Movable Reusable Frame for Flexible Fluid Containment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hydraulic fracturing operations face challenges in managing large volumes of water, including contamination, storage capacity, and environmental risks, particularly in arid areas, due to the high costs and environmental impact of traditional storage methods, and the need for a reusable and secure containment system that can handle both fresh and wastewater effectively.

Innovation Solution

A movable reusable frame-like structure that supports and contains a flexible fluid containment vessel, providing a secondary containment for safety redundancy, and is configurable to fit oddly shaped areas, transportable, and reusable, with the ability to be assembled and disassembled for efficient use in hydro-fracking operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If traditional storage methods (steel tanks, concrete ponds) are used for large volumes of water, then storage capacity and containment security are improved, but cost and environmental impact increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage capacityVSAvoidenvironmental impact

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs flexible plastic liners (thin films) within a reusable metal frame structure to contain water. This replaces traditional rigid steel tanks and concrete ponds, reducing environmental impact while maintaining storage capacity. The flexible liner conforms to the frame geometry, providing effective containment without the need for expensive impermeable concrete construction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The storage system is divided into separate components: a reusable metal frame structure and replaceable flexible plastic liners. This segmentation allows the expensive frame to be reused multiple times while the liners can be replaced as needed, reducing overall cost and environmental impact compared to monolithic traditional storage structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If traditional storage methods are used, then containment security is improved, but cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainment securityVSAvoidcost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system separates the structural frame (reusable, high initial cost) from the containment liners (replaceable, lower cost). This allows the expensive frame to be amortized over multiple uses, reducing the cost per use while maintaining containment security through the reusable structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible plastic liners are designed to be replaceable rather than permanent. After degradation or contamination, liners can be discarded and replaced without replacing the entire storage system, reducing overall cost while maintaining containment security through the reusable frame.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Ease of operation

If flexible fluid containment vessels are used without a supporting structure, then ease of setup and transportability are improved, but structural stability and leak prevention worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of setupVSAvoidstructural stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible plastic liner provides a conformal containment surface that adapts to the metal frame geometry. This combination provides both ease of setup (the liner simply needs to be placed in the frame) and structural stability (the frame provides rigid support while the liner provides leak-proof containment).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the flexible liner and rigid frame into a single integrated storage system. The frame provides structural stability and the liner provides containment, and their combination achieves both ease of setup and reliability, overcoming the limitations of either component alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Ease of manufacture

If a reusable frame structure with flexible liner is used, then cost and environmental impact are reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovecostVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is segmented into a metal frame and flexible liner, which simplifies manufacturing and reduces cost. The modular design allows each component to be manufactured independently using standard processes, reducing overall complexity compared to monolithic traditional storage structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9586753B2Movable reusable containment structure for flexible fluid containment vessel

Publication Date: 2017.03.07 HANSON KEN

AI summary

A movable reusable frame-like structure for supporting, containing and protecting a flexible fluid containment vessel for use in hydraulic fracturing operations to store fluids, said structure having a base frame carrying plural vertical supports, the plural vertical supports interconnected by plural support straps to define a volume above the base frame carrying a secondary containment, and a flexible fluid containment vessel within the secondary containment.