Tank for liquids and mobile refueling system

Abstract

Tank for liquids, comprising: a liquid extraction port (12); a liquid shut-off valve (14) for shutting off the liquid extraction port (12); a ventilation line (22) for venting and / or de-venting the tank; and a ventilation shut-off valve (24) for shutting off the ventilation line (22), wherein the liquid shut-off valve (14) and the ventilation shut-off valve (24) each have a lever (16; 26) for actuating the respective shut-off valve (14; 24), wherein the lever (16) of the liquid shut-off valve (14) and the lever (26) of the ventilation shut-off valve (24) are mechanically coupled to each other via a connecting element (32) in order to be moved together from a respective shut-off position to a respective open position and to be pivoted together from the respective open position to the respective shut-off position.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a tank for liquids, in particular fuels and / or propellants, in particular a mobile liquid tank, in particular a fuel tank or propellant tank, or a tank of a mobile refueling system, as well as a mobile refueling system with such a tank.

[0002] Cuboid-shaped transportable tanks for fuels are known, for example, as Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) for the transport and storage of liquid fuels. Cylindrical transport tanks are also known.

[0003] To transport a filled fuel tank, the tank's connections must be able to be reliably shut off, for example using ball valve shut-off valves.

[0004] The object of the invention is to create a novel tank, especially for fuels, with a high level of operational safety.

[0005] The object of the invention is achieved by a tank for liquids, in particular for flammable liquids, fuels and / or propellants, wherein the tank comprises: a liquid dispensing port; a liquid shut-off valve for shutting off the liquid dispensing port; a vent line for venting and / or aerating the tank; and a vent shut-off valve for shutting off the vent line, wherein the liquid shut-off valve and the vent shut-off valve each have a lever for actuating the respective shut-off valve, wherein the lever of the liquid shut-off valve and the lever of the vent shut-off valve are mechanically coupled to each other via a connecting element in order to be moved together from a respective shut-off position to a respective open position and to be pivoted together from the respective open position to the respective shut-off position.

[0006] Thus, when the lever of the liquid shut-off valve is moved to its open position, the lever of the vent shut-off valve is also necessarily moved to its open position. This prevents the operator from forgetting to vent the tank before drawing liquid when opening the liquid shut-off valve. This effectively prevents damage to the tank caused by drawing liquid with the vent shut-off valve closed. Furthermore, when closing the tank openings for transport, it effectively prevents one of the two shut-off valves from being closed while the other is accidentally left open. The described solution is characterized by particularly reliable operation and a mechanically simple design.The invention is particularly relevant and advantageous for all tanks that require a closed dispensing line and a closed venting line for transport. The tank can, in particular, be a transport tank for liquids. The invention is especially useful when used with tanks for discontinuous dispensing, i.e., tanks that need to be opened or closed frequently.

[0007] In particular, the liquid shut-off valve and the ventilation shut-off valve can be configured to be open simultaneously in their open positions (opening positions) and to be shut off simultaneously in their closed positions (shut-off positions).

[0008] The connecting element links the levers together. In particular, the levers can be coupled to each other via the connecting element to allow movement only together into their respective open positions and movement only together into their respective closed positions.

[0009] Moving the levers can in particular involve pivoting or swiveling the levers.

[0010] The levers can be hand levers (i.e., designed for manual operation), in particular (conventional) hand levers for operating the respective shut-off valve. The shut-off valves can be (conventional) ball valve shut-off valves with their respective (hand) levers. This simplifies manufacturing and, in particular, the stocking of the components required for production. The respective lever can have a swivel range of, for example, 90°, i.e., it can be swivelled by 90°. The liquid shut-off valve and the vent shut-off valve can, in particular, have separate shut-off bodies. The liquid shut-off valve can have a lockable liquid passage (in its shut-off body). The vent shut-off valve can have a lockable vent passage (in its shut-off body).The liquid passage of the liquid shut-off valve can be designed separately from the ventilation passage of the ventilation shut-off valve.

