Floating Gas-Tight Cover for Buffer Tank Volume Compensation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Buffer storage tanks with high usable volumes experience significant volume fluctuations due to temperature changes, leading to potential negative pressure and oxidation issues, particularly when using water as the storage fluid, which requires costly and complex gas blanketing with inert gases like nitrogen to prevent corrosion.
Innovation Solution
A buffer storage system with a gas-tight cover that floats on the storage fluid, allowing for volume compensation through a flexible, temperature-resistant film that separates the storage space from an equalization space connected to the environment, using ambient air or inert gases for pressure equalization, thereby reducing the need for inert gas blanketing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If nitrogen gas is used to fill the volume not occupied by the storage fluid to prevent oxidation, then oxidation processes are minimized, but procuring and providing nitrogen entails enormous effort and additional costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses nitrogen gas to create an inert atmosphere in the headspace above the storage fluid, preventing oxidation of metallic materials. The nitrogen is supplied through a relatively simple system that fills the headspace volume, avoiding complex liquid nitrogen handling systems while maintaining effective oxidation prevention.
2Adaptability or versatility
If liquid nitrogen is used for volume balancing to compensate for thermal expansion, then volume fluctuations are compensated, but the system becomes very complex to install and operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a gas cushion whose pressure and volume can change in response to storage fluid volume fluctuations. As the storage fluid expands or contracts due to temperature changes, the gas cushion adjusts its parameters to maintain pressure equilibrium, providing a simple yet effective compensation mechanism without complex control systems.
3Reliability
If the storage fluid is made from specially treated water with low oxygen content to minimize oxidation, then oxidation processes are reduced, but the system still requires additional measures to prevent corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates an inert nitrogen atmosphere in the headspace above the storage fluid, providing a dual protection system: the storage fluid is treated to have low oxygen content, and the headspace is filled with nitrogen. This combination effectively prevents oxidation and corrosion without requiring complex additional measures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively compensates for temperature-related volume changes and prevents oxidation by using ambient air or inert gases for pressure equalization, reducing operational costs and complexity while maintaining the integrity of the storage fluid.
Implementation Method 1
a gas-tight cover (22) that floats at least partially on the storage fluid (40)
Implementation Method 2
a flexible, temperature-resistant film (22) that separates the storage space from an equalization space
Implementation Method 3
very large fluctuations in the volume of the storage fluid inside the tank housing occur as a result of temperature fluctuations in the range of 20 to 95 degrees Celsius
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The present invention relates to a buffer store (10) comprising a closed vessel housing (12) for accommodating a storage fluid, in particular water, wherein the vessel housing (12) has at least one inlet opening, for the filling of the vessel housing (12) with the storage fluid, and at least one equalization opening (18), which fluidically connects the vessel housing (12) to the surroundings and permits a fluidic equalization with the surroundings. According to the invention, a gas-tight cover (22) is also provided in the interior of the vessel housing (12), which cover is capable of reliably protecting the storage fluid against mixing with other fluids, for example the ambient air.