Fire Containment Unit for IBCs with Angled Drain Barrier

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fire protection containment units for intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) face challenges in efficiently draining and collecting escaped liquids, which can lead to instability and safety issues during handling and movement.

Innovation Solution

The proposed containment unit features a basin portion with an internal flame and drain barrier having angled lateral pans and a central grid to direct escaped liquids into a pooling region, along with an inclined base and rack arrangement to facilitate drainage and liquid dispensing, while maintaining stability through adjustable door configurations for access and transport.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the containment unit uses a flat base and horizontal barrier, then the structure is simple to manufacture, but the drainage and liquid collection efficiency is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrainage efficiencyVSAvoidbarrier structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The barrier incorporates angled lateral pans instead of flat surfaces, creating inclined planes that actively direct liquid flow toward the pooling region. This curvature/angulation principle transforms passive flat surfaces into active drainage guides, improving liquid collection efficiency without requiring complex mechanical components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The base is designed with an inclined surface rather than a flat horizontal plane, adding a dimensional gradient that facilitates liquid flow toward the pooling region. This dimensional change from 2D flat surface to 3D inclined surface enables passive drainage through gravity without additional pumping mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If the containment unit has fixed high walls for fire protection, then fire containment is effective, but accessibility and ease of operation are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire protection effectivenessVSAvoidaccessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The containment unit incorporates a movable door assembly that can transition between open and closed positions. This dynamic element allows the structure to adapt between two states: open for easy accessibility during loading/unloading operations, and closed for effective fire containment during emergencies. The door assembly maintains fire protection reliability while dramatically improving operational accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The door assembly is positioned specifically at one location of the containment unit, allowing localized access without compromising the overall fire containment integrity. This local quality principle enables operation in one area while maintaining protective enclosure in the remaining structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If the containment unit is designed as a heavy steel structure for stability, then structural strength is high, but portability and ease of movement are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidcontainment unit weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The containment unit utilizes a thin-walled steel construction with optimized wall thickness that provides sufficient structural strength and fire containment while minimizing weight. This approach replaces heavy solid steel structures with thinner, more efficient shell structures that maintain integrity under required loads but reduce overall mass for improved portability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 design enhances the collection and drainage of escaped liquids, improves the stability of the containment unit during handling and transport, and ensures effective fire protection by maintaining a secure and controlled environment for IBCs.

Implementation Method 1

an internal flame and drain barrier (100) having angled lateral pans (104a, 104b) and a central grid (102) to direct escaped liquids into a pooling region

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

an internal flame and drain barrier constructed from a stainless-steel mesh filter mat that sits over the basin portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical separation through mesh barrier: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS11559710B2Fire protection containment unit for intermediate bulk containers

Publication Date: 2023.01.24 MINIMAX VIKING RES & DEV GMBH

AI summary

A fire protection containment unit for protection of an intermediate bulk container (IBC) having an internal flame and drain barrier disposed above a basin portion of the containment unit. The barrier includes pans having an impact surface that is angled to drain toward a central grid of the barrier to direct escaped liquid from the IBC into the basin portion of the containment unit. The basin portion includes a base surface on an incline to define a pooling region of the containment unit to collect escaped liquid from the IBC. The containment unit includes containment walls which define various configurations of the containment unit including an open configuration, partially open configuration, a completely contained configuration and a packaged configuration.