pressure inside the hollow housing 30 increases to a certain level, the gas pressure overcomes the spring force of the torsion spring 49, and the valve disc 50 rotates around the shaft 42, opening the upper opening 32 and allowing the liquid to completely fill the hollow housing 30. As the delivery pump operates, the liquid level in the liquid storage chamber 11 continuously decreases. When the liquid level in the liquid storage chamber 11 drops to the height of the upper opening 32, the valve disc 50 automatically resets under the action of the spring force of the torsion spring 49, closing the upper opening 32. This design simplifies the operation of controlling the opening and closing of the upper opening 32. When the upper opening 32 is closed, as the transfer pump continues to work, a negative pressure space is formed and maintained inside the hollow tank 30. This allows liquid in the storage chamber 11 below the minimum working liquid level 61 of the transfer pump to enter the hollow tank 30 and be pumped out by the transfer pump, thereby improving the liquid utilization rate of the storage tank device and avoiding resource waste. Furthermore, the control valve 40 has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture and maintain, and improves the economy and practicality of the storage tank device.

[0090] In some embodiments, the inner wall of the upper opening 32 is conical, and the control valve 40 has a conical or spherical sealing surface for sealing cooperation with the inner wall of the upper opening 32.

[0091] The inner wall of the upper opening 32 is designed as a cone, and the control valve 40 that matches it adopts a cone or spherical sealing surface. This geometric matching allows the sealing surface of the control valve 40 to fit tightly against the inner wall of the upper opening 32, enhancing the sealing effect and effectively isolating the internal and external environment. This ensures that after the upper opening 32 is closed, a stable negative pressure space is formed in the hollow box 30 as the delivery pump continues to run.

[0092] In some embodiments, the upper opening 32 is located on the top wall or side wall of the hollow box 30, and the control valve 40 is correspondingly installed on the top wall or side wall of the hollow box 30; there are one or more upper openings 32, and the number of control valves 40 is the same as the number of upper openings 32, and the control valve 40 is used to control the opening and closing of the corresponding upper opening 32.

[0093] The upper opening 32 is located on the top or side wall of the hollow tank 30. There are one or more upper openings 32, and each upper opening 32 is equipped with a corresponding control valve 40, ensuring that each upper opening 32 has an independent control valve 40 for managing its opening and closing status. This configuration simplifies the structure of the storage tank device, enables effective regulation of the negative pressure space in the hollow tank 30, and the precise control of the control valves 40 effectively extends the operating cycle of the transfer pump, improves liquid utilization, and reduces resource waste.

[0094] In some embodiments, the delivery pump is the aforementioned vertical submersible pump 20, the top wall of the storage tank body 10 has a main assembly port 14, the radial dimensions of the long shaft 22 and the hollow box 30 are both smaller than the radial dimension of the main assembly port 14, the drive unit 21 and the top wall of the storage tank body 10 are detachably connected, the vertical submersible pump 20, the hollow box 30 and the control valve 40 form an assembly component, and the assembly component can be hoisted into or out of the liquid storage chamber 11 as a whole from the main assembly port 14.

[0095] In this embodiment, the top wall of the storage tank body 10 is provided with a main assembly port 14, the radial dimension of which is larger than the corresponding dimensions of the major axis 22 and the hollow housing 30, allowing the assembly component consisting of the vertical submersible pump 20, the hollow housing 30, and the control valve 40 to enter and exit the liquid storage chamber 11 through the main assembly port. The drive unit 21 is detachably connected to the top wall of the storage tank body 10, which allows for convenient maintenance and replacement of the assembly component without affecting the overall structure of the storage tank body 10, optimizing the equipment installation and maintenance process and reducing operating costs.

[0096] In some embodiments, such as Figure 9 As shown, the storage tank device also includes a vent pipe 12 and a valve 13. The lower end of the vent pipe 12 is connected to the upper opening 32, and the upper end of the vent pipe 12 is directly or indirectly connected to the atmospheric environment. The valve 13 is installed on the vent pipe 12. The valve 13 is a manual or automatic structure. The opening and closing of the upper opening 32 is controlled by the opening and closing of the valve 13. That is, by closing the valve 13, the connection between the vent pipe 12 and the atmospheric environment can be cut off, which essentially cuts off the connection between the upper opening 32 and the atmospheric environment.

