Rectangular Element Cylindrical Tank Bottom Wall Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tank designs for storing liquefied natural gas face challenges such as high scrap rates due to complex cutting of corrugated sheets, require multiple types of sheets for the bottom wall, and experience connection difficulties between the bottom and vertical walls, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A cylindrical tank design utilizing a regular polygonal bottom wall composed of identical rectangular elements, with connecting elements like quadrilaterals or octagons, and identical rectangular elements for the vertical wall, allowing for a reduced number of different elements and simplified connections using angle brackets, where the rectangular elements can form both the sealing and thermally insulating barriers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If corrugated sheets with radial edges are used to cover the bottom wall, then the bottom wall can be covered, but the cutting becomes more complicated and leads to a large amount of scrap
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom wall is divided into multiple sectors, each covered by identical rectangular sheets arranged in a standardized pattern. This segmentation allows the use of simple rectangular shapes instead of complex radially-cut sheets, reducing cutting complexity and scrap while maintaining complete coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the sheets from radial shapes to rectangular shapes. By using rectangular sheets with standardized dimensions and arranging them in sectors, the patent eliminates the need for complex radial cutting while achieving the same coverage function.
2Device complexity
If multiple types of sheets are used to cover the bottom wall, then the entire surface can be covered, but the number of different elements increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses identical rectangular sheets for all sectors of the bottom wall, making the sheets universal and interchangeable. This eliminates the need for multiple different sheet types while ensuring complete coverage through the standardized arrangement of identical elements.
Solution Approach 2:
While the sheets themselves are identical (symmetric), their arrangement in sectors creates the necessary geometric adaptation to the circular bottom wall. The asymmetric sector arrangement allows identical rectangular sheets to cover the entire surface without requiring different sheet types.
3Device complexity
If rectangular sheets are used to cover the bottom wall, then the number of different elements is reduced, but connection difficulties arise at the intersection with the vertical wall
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom wall is segmented into sectors that are clearly defined by the rectangular sheet arrangement. This segmentation creates standardized connection zones at the intersection with the vertical wall, making the connection process easier and more predictable while maintaining the simplicity of using identical rectangular sheets.
4Loss of substance
If corrugated sheets are cut to fit the bottom wall, then the bottom wall can be covered, but a large amount of material is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs preliminary action by pre-cutting and pre-arranging identical rectangular sheets in a standardized pattern before assembly. This eliminates the need for complex on-site cutting and adaptation, reducing material waste and improving manufacturing efficiency through standardized production processes.
Data Source
AI summary
Cylindrical structure comprising a vertical wall (3) and a bottom wall (2), said bottom wall having a plurality of sectors (4) that are mirror images of each other in rotation, each sector comprising a plurality of adjacent rectangular elements (8), characterized in that said bottom wall is in the shape of a regular polygon, each side (6) of which corresponds to one of said sectors, the edges of the rectangular elements of a sector being respectively perpendicular and parallel to the side of the polygon corresponding to said sector.