Variable Capacity Liquid Tank With Adjustable Mast and Offset Feet
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid reservoirs lack variable capacity and stability on uneven surfaces, with their center of gravity not safely raisable, posing safety risks and instability issues, especially when subjected to wind.
Innovation Solution
A reservoir design featuring a rigid frame with a flexible casing and adjustable feet, where the rigid frame's supporting surface is increased and the flexible envelope's base is fixed to the frame, allowing height adjustments to optimize stability and center of gravity positioning, using a technical mast with anchoring points and stiffeners to maintain the cylindrical shape and support the liquid column.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the center of gravity is raised above the ground to increase capacity, then the liquid storage volume is improved, but the stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the stability-capacity contradiction by transitioning from a ground-level support system to an elevated support system using a mast structure. The mast raises the tank above ground level, creating a vertical dimension solution that allows the center of gravity to be safely raised while maintaining stability through the elevated support configuration and offset feet arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the feet positions adjustable and offset from the central axis. This dynamic configuration allows the support base to adapt to different ground conditions and load distributions, maintaining stability even when the tank capacity and center of gravity height are increased.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the supporting surface area is increased to improve stability, then the stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the support function into distinct components: the mast structure provides vertical support, while the offset feet provide horizontal stability. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, achieving enhanced stability without requiring a complex monolithic base structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The mast structure serves multiple functions: it provides vertical support, elevates the tank to increase capacity, and serves as a mounting structure for the feet that create the stable base. This multi-functionality achieves enhanced stability without adding separate dedicated components, thereby controlling complexity.
3Volume of moving object
If the flexible envelope height is increased to maximize capacity, then the liquid storage volume is improved, but the wind resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By elevating the tank on a mast structure, the patent changes the vertical dimension of the system. This elevation allows the tank to be positioned where wind loads are reduced, and the offset feet create a wide base that resists wind-induced tipping moments, enabling greater height and capacity while maintaining wind resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The offset feet are positioned in advance at specific locations on the mast to create a pre-configured stable base. This preliminary arrangement of the support structure provides inherent wind resistance before wind loads are applied, allowing the tank to achieve maximum height and capacity without compromising stability against wind forces.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device for storing a liquid in a sealed flexible housing which is easy to install on the ground, the maximum capacity of which is variable, and the center of gravity of the liquid column of which can be safely raised above the ground at different heights. The device consists of a rigid supporting frame capable of being dismantled and comprising a single vertically stable strong technical pylon (1) that bears most of the weight of the liquid contained in the sealed cylindrical flexible housing by means of two ferrules horizontally secured to the latter and the heights of which are adjustable. The lower ferrule serves as a base for supporting the liquid column contained in the flexible housing and reduces the volume thereof when it is adjusted to a high position on the pylon (1). The upper ferrule is fixed and makes it possible to maintain the cylindrical shape of the flexible housing in the higher portion thereof which receives two specific half-ferrules on the inner circumference thereof. Four vertical stiffeners with small cross-sections connect the two ferrules together. The pylon (1) and stiffener assembly is connected to a base (6) comprising four legs (8), the heights of which are adjustable and which are offset relative to the horizontal cross-section of the flexible housing.