[0097] With this configuration, when liquid is added to the storage chamber 11, the gas in the hollow box 30 can be discharged by opening the valve 13. As the liquid is added, the liquid level in the hollow box 30 reaches the preset height, that is, the hollow box 30 is filled with liquid, or the hollow box 30 is not filled, but the liquid level in the hollow box 30 reaches or exceeds the minimum working liquid level 61 of the delivery pump. As the pump discharges the liquid from the storage chamber 11, the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 gradually decreases. When the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 drops to or before the pump reaches the minimum operating level 61, the valve 13 is closed (i.e., the upper opening 32 is closed). At this time, the lower opening 31 becomes the only channel connecting to the hollow box 30. As the pump continues to operate, the liquid in the hollow box 30 decreases, creating a negative pressure space within the hollow box 30. This allows the liquid in the storage chamber 11 to flow into the hollow box 30 under the action of pressure difference. In this way, the liquid level in the hollow tank 30 can continue to be maintained at or above the minimum working liquid level 61 of the transfer pump, thereby enabling the portion of liquid in the storage chamber 11 below the minimum working liquid level 61 of the transfer pump to be pumped out from the storage chamber 11 for utilization, thereby improving the utilization rate of the liquid stored in the storage tank body 10, reducing resource waste, and improving economic efficiency.

[0098] In some embodiments, the upper end of the vent pipe 12 is higher than the rated maximum liquid level of the storage chamber 11, the vent pipe 12 and the valve 13 are all located inside the storage chamber 11, the valve 13 is installed at a position higher than the rated maximum liquid level of the storage chamber 11, and the upper end of the vent pipe 12 is connected to the atmospheric environment through the opening at the top of the tank body 10.

[0099] Alternatively, the upper end of the vent pipe 12 and the valve 13 are both located outside the tank body 10, the upper end of the vent pipe 12 is higher than the rated maximum liquid level of the liquid storage chamber 11, and the upper end of the vent pipe 12 is directly connected to the atmospheric environment.

[0100] In this embodiment, the upper end of the vent pipe 12 is designed to be higher than the rated maximum liquid level of the storage chamber 11. This prevents the liquid in the storage chamber 11 from overflowing from the vent pipe 12 to the outside of the storage tank body 10 when the liquid level in the storage chamber 11 reaches its maximum. The valve 13 is also installed higher than the rated maximum liquid level of the storage chamber 11, preventing the valve 13 from being submerged in the liquid. This allows for control of the connection or disconnection between the hollow housing 30 and the atmospheric environment, reduces the technical requirements for the valve 13, lowers costs, and improves the adaptability of the storage tank device to different types of liquids, as the valve 13 does not come into contact with the liquid in the storage tank body 10.

[0101] Specifically, the vent pipe 12 and valve 13 are all located inside the liquid storage chamber 11, which optimizes the internal structural layout of the storage tank device, improves the structural compactness of the storage tank device, and reduces the overall volume of the equipment. The upper end of the vent pipe 12 and the valve 13 are both located outside the storage tank body 10. This layout increases the safety of the system, avoids the possible impact of internal liquid on the valve 13, improves the convenience of maintenance and repair, and reduces maintenance costs.

[0102] In some embodiments, the upper end of the vent pipe 12 is located outside the tank body 10, and the upper end of the vent pipe 12 is directly connected to the atmospheric environment; the top wall of the tank body 10 has a main assembly port 14 and an auxiliary assembly port 15 spaced apart, the long shaft 22 of the aforementioned vertical submersible pump 20 passes through the main assembly port 14, and the vent pipe 12 passes through the auxiliary assembly port 15.

[0103] This structural layout optimizes the internal space utilization of the storage tank body 10. The direct connection between the vent pipe 12 and the atmosphere allows the gas inside the hollow box 30 to be smoothly discharged when liquid is introduced into the liquid storage chamber 11, facilitating the subsequent formation of a negative pressure space within the hollow box 30. The long shaft 22 and the vent pipe 12 are independently set through the main assembly port 14 and the auxiliary assembly port 15, respectively, avoiding mutual interference, ensuring the effective functioning of each component, and improving the overall operating efficiency and safety of the storage tank device.

[0104] In some embodiments, the upper end of the vent pipe 12 is located outside the tank body 10, and the upper end of the vent pipe 12 is directly connected to the atmospheric environment; the top wall of the tank body 10 has a main assembly port 14, through which the long shaft 22 of the aforementioned vertical submersible pump 20 and the vent pipe 12 pass.

