Free-standing casing groove design for tank insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing self-supporting wooden boxes for thermally insulating and waterproofing tanks lack sufficient mechanical resistance to dynamic pressures and impacts, and their design complicates the welding process, increasing parts inventory and manufacturing complexity.
Innovation Solution
A self-supporting box design featuring a groove with a wider bottom part and narrower mouth part, where fasteners are engaged laterally offset from the groove's bottom part, allowing for increased mechanical resistance and simplified welding by using a wing-shaped welding support, thereby enhancing the structural integrity and reducing the weakening of the cover panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If fasteners are engaged in the lower plate to attach the load-bearing partition to the cover panel, then the partition is securely fixed, but the cover panel is weakened in line with the groove
Solution Approach 1:
The groove acts as an intermediary element that receives the welding support (wing bent at right angle), which then serves as the attachment point for fasteners. This mediator allows the load-bearing partition to be secured to the cover panel without fasteners directly engaging the groove, thus preserving the structural integrity of the cover panel while ensuring reliable fixation of the partition.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove has a T-shaped section with a wider bottom part and narrower mouth part, creating a three-dimensional structure that accommodates the welding support. The fasteners are engaged in the lower plate at positions laterally offset from the groove's bottom part, utilizing the lateral dimension to avoid direct engagement with the groove area, thereby maintaining cover panel strength while achieving secure partition fixation.
2Ease of manufacture
If a T-shaped groove is used to receive the welding support, then the welding process is simplified, but the cover panel structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The T-shaped groove serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the welding support, guides the positioning of the welding support during assembly, and creates a standardized interface for fastener engagement. By consolidating these functions into a single groove feature, the design simplifies the overall manufacturing process while the groove's geometry integrates seamlessly with the cover panel structure.
3Strength
If the load-bearing partition is made wider than the groove bottom part, then the partition provides better structural support, but the fasteners must be positioned laterally offset which complicates the attachment design
Solution Approach 1:
The load-bearing partition is designed with asymmetric fastener positioning relative to the groove. The fasteners are engaged in the lower plate at positions laterally offset from the groove's bottom part, creating an asymmetric attachment pattern that accommodates the wider partition design. This asymmetric arrangement allows the partition to extend beyond the groove for enhanced structural support while maintaining a straightforward attachment mechanism.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
A free-standing casing comprises at least one groove (30) provided in the cover panel and emerging at an upper surface of the cover panel in order to receive a welding support. At least one bearing partition (26) extends longitudinally in line with the groove (30). Fasteners (35) perpendicularly engaged in the lower plate (22) and the upper surface of the bearing partition (26) fasten the bearing partition to the cover panel. The upper surface of the bearing partition (26) is wider than the bottom part (32) of the groove (30) and the fasteners (35) are engaged in a zone of the lower plate (22) that is laterally offset relative to the bottom part (32) of the groove. The primary insulating barrier of a tank is substantially formed by casings filled with a heat-insulated lining. The primary sealed membrane is retained on the cover panels by welding supports inserted into the grooves (30).