Top-Down Tank Construction System for Safety and Welding Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
The construction of large cylindrical structures, such as tanks, faces challenges including site location difficulties, safety concerns at heights, quality control issues in welding, and prolonged construction times due to weather conditions, as well as logistical complexities and high insurance costs.
Innovation Solution
A novel construction system using hydraulic jacks, supporting bases, movable horizontal welding cabinets, and sheet forming devices for ring strips, allowing simultaneous welding and assembly of rings, which reduces construction time and enhances safety and quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional construction system starting from base is used, then assembly of walls can be performed, but workers safety deteriorates due to work at heights and risk of tool drops
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional construction sequence by building from the top ring downward. The first ring is assembled at ground level and welded to the roof, then subsequent rings are assembled on the ground and hoisted to connect to the previous ring. This inversion eliminates the need for workers to assemble structures at heights, directly resolving the safety issue while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Each ring is completely assembled, welded, and inspected at ground level before being hoisted to its final position. This preliminary completion of assembly operations at safe ground level prevents tools and parts from being dropped during assembly at heights, while still achieving the required construction outcome.
2Ease of manufacture
If construction is performed at great heights, then tank walls can be assembled, but work quality deteriorates due to wind effects on alignment and welding
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the construction sequence and performing all welding operations at ground level before hoisting, the patent eliminates wind interference during critical welding and alignment operations. The rings are welded in calm ground conditions, ensuring high manufacturing precision, then hoisted as completed units to their final positions.
Solution Approach 2:
All precision welding and alignment work is performed preliminarily at ground level where environmental conditions are controlled and stable. This preliminary completion of precision operations before hoisting ensures that wind effects at heights do not compromise welding quality or structural alignment.
3Ease of operation
If lateral opening is kept in wall for access, then materials and personnel can move freely, but structural reliability deteriorates due to weakened wall section
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the access function from the tank wall by creating dedicated ground-level access points and hoisting mechanisms separate from the wall structure. Personnel and materials are moved through ground-level openings and vertical hoisting systems rather than creating openings in the wall, thereby maintaining wall structural integrity while providing necessary access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary access systems such as ground-level portals and vertical hoisting mechanisms that mediate between the need for access and the requirement for structural integrity. These intermediaries provide access routes without compromising the wall's load-bearing capacity.
4Ease of manufacture
If sequential ring assembly is used, then construction can be completed, but productivity deteriorates due to repeated hoisting cycles
Solution Approach 1:
Each ring is preliminarily assembled, welded, and inspected at ground level before hoisting. This preliminary completion reduces the number of hoisting cycles needed, as rings are hoisted in their final configuration rather than requiring multiple hoisting operations for assembly adjustments, thereby improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes continuous workflows where ring assembly, welding, and inspection occur in an uninterrupted sequence at ground level before hoisting. This continuity eliminates idle time between hoisting cycles and maintains steady production pace, improving overall construction speed and productivity.
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 system significantly reduces construction time, improves safety by minimizing work at heights, and ensures high-quality welding, while optimizing logistics and reducing insurance costs through efficient use of resources and continuous operation under adverse weather conditions.
Implementation Method 1
at least two hydraulic presses aligned vertically, which move horizontally
Implementation Method 2
welded by welding robots sliding along calibrated vertical rails on both sides of said presses
Implementation Method 3
A novel construction system using hydraulic jacks, supporting bases
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for building cylindrical structures, preferably made of metal, on the basis of the construction methods referred to as “a method which begins the assembly by the top structure”, which provides high levels of safety in the various steps to be carried out. The method uses a shaping device for shell sheets, at least one stationary cabin for vertically aligning and welding sheets, movable cabins for horizontally welding the inside and outside, and supporting base devices which in combination provide a safe and comfortable working environment for the operators, as well as greater speed and finish quality for the tank to be built, even under harsh weather conditions.