[0105] The direct connection between the vent pipe 12 and the atmosphere allows for the smooth discharge of gas from the hollow housing 30 when liquid is introduced into the storage chamber 11. This facilitates the creation of a negative pressure space within the hollow housing 30, enhancing the stability and liquid utilization rate of the storage tank. The design of the main assembly port 14 shared by the long shaft 22 and the vent pipe 12 not only saves space on the top wall of the tank body 10 but also improves the compactness of the structural layout.

[0106] In some embodiments, the radial dimensions of the major shaft 22 of the aforementioned vertical submersible pump 20 and the hollow housing 30 are both smaller than the radial dimension of the main assembly port 14. The drive unit 21 and the top wall of the storage tank body 10 are detachably connected. The vertical submersible pump 20, the hollow housing 30 and the vent pipe 12 form an assembly component. The assembly component can be hoisted into or out of the liquid storage chamber 11 as a whole from the main assembly port 14.

[0107] In this embodiment, the top wall of the storage tank body 10 is provided with a main assembly port 14. The radial dimensions of the major axis 22 and the hollow box 30 are both smaller than the radial dimension of the main assembly port 14, allowing the assembly component consisting of the vertical submersible pump 20, the hollow box 30, and the vent pipe 12 to enter and exit the liquid storage chamber 11 through the main assembly port 14. The drive unit 21 is detachably connected to the top wall of the storage tank body 10, which allows for convenient maintenance and replacement of the assembly component without affecting the overall structure of the storage tank body 10, optimizing the equipment installation and maintenance process and reducing operating costs.

[0108] In some embodiments, the hollow box 30 has a bottomless structure, and the lower opening 31 of the hollow box 30 is set downwards;

[0109] Alternatively, the bottom or side wall of the hollow box 30 has one or more notches, which together form the lower opening 31.

[0110] In some embodiments, the long shaft 22 passes through a through hole in the top wall of the hollow housing 30, and the periphery of the through hole is welded to the long shaft 22.

[0111] The hollow housing 30 adopts a bottomless structure design, with the lower opening 31 facing downwards, or formed through one or more notches on the bottom or side walls. This design ensures that the liquid in the storage chamber 11 can flow smoothly into the hollow housing 30. The long shaft 22 of the aforementioned vertical submersible pump 20 passes through a through hole in the top wall of the hollow housing 30 and is welded to the periphery of the through hole, which facilitates the fixation of the hollow housing 30 and enhances the structural stability between the hollow housing 30 and the long shaft 22.

[0112] By using a bottomless structure or notch design, combined with the welding of the long shaft 22 to the hollow box 30, the flow path of the liquid between the storage chamber 11 and the hollow box 30 is optimized, which improves the mechanical strength and operational safety of the storage tank device and ensures the high efficiency and reliability of the storage tank device.

[0113] The above descriptions are merely some embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

[0114] The technical features of the embodiments described above can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as the combination of these technical features does not contradict each other, it should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0115] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0116] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps described in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this application. It should also be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as exemplary only and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following drawings denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it need not be further discussed in subsequent drawings.

[0117] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" is usually based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this application; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0118] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "on top of," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation beyond the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, a device described as "above" or "on top of" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0119] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A storage tank device, characterized in that, include: The tank body (10) has a liquid storage chamber (11). A delivery pump for discharging liquid from the storage chamber (11); A hollow box (30) is located inside the liquid storage chamber (11). The liquid suction part (23) of the delivery pump is located inside the hollow box (30). The lower part of the hollow box (30) has a lower opening (31). The position of the lower opening (31) is lower than the minimum working liquid level (61) of the delivery pump. The cavity of the hollow box (30) is connected to the liquid storage chamber (11) through the lower opening (31). The upper part of the hollow box (30) has an openable and closable upper opening (32). The position of the upper opening (32) is higher than the minimum working liquid level (61). When the upper opening (32) is open, the cavity of the hollow box (30) is connected to the atmospheric environment outside the liquid storage chamber (11) or the tank body (10) through the upper opening (32). During the process of the delivery pump discharging the liquid in the storage chamber (11) outward, the upper opening (32) closes when or before the liquid level in the storage chamber (11) drops to the minimum working level (61).

2. The storage tank device according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the process of the delivery pump discharging the liquid in the storage chamber (11) outward, the upper opening (32) closes when the liquid level in the storage chamber (11) drops to the position of the upper opening (32).

3. The storage tank device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The storage tank device also includes a control valve (40), which is installed in the hollow box (30). The control valve (40) is used to control the opening and closing of the upper opening (32). The control valve (40) is an electric valve, a pneumatic valve, or a hydraulic valve.

