Modular Insulated Storage Tank for Large-Capacity Indoor Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermally insulated storage tanks are cumbersome, difficult to maneuver, and often cannot fit through standard doorways, making them challenging to install in basements or other hard-to-reach areas, especially for large capacities, and they lack efficient temperature regulation for both hot and cold liquids.
Innovation Solution
A modular, thermally insulated storage tank design featuring a cylindrical structure supported by vertical insulating panels and an outer support jacket, with an insulating lid and optional components like plumbing boards, microprocessors, and sensors for temperature regulation, allowing for easy assembly and installation in confined spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If large prefabricated storage tanks are used to maximize thermal energy capture, then the liquid storage capacity is sufficient, but the tanks become difficult to maneuver and cannot fit through standard doorways for installation in basements
Solution Approach 1:
The storage tank is divided into multiple modular segments that can be assembled together. Each segment is sized to fit through standard doorways while maintaining the ability to form a complete large-capacity tank when assembled, thus resolving the contradiction between storage capacity and ease of installation.
2Quantity of substance
If prefabricated storage tanks are manufactured with large capacities, then they can store sufficient liquid, but their bulk and weight make them difficult to reposition once installed
Solution Approach 1:
The tank is constructed from modular segments that can be disassembled and repositioned independently. This segmentation allows the tank to be easily reconfigured or moved to different locations without the difficulty of handling a single large prefabricated tank.
3Ease of operation
If storage tanks are placed in exterior locations, then installation is easier, but thermal energy is lost in colder climates during winter months
Solution Approach 1:
The modular segment design allows the tank to be assembled in protected interior locations such as basements, where thermal energy loss is minimized. The segments can be easily maneuvered through doorways and assembled in place, combining the ease of installation with reduced thermal energy loss.
4Ease of operation
If modular insulating panels are used to construct the tank, then the tank becomes easier to assemble in difficult-to-reach areas, but the structural integrity must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple insulating panels are combined to form complete cylindrical sections, which are then assembled together to create the full tank structure. This merging approach maintains structural integrity while allowing for easy assembly in confined spaces, as each panel and section is manageable in size.
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 modular design enables efficient thermal insulation and regulation of both hot and cold liquids, facilitating their use with solar thermal capture systems while being economical and simple to manufacture and install, with improved maneuverability and adaptability for various liquid capacities.
Implementation Method 1
an insulated storage tank includes an inner liner supported by a plurality of vertical insulating panels. The insulating panels are arranged circumferentially to form a cylinder, each insulating panel in contact with a leading edge and a trailing edge of another insulating panel.
Implementation Method 2
A series of tubes is secured to the panel, and water to be heated is circulated through these tubes to extract the heat received by the panel.
Data Source
AI summary
An insulated storage tank incorporating modular panels includes a structural rigidity to store large volumes of hot and cold liquids. The insulated storage tank includes a plurality of insulating panels disposed on an insulation substrate in a circumferential pattern, the insulating panels each in proximate contact with two other panels forming a cylindrical wall. The insulating panels are a rigid structure and provide structural support to an inner liner disposed within the cylindrical wall and operable to be filled with a hot or cold liquid. The cylindrical wall of insulating panels is further supported by a thin outer support jacket. The insulated storage tank has a lid disposed on the insulating panels thereby sealing the contents of the insulated storage tank.