Equipment Pallet Assembly With Liquid-Tight Containment Bag
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional transformer containment devices fail to meet regulatory standards for safe transportation due to leakage issues and stress on equipment during handling, as they lack effective closures and accessible lifting lugs, leading to environmental hazards and costly inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A pallet assembly with a containment bag secured to a base pallet, featuring a deployable sidewall structure, hold-down eye bolts, and a liquid-tight closure system that allows for secure and safe transport of equipment by integrating lifting lugs and tie-down straps, meeting DOT Class 3 specifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional containment bags are used without closures, then access to transformer lifting lugs is easier, but moisture or contaminants can enter the bags causing leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The containment system is divided into separate functional components: the containment bag for liquid-tight sealing, the closure mechanism for maintaining the seal, and the lifting lugs for access. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without compromising the others - the bag provides sealing, the closure maintains it, and the lugs provide access points.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure acts as an intermediary element between the bag opening and the external environment. It provides a controlled interface that maintains the liquid-tight seal while allowing the lifting lugs to remain accessible through designated openings or access points in the closure structure.
2Ease of operation
If transformers are elevated and moved using only bag components, then lifting lugs cannot be accessed, but this places considerable stress on the overall assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting lugs are pre-positioned on the transformer equipment before it is placed in the containment bag. The bag and closure are designed with predetermined access points that align with these pre-positioned lugs, allowing direct lifting without requiring elevation or manipulation of the bag structure itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure structure serves as an intermediary that provides access pathways to the lifting lugs without requiring the bag to be opened or manipulated. This allows the lifting operation to occur through the closure interface, protecting the bag integrity and distributing stress away from the bag components.
3Stability of the object's composition
If hold-down structure extends through the bottom wall, then equipment can be rigidly secured in place, but the structure must be integrated within the containment bag confines
Solution Approach 1:
The hold-down structure is nested within the containment bag system. The structure extends through the bottom wall and is contained within the bag's internal volume, with the bag material forming an outer shell that encloses the hold-down components. This nesting allows the hold-down function to be integrated without adding external complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hold-down structure is merged with the bottom wall assembly, where the structure extends through the bottom wall and is integrated into the overall bag construction. This combination eliminates the need for separate external securing mechanisms while maintaining equipment stability within the confined bag space.
Data Source
AI summary
A pallet assembly (10) for safe handling and transporting of equipment such as a transformer (16) includes a lower pallet (12) with a containment bag (14). The pallet (10) is equipped with hold-down structure, allowing the transformer (16) to be secured thereto via straps (64). The bag (14) has a bottom wall (36) secured to pallet (12), and sidewall structure (16), which can be deployed to form a liquid-tight bag (14).