4. The storage tank device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The storage tank device also includes a control valve (40), which is installed in the hollow housing (30). The control valve (40) is used to control the opening and closing of the upper opening (32). The control valve (40) is configured to automatically close the upper opening (32) by gravity or elastic force. The control valve (40) is also configured to automatically open the upper opening (32) when the air pressure in the hollow housing (30) is higher than the air pressure in the liquid storage chamber (11) by a preset threshold.

5. The storage tank device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control valve (40) is a one-way valve. The one-way valve allows the gas in the hollow box (30) to flow to the liquid storage chamber (11) through the upper opening (32), and the one-way valve prevents the gas in the liquid storage chamber (11) from flowing to the hollow box (30) through the upper opening (32).

6. The storage tank apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control valve (40) includes a support structure (41), a rotating shaft (42), and a first sealing assembly. The support structure (41) is installed on the hollow housing (30). The first sealing assembly is rotatably connected to the support structure (41) via the rotating shaft (42). The first sealing assembly is used to seal the upper opening (32). The first sealing assembly can close the upper opening (32) under its own weight, and the first sealing assembly can open the upper opening (32) under the gas pressure inside the hollow housing (30).

7. The storage tank apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control valve (40) includes a valve seat (46) and a sealing block (45). The valve seat (46) is fixed to the hollow housing (30). The valve seat (46) has a conical channel (461). The end of the conical channel (461) with a smaller diameter is connected to the upper opening (32), and the end of the conical channel (461) with a larger diameter is connected to the liquid storage chamber (11). The sealing block (45) is conical and is movably disposed in the conical channel (461). The minimum diameter of the sealing block (45) is greater than the minimum diameter of the conical channel (461). The edge of the end of the conical channel (461) with a larger diameter has a stop edge (4611). The stop edge (4611) cooperates with the sealing block (45) to prevent the sealing block (45) from coming out of the conical channel (461). The sealing block (45) can move downward under its own weight and block the conical channel (461) to close the upper opening (32). Under the gas pressure inside the hollow box (30), the sealing block (45) can move upward and create a gap between itself and the inner wall of the conical channel (461) to open the upper opening (32). The opened upper opening (32) is connected to the liquid storage chamber (11) through the gap between the sealing block (45) and the conical channel (461).

8. The storage tank apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control valve (40) includes a valve seat (46) and a sealing ball (47). The valve seat (46) is fixed to the hollow housing (30). The valve seat (46) has a first flow channel (462), a second flow channel (463), and a receiving space (464). The lower end of the first flow channel (462) is connected to the upper opening (32). The upper end of the first flow channel (462) is connected to the lower end of the second flow channel (463) and the opening of the receiving space (464). The upper end of the second flow channel (463) is connected to the liquid storage chamber (11). The diameter of the first flow channel (462) and the diameter of the accommodating space (464) are both larger than the diameter of the sealing ball (47), the diameter of the second flow channel (463) is smaller than the diameter of the sealing ball (47), and the extension direction of the accommodating space (464) is inclined relative to the extension direction of the first flow channel (462). The sealing ball (47) can fall into the first flow channel (462) under its own weight and close the upper opening (32). The sealing ball (47) can move to the accommodating space (464) under the gas pressure in the hollow box (30) to open the upper opening (32). The opened upper opening (32) is connected to the liquid storage chamber (11) through the first flow channel (462) and the second flow channel (463).

9. The storage tank apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control valve (40) includes a support structure (41), an elastic element (48), and a second sealing assembly. The support structure (41) is installed on the hollow housing (30). The elastic element (48) is connected to the second sealing assembly, which is used to seal the upper opening (32). The second sealing assembly can close the upper opening (32) under the elastic force of the elastic element (48) and can open the upper opening (32) under the gas pressure inside the hollow housing (30).

10. The storage tank apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control valve (40) includes a support structure (41), a rotating shaft (42), a torsion spring (49), and at least one valve disc (50). The support structure (41) is installed on the hollow housing (30), the rotating shaft (42) is installed on the support structure (41), the valve disc (50) is rotatably disposed on the rotating shaft (42), and the torsion spring (49) is sleeved on the rotating shaft (42) and connected to the valve disc (50). The valve disc (50) can close the upper opening (32) under the force of the torsion spring (49), and the valve disc (50) can open the upper opening (32) under the gas pressure inside the hollow housing (30).

11. The storage tank apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The inner wall of the upper opening (32) is conical, and the control valve (40) has a conical or spherical sealing surface, which is used to seal against the inner wall of the upper opening (32).

12. The storage tank apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The upper opening (32) is located on the top wall or side wall of the hollow box (30), and the control valve (40) is installed on the top wall or side wall of the hollow box (30).

13. The storage tank apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The delivery pump is a vertical submersible pump (20). The vertical submersible pump (20) includes a drive unit (21), a long shaft (22) and a liquid suction unit (23) connected in sequence. The drive unit (21) is fixed to the top wall of the tank body (10). The long shaft (22) and the liquid suction unit (23) are located in the liquid storage chamber (11). The top wall of the tank body (10) has a main assembly port (14). The radial dimensions of the long shaft (22) and the hollow box (30) are both smaller than the radial dimension of the main assembly port (14). The drive unit (21) and the top wall of the tank body (10) are detachably connected. The vertical submersible pump (20), the hollow box (30) and the control valve (40) form an assembly component. The assembly component can be hoisted into or out of the liquid storage chamber (11) as a whole from the main assembly port (14).

14. The storage tank apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The storage tank device also includes a vent pipe (12) and a valve (13). The lower end of the vent pipe (12) is connected to the upper opening (32), and the upper end of the vent pipe (12) is directly or indirectly connected to the atmospheric environment. The valve (13) is installed on the vent pipe (12), and the opening and closing of the upper opening (32) is controlled by the opening and closing of the valve (13).

15. The storage tank apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that, The upper end of the vent pipe (12) is higher than the rated maximum liquid level of the liquid storage chamber (11). The vent pipe (12) and the valve (13) are all located inside the liquid storage chamber (11). The valve (13) is installed at a position higher than the rated maximum liquid level of the liquid storage chamber (11). The upper end of the vent pipe (12) is connected to the atmospheric environment through the opening at the top of the tank body (10). Alternatively, the upper end of the vent pipe (12) and the valve (13) are both located outside the tank body (10), the upper end of the vent pipe (12) is higher than the rated maximum liquid level of the liquid storage chamber (11), and the upper end of the vent pipe (12) is directly connected to the atmospheric environment.

16. The storage tank apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that, The delivery pump is a vertical submersible pump (20). The vertical submersible pump (20) includes a drive unit (21), a long shaft (22) and a liquid suction unit (23) connected in sequence. The drive unit (21) is fixed to the top wall of the tank body (10). The long shaft (22) and the liquid suction unit (23) are located in the liquid storage chamber (11). The upper end of the vent pipe (12) is located outside the tank body (10), and the upper end of the vent pipe (12) is directly connected to the atmospheric environment; the top wall of the tank body (10) has a main assembly port (14) and an auxiliary assembly port (15) spaced apart, the long shaft (22) passes through the main assembly port (14), and the vent pipe (12) passes through the auxiliary assembly port (15).

17. The storage tank apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that, The delivery pump is a vertical submersible pump (20). The vertical submersible pump (20) includes a drive unit (21), a long shaft (22) and a liquid suction unit (23) connected in sequence. The drive unit (21) is fixed to the top wall of the tank body (10). The long shaft (22) and the liquid suction unit (23) are located in the liquid storage chamber (11). The upper end of the vent pipe (12) is located outside the tank body (10), and the upper end of the vent pipe (12) is directly connected to the atmospheric environment; the top wall of the tank body (10) has a main assembly port (14), and the long shaft (22) and the vent pipe (12) both pass through the main assembly port (14).

18. The storage tank apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that, The radial dimensions of the long shaft (22) and the hollow box (30) are both smaller than the radial dimension of the main assembly port (14). The drive unit (21) and the top wall of the storage tank body (10) are detachably connected. The vertical submersible pump (20), the hollow box (30) and the vent pipe (12) form an assembly component. The assembly component can be hoisted into or out of the liquid storage chamber (11) as a whole from the main assembly port (14).

19. The storage tank apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hollow box (30) has a bottomless structure, and the lower opening (31) of the hollow box (30) is set downwards; Alternatively, the bottom or side wall of the hollow box (30) may have one or more notches, which together form the lower opening (31).

20. The storage tank apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The delivery pump is a vertical submersible pump (20). The vertical submersible pump (20) includes a drive unit (21), a long shaft (22) and a liquid suction unit (23) connected in sequence. The drive unit (21) is fixed to the top wall of the tank body (10). The long shaft (22) and the liquid suction unit (23) are located in the liquid storage chamber (11). The long shaft (22) passes through a through hole in the top wall of the hollow box (30), and the periphery of the through hole is welded to the long shaft (22).

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