[0011] The tank comprises a tank container. The tank or tank container can be double-walled. In particular, the tank container can have a double wall with a sealed or sealable space between the walls. The tank container can comprise an outer container and an inner container arranged within it with a space (or gap) to the outer container. In the case of a tank with a double-walled tank container, the invention has the particular advantage that it effectively prevents the risk of unnoticed damage to the tank container from liquid being drawn out when the vent valve is accidentally left closed. This is because, in a double-walled tank container, it can happen that it is not externally visible if an inner wall of the double-walled tank container is pulled inwards due to negative pressure.Depending on the design of a leakage monitoring system for the space between the double walls of the tank container, such deformation of the inner container may initially go unnoticed, so that damage can occur.

[0012] The tank can be designed, in particular, as a transportable, freestanding tank container arrangement.

[0013] The liquid extraction port is used to draw liquid from the tank, for example, by means of a pump. The liquid extraction port can be connected to an extraction line located inside the tank, e.g., in the form of a suction pipe. The liquid extraction port can also be used to connect to a suction line of a dispensing device, such as a fuel dispensing device.

[0014] Embodiments of the invention are specified below and in the dependent claims.

[0015] In embodiments, the lever of the liquid shut-off valve and the lever of the ventilation shut-off valve are aligned parallel to each other, and the pivot axes of the levers are aligned in the same way.

[0016] In particular, the lever of the liquid shut-off valve and the lever of the ventilation shut-off valve can be aligned parallel to each other in both the open and closed positions. Specifically, the lever of the liquid shut-off valve and the lever of the ventilation shut-off valve can be pivoted parallel to each other (while aligned parallel to each other).

[0017] Mechanical tolerances are permitted in the alignment of the levers and their pivot axes, provided that a common pivoting of both hand levers is enabled.

[0018] In embodiments, the lever of the liquid shut-off valve and the lever of the ventilation shut-off valve are connected to each other by the connecting element running transversely between the levers.

[0019] This results in a particularly reliable and robust mechanical coupling, which can also be designed to compensate for tolerances in the movements of the levers.

[0020] In embodiments, the lever of the liquid shut-off valve and the lever of the ventilation shut-off valve are connected to each other by the connecting element in the form of a rod, in particular a handle, running transversely to the levers.

[0021] In some embodiments, the rod is aligned parallel to the pivot axes of the levers.

[0022] The connecting element or rod can be connected to the levers at their respective end sections.

[0023] In embodiments, the lever of the liquid shut-off valve, the connecting element (in particular the rod or handle), and the lever of the vent shut-off valve form a U-shaped, common actuating element (in particular a handle) of the liquid shut-off valve and the vent shut-off valve. In other words, the two levers and the connecting element form a U-shaped, common actuating element of the liquid shut-off valve and the vent shut-off valve.

[0024] In embodiments, the liquid shut-off valve and / or the ventilation shut-off valve are each a ball valve shut-off valve.

[0025] In some embodiments, the tank is a mobile liquid tank.

[0026] In some embodiments, the tank is a tank for fuels and / or propellants. The liquid dispensing port can be a fuel dispensing port or a propellant dispensing port, and the liquid shut-off valve can be a fuel shut-off valve or a propellant dispensing valve.

[0027] In various embodiments, the tank is a transport tank, a mobile fuel tank and / or a mobile fuel tank and / or a tank for stationary storage of fuel and / or fuel, e.g. a fuel container or fuel container, e.g. for heating oil, diesel and / or gasoline, or a supply tank for an emergency power generator or for a system for the energy supply of buildings, for example a hot air generator.

[0028] The tank may include a pump, which may in particular be attached to the tank or installed or integrated into a transport frame of the tank.

[0029] According to one aspect of the invention, a mobile refueling system comprises a tank of the type described. The refueling system can be, for example, a diesel refueling system or a gasoline refueling system. The refueling system can include a dispensing system and / or a pump.

[0030] Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1. A schematic view of a fuel tank from a first side; and Fig. 2 A schematic view of the fuel tank from a second side.

[0031] Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 schematically shows a mobile fuel tank with a double-walled tank 10. The tank includes a fuel extraction port 12 with a fuel shut-off valve 14 in the form of a ball valve with a hand lever 16. The fuel extraction port 12 is connected to a suction pipe 18, which is arranged in the tank 10.

[0032] The tank further includes a ventilation line 22 with a ventilation shut-off valve 24 in the form of a ball valve valve with a hand lever 26.

[0033] The hand lever 16 and the hand lever 26 have pivot axes that are aligned with each other according to a common pivot axis 30.

[0034] The hand lever 16 and the hand lever 26 are connected at their end sections furthest from the pivot axis 30 by a connecting element 32 in the form of a handle 32, which runs transversely to the hand levers 16, 26. The handle serves as a hand grip.

[0035] A base 28 of the tank forms access openings for the tines of a forklift truck to simplify the transport of the tank using a forklift truck.

[0036] Fig. 2 shows the tank in a view from the inside Fig. 1 left side, so that the hand lever 26 is behind the hand lever 16.

[0037] As in Fig. 2, indicated by a double arrow, the hand levers 16, 26 can be pivoted together by 90° around the pivot axis 30 by the handle 32 in order to switch between the closed positions of the shut-off valves 14, 24 and the open positions of the shut-off valves 14, 24.

[0038] The tank can be part of a mobile refueling system and include a 40 pump. Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 further shows a schematic representation of the pump 20 attached to the tank. This pump can be connected to the fuel extraction port 12 and configured to pump fuel from the tank via the open fuel shut-off valve 14 and the suction pipe 18 in order to dispense fuel.

[0039] The tank described here as an example is characterized by particularly reliable operation and a mechanically simple design due to the fuel shut-off valve 14 and the ventilation shut-off valve 24 being coupled to each other via the handle 32.

Claims

[1] Tank for liquids, comprising: a liquid extraction port (12); a liquid shut-off valve (14) for shutting off the liquid extraction port (12); a ventilation line (22) for venting and / or de-venting the tank; and a ventilation shut-off valve (24) for shutting off the ventilation line (22), wherein the liquid shut-off valve (14) and the ventilation shut-off valve (24) each have a lever (16; 26) for actuating the respective shut-off valve (14; 24), wherein the lever (16) of the liquid shut-off valve (14) and the lever (26) of the ventilation shut-off valve (24) are mechanically coupled to each other via a connecting element (32) in order to be moved together from a respective shut-off position to a respective open position and to be pivoted together from the respective open position to the respective shut-off position. [2] Tank according to claim 1, wherein the lever (16) of the liquid shut-off valve (14) and the lever (26) of the vent shut-off valve (24) are aligned parallel to each other and the pivot axes of the levers (16; 26) are aligned concurrently. [3] Tank according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lever (16) of the liquid shut-off valve (14) and the lever (26) of the vent shut-off valve (24) are connected to each other by the connecting element (32) extending transversely between the levers. [4] Tank according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lever (16) of the liquid shut-off valve (14) and the lever (26) of the vent shut-off valve (24) are connected to each other by the connecting element (32) in the form of a rod, in particular a handle, extending transversely to the levers. [5] Tank according to claim 4, wherein the rod is aligned parallel to the pivot axes of the levers (16; 26). [6] Tank according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lever (16) of the liquid shut-off valve (14), the connecting element (32) and the lever (26) of the vent shut-off valve (24) form a U-shaped common confirming element of the liquid shut-off valve (14) and the vent shut-off valve (24). [7] Tank according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the liquid shut-off valve (14) and the vent shut-off valve (24) are each a ball valve shut-off valve. [8] Tank according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the tank comprises a tank container which is at least double-walled. [9] Tank according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the tank is a tank for fuels and / or propellants. [10] Tank according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the tank is a transport tank, a mobile fuel tank and / or a mobile fuel tank and / or a tank for stationary storage of fuel and / or fuel. [11] Mobile refueling system comprising a tank according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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