Underground Storage Tank Spaced Access Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Underground storage tanks face challenges in accessing components due to the limited depth of burial and difficulty in sealing the dome assembly to the vessel assembly, and there is a need for a pressure relief device in the withdrawal line to prevent liquid fuel spillage when exposed.
Innovation Solution
The design features a spaced access assembly with a dome assembly coupled to the upper ends of the fuel and withdrawal lines, allowing the tank to be buried at any depth, and includes a withdrawal line with a capped outer shell and plenum to prevent liquid fuel spillage in case of damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the dome assembly is attached directly to the vessel assembly, then the coupling is secure, but the sealing is difficult due to the complex intersection of horizontal and vertical cylinders
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the coupling system into three distinct parts: the vessel assembly with its horizontal cylinder, the dome assembly with its vertical cylinder, and an intermediate spherical section. This spherical intermediate section acts as a buffer that simplifies the sealing interface, transforming the complex line intersection sealing problem into a more manageable spherical-to-cylindrical interface that is easier to manufacture and seal reliably.
2Length of stationary object
If the collar is made longer to allow deeper burial, then the tank can be buried deeper, but human access to components becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention relocates the control assembly from the traditional collar region to a dedicated access chamber within the dome assembly. This dimensional reorganization allows the collar to be shortened for easy human access while the control assembly remains accessible through the dome's access port. The burial depth is no longer constrained by collar length but by the flexible fuel and withdrawal lines that connect the vessel to the dome assembly.
3Productivity
If the withdrawal line is extended above the vessel assembly, then rapid liquid fuel extraction is enabled, but the risk of liquid fuel spillage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a capped outer shell as an intermediary protective structure that surrounds the exposed portion of the withdrawal line above the vessel assembly. This outer shell acts as a containment barrier that prevents liquid fuel spillage in case of line damage, while still allowing the withdrawal line to extend upward for rapid liquid fuel extraction. The cap on the outer shell provides the final containment seal.
4Device complexity
If the dome assembly is positioned close to the vessel assembly, then the structure is compact, but access to components is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes the spacing between the dome assembly and vessel assembly dynamic rather than fixed. The dome assembly is positioned at a distance from the vessel assembly that optimizes human access to components within the dome, while the flexible fuel line and withdrawal line maintain continuous fluid communication. This dynamic spacing allows adequate room for human operation and maintenance access while maintaining structural efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an underground tank having a vessel assembly and a generally spaced access assembly. That is, the access assembly includes a fuel line, a withdrawal line, and a dome assembly. The fuel line and the withdrawal line have a first end disposed outside the vessel assembly and a second end disposed adjacent to or within the vessel assembly. The first end extends upwardly from the vessel assembly toward the ground surface. The dome assembly is coupled adjacent to the fuel and withdrawal line first end. As such, the vessel assembly may be buried at any depth as the fuel and withdrawal lines may have any length.