Holding Tank with Internal Stringers to Reduce Sidewall Deflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid holding tanks with thin, planar side walls tend to bow outwardly or inwardly due to liquid pressure, making them difficult to remove from tight spaces and affecting volume measurement and dispensing accuracy.
Innovation Solution
The tanks are reinforced with internal stringers that oppose each other, reducing deflection and maintaining wall separation, while being formed using rotational molding to create seamless, thin-walled structures that enhance heat transfer and allow vertical movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If thin, planar side walls are used in liquid holding tanks, then the tank weight and material usage are reduced, but the walls bow outwardly under liquid pressure making removal from tight spaces difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The side walls are segmented into multiple sections with recesses between them, allowing the walls to flex and compress independently. This segmentation enables thin-walled tanks to be removed from tight spaces by compressing the recesses, while still maintaining structural integrity and minimizing weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The side walls incorporate variable thickness regions with recesses that change the local structural parameters. The recesses allow the walls to deform under compression during removal, then return to their original shape when installed, enabling easy removal while maintaining tank integrity.
2Ease of manufacture
If thin, planar side walls are used in liquid holding tanks, then manufacturing cost and material usage are reduced, but the walls deflect inwardly affecting volume measurement and dispensing accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The side walls are divided into multiple sections with recesses between adjacent sections. This segmentation allows the walls to flex independently, accommodating manufacturing tolerances while maintaining the overall geometric accuracy needed for precise volume measurement and dispensing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The thin-walled structure incorporates flexible recesses that allow the shell to deform elastically under pressure. This flexibility compensates for manufacturing variations and prevents permanent deformation that would affect volume measurement accuracy, while maintaining the simplicity of manufacturing thin-walled tanks.
3Temperature
If thin-walled tanks are used, then heat transfer efficiency is enhanced, but the tanks deform under liquid pressure affecting their upright position
Solution Approach 1:
The side walls are segmented into multiple sections with recesses between them. This segmentation maintains the thin-walled structure for efficient heat transfer while allowing the sections to flex and accommodate pressure changes without compromising the overall upright stability of the tank.
Solution Approach 2:
The recesses in the side walls create variable thickness regions that change the local stiffness parameters. These regions allow the tank to flex under pressure while maintaining sufficient rigidity to hold an upright position, preserving both heat transfer efficiency and stability.
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
The reinforced tanks maintain rigidity and upright position, improving volume measurement accuracy and enabling precise liquid dispensing without deformation, while reducing friction and enhancing heat transfer between tanks and a refrigerated cabinet.
Implementation Method 1
enhancing heat transfer between tanks and a refrigerated cabinet
Data Source
AI summary
The inward and outward deflection of sidewalls of a holding tank for liquids is reduced or eliminated by sidewall reinforcing stringers that extend between the sides and which are located inside the tank. The stringers, maintain the separation distance between the sidewalls to keep the sidewalls substantially parallel